Update On SUSE 9.3 and SATA RAID0 Install Attempt!

Here is an update on my SUSE 9.3 Pro installation. Seems that I had messed some things up, so I decided to do a reinstall, possibly correcting some of my mistakes. While I was at it, I thought I'd give RAID one more try. I'm not even quite sure how, but I did manage to set up the RAID0 array!!!:) I don't think I set up the partitions, so that I have full use of the RAID0, but hey, it worked! When the regular release of SUSE 10.0 comes out, I think I can do it right, with a fresh install!

I have encountered some problems with SUSE 9.3, which I did not experience with Mandriva 2005, however. Possibly, if I'm reading correctly, due to a newer kernel. Here are the things which won't work with SUSE 9.3, but did work fine with Mandriva 2005. I wonder if anyone else has experienced this?

1) I am using an MSI KT6V motherboard with onboard sound, via the VIA VT8237. Worked fine with Mandriva. Yet, I have no sound with SUSE. Looking at the sound configuration, SUSE shows I am using a MSI K8 NEO motherboard with VIA VT8237, but a different version. When I try to install the sound under VT8237, I get an error...can't remember exactly what it says, but essentially that the VT8237 cannot be installed. I think something to do with a kernel problem. I suppose my option here is to get a regular sound card and go that route.

2) Using Evolution email, with Mandriva 2005 and prior, I was able to set up my Sony CLIE PEG-S360 PDA to synch with Evolution email. It is a USB connection to the cradle. Won't happen with SUSE. I did some reading and apparently, this kernel has an issue with the Sony CLIE.

3) The last problem is using XSANE to scan from my old HP T-45 multifunction printer. There is apparently an HP multifunction driver with SUSE, which I was advised to install. It won't install. Again, I get an install error, but not sure as to exactly what it says. I can print with the old HP printer, without a problem. It's a pretty old multifunction printer, so I suppose it's time to replace it, as well.

Those are the three problems I've encountered with SUSE, which did not exist with Mandriva 2005. Otherwise, everything seems to be working fine.

Regards,
zenarcher

Well, wonders never cease with Linux. I had noted my three problems, after installing SUSE 9.3 Linux. I removed the sound card driver and reinstalled it...and it's working perfectly! After a bit of Googling, I found someone else with the same problem with SUSE 9.3 and a Sony PDA. Turns out, it was a permissions problem. I did a dlpsh -p /dev/usb/ttyUSB1 in the terminal and found it "sleeping." Tried the same thing as su and it worked fine! SUSE 9.3 made a suggestion for a chmod command, which I copied and pasted...and the problem was resolved! The Sony PDA now syncs perfectly with Evolution. As for the old HP T-45 multifunction printer, it's a matter of HP updating drivers. For now, I can't scan through XSANE. I could take the new HP driver out and install the old one and I understand it would then work. However, I think it's about time to get a new printer anyway, so I'm leaving it as is, since I rarely scan. Once I install anything in the way of a new HP multifunction printer, it should resolve that issue, as well. I've installed a lot of extra applications and all work, as well.

One thing I found in SUSE 9.3 that I really like. After downloading an RPM, beginning to install, you have the option of either installing or testing. By checking the test box, the application runs like it is installing, but actually does not. When finished, you know whether it will install properly, or if you need to install other libraries, etc. first. You are shown which libraries or dependencies must be installed, so you can do that, before installing the RPM...saving a lot of hassle. I'm really pleased with this version of SUSE.

I installed SUSE9.3 over the weekend. So far My family is really happy with it! We switched from FC4. Personally, I think the install was a breeze! I did have to configure the printer (a HP psc 1315) after the install, and the soundcard (FC4 auto detected everything), but that was really no big deal! I haven't tried to scan anything yet so I don't know if that is working or not. I do really like the updater, it will automatically delete source packages after an update, something I never quite got (how to do), in FC4. All in all, i am very happy with this distro, so far. 45 minutes after I put disc-1 (5 disc set) in, I was using my computer, and exploring SUSE9.3 , the install was very quick, and painless :-). My son did try to play a game, that didn't work well for him, something about 3-D graphics wasn't suppported. I'll have to check that out at some point, this machine has onboard graphics, Perhaps I need a NVIDIA card instead. All in all, this distro is very nice, and is one my wife and kids (and myself as well) can use with no problem!

Justbill

WindowsXP anad SUSE9.3
on a
Compaq Presario SR1426NX
2.93Ghz Pentium 4 processor
512MB PC2-3200 DDR2 SDRAM
160GB 7200RPM Serial ATA hard drive

I switched over to Nvidia video cards, when I switched to Linux. The ATI video cards were too much of a hassle. No problem with video here. The install would have gone much more quickly for me, except the sole purpose for my trying SUSE 9.3 was to set up SATA RAID. As a lot of people here on the forum know, I've been trying to do that for months with Mandriva...quite unsuccessfully. I had read that it was quite simple with SUSE 9.3. Actually, it was. It's just that I'm getting old and my brain doesn't comprehend instructions as well as it used to do, so I had to make about three attempts to get it right. At least SUSE told me I was doing it wrong, so I didn't waste time with a bad install. Once I understood, all went well. I think any of the later HP multifunction printers would work fine. Just that mine uses the old driver and I'd have to take the new driver out and reinstall the old one. As you say, the updater is wonderful! I also appreciate the automatic deletion of source packages. As for games, I've only found one glitch. My wife is a big "Same Gnome" player. I still have Mandriva 2005 SE on her system, but she was trying the newer version of Gnome Games on mine. In Same Gnome, I am unable to save high game scores. I think I read somewhere that it is a glitch in the version. Everything works fine in the other games I've tried. I had ordered SUSE 9.3 Pro on DVD, which works well. I always get my disks from the same source....very inexpensive...I think it was $4.99....and their disks always work. I've ordered many from the same source. No hassle burning disks and not having them work right...and for that price, I wouldn't be bothered.

Regards,
zenarcher
[Edited by zenarcher on 2005-08-23 08:28:39]

If either of you have the room on your hard drive, you may want to test SuSE 10 beta 2. Very nice!

There are some minor bugs with some hardware detection, but easily solved. A beautiful graphical grub splash screen is included that does away with the previously ugly stock grub screen.

That sounds good, danleff. I have plenty of room, as I now have the pair of 80GB SATA drives in RAID0 array. I'm a bit scared of the beta, with my limited Linux expertise, but I'm watching it closely and plan to get the SUSE 10.0 Pro, as soon as it's released. I figure that should be within the next two to three months, but I don't recall seeing an estimated release date, yet. I'm sure impressed with SUSE 9.3. I like it better than Mandriva 2005LE, so far....I like some of the update features and such, much better.

Regards,
zenarcher

I am also VERY impressed with Suse9.3 pro, and am looking forward to the next release. I am sure I have plenty of HD space (160Gig), but have never had any success with more than 2 operating systems on a drive at any given time (win & linux). Right now, Suse is using only about 4 of 80 gig, or 5%, so space is not an issue, my limited ability is (I am no spring chicken either, zenarcher :-) ). Once I tried to have win98,FC3, and Simply Mepis on the same drive, and Fc3 wouldn't boot, so my only experience with multiple linux systems on the same drive has not been good!

Justbill

I just run a single O/S on my system, so I also have plenty of room. I've never tried to set up multiple operating systems and really not found a need to do so. It took a lot of convincing, but I finally talked my wife into letting me put Mandriva 2005LE on her computer a few months ago. She's gotten used to that now, but I haven't managed to talk her into letting me switch it to SUSE yet. Her system is basically the same as mine, but without the SATA drives, so shouldn't be a problem. It's just that she's a hair stylist and not a computer person...and doesn't take to change easily! I do have keep one old clunker computer with Windows XP on the network, as she plays a couple of games on it and I use it for reference, when I'm working on a Windows system for a customer. I'm hoping by the time SUSE 10.0 comes out I can talk the wife into letting me change her system over to SUSE, as well. As you've said, this is a wonderful distro and version...not a problem at all. I just had a bad experience with SUSE 9.0 and switched to Mandrake, at the time. I don't think I'll be switching back, unless there is some major problem with SUSE 10.0.

zenarcher