[prunejuice]

Originally Posted by fenderfreek

For a new user, stability and ease of use is infinitely more important than having the latest and greatest...

Even for a power user using their distro as their main workstation, stable releases are the way to go.
Bleeding edge should go no further than test installations and hobby boxes in my opinion.

Debian for stability.

[fenderfreek]

Ubuntu 6.06 is a tried-and-true stable, Debian based distribution. I use it myself for that very reason and recommend it to anyone wanting to use Linux on an everyday basis, but especially new users. It's interface and package management system are the best in its class, and it's worldwide popularity only serves to prove that. Out of all the distro's I've used, I've had far less headache in getting Ubuntu to work how I wanted, than with any other.

[ljbirns]

Well that's good to hear. At least I picked the right one to load once I have a drive to load it on.

Thanks

[prunejuice]

Originally Posted by fenderfreek

...I've had far less headache in getting Ubuntu to work how I wanted, than with any other.

I second that.

I had a two year love/hate relationship with Mandrake/Mandriva before finally installing Dapper when it came out. I still have a Mandriva/Kubuntu dual boot, but I'm
going to blow away the Mandriva install and maybe set up MEPIS.

[ljbirns]

Ok I got another old computer up and running. It boots and has Windows NT 4.0 as an OS. I tried twice ( Two different live CD's ) to install Ubuntu I get as far as SCANNING DRIVES and it stops ( hangs ?? The little circle thing which I take to be the hourglass equivalent stops spinning ) at 50 % both times . I let it try for 90 minutes.
I do not have an internet connection on this machine but I guess I could hook one up if that would solve the problem.

[ljbirns]

I downloaded a live CD of Mint Ubuntu. Eureka!!! It installed perfectly ! I now have Ubuntu 6.06 installed and running. Now I want to connect to the internet so I can use various help forums and manuals etc. I have an ethernet card attached to a D-Link router using verizon FIOS. But I can't connect. I can't ping nor can i access the router from the Ubuntu so I am thinking that Ubuntu doesnt recognize the card. Any help will be appreciated.

[Bartender]

I've got 2 suggestions. Bypass the router and plug directly into your cable modem. The other thing to try is disabling IPV6. This is easy enuf to do and has worked for lots of people. IPV6 is some kind of new way of transmitting packets of data on the Internet but lots of modems don't know how to handle the IPV6 protocol, so they stall.
Here are instructions for disabling IPV6 in Firefox. If you find Firefox working but nothing else does, then you know you're on the right track. You need to disable IPV6 system-wide. Here's a link for that. Take a good look at posts #1 and #5. The guy assumed a certain level of proficiency in his first post, then went back and explained it a little better in #5. You're adding three lines in the modprobe.d/aliases, and uncommenting one line by placing "#" in front of it. Save, reboot, see if internet works.
EDIT: Ubuntu pretty much recognizes any plain jane ethernet card so I doubt that's it. If yours is some weird brand then maybe, but more likely something else.

[ljbirns]

Bartender
Thanks. I have no modem. The FIOS goes directly to the router from the
jack. I connected the Linux computer directly to the jack and did sudo pppoeconf and bingo it took me through a number of setup menus ( Where I just said yes ) and I was connected to the internet. E-mail works too. So the problem IS the router. I didn't have time to try disabling the IPV6. I will try ( certain proficency is putting it mildly ) tonight.
I also bought a book on Ubuntu. Slowly slowly .

Thank you for your help

[ljbirns]

I got it.
The router was filtering out the computer connection. I had to enter the linux computer"s MAC address into the " Allow This Computer
to Connect" filter. Now it works fine. Thank you all very much for your help.

[Bartender]

Good job! I'm impressed that you've been able to delve into these problems and work your way thru them.

[ljbirns]

Well if you hadn't told me to plug in directly, bypassing the router, I'd still be looking.
After that I figured it HAD to be the router.SoI owe you the >> THANKS

Have a happy thanksgiving.