Linux Debian problems (linux noob)

OK i installed Debian the other day becuase Ubuntu just wasnt doing it for me and i read debian is far better but sofar it is just a pain in the arse.

I installed xfree86 and Gnome for graphical interface. Is there anything better than xfree86. OH and i used the the netinstall disc and im using http to get all my applications.

Problem one is i cant get it to go above 800 by 600 resolution. On Ubuntu my video was automatically setup. ON debian i went through the Xfree86 configuration and set the card up correctly but it still wont go past 800-600. I went into the config file and looked it says higher resolutions are there but when i go into the screen resoltuion menu there not.

Im also having problems with running applications. ON ubuntu i had 200mb of my ram used. USing the base debian instal i have 370mb worth the applications running all the time. I only have 384(or whatever) of ram so i start lagging when running anything.

Any help on either of these would be gratly appreciated. I know alittle about linux but not much i use it for my internet browser/email computer.

 

For me the combination Xorg-X11 and fluxbox does all I want, but Xorg-X11 and gnome will work just as well... The config file for Xorg-x11 is found under /etc/xorg.conf, but there's a automatic setup, xorgcfg or something...

The ram, look what services are started (ps -a) that will give you an indecation... probably a sshd or something...

 

xfree86 is old and bad, take x.org 6.9 or 7.0 (same realise date, only the 7.0 is modular and 6.9 is more like xorg was since 80es).

For desktop environement, if you have a recent computer (2002-3+) try KDE. It is a littel slower because there is many (too many?) great things started by default. For noob, kde is the best because it allow user to set and do almost everything without installing other softeware. There is small apps for add printer, scanner, network and all tools like that. If you want more speed and less menu, dealog and icon and if you want to configure everything manually, fluxbox is for you. Remember, for new user, kde is the best (my opinion)

 

Xorg is the default xserver in Debian Testing, but XFree86 is still default on Stable. So yeah, switch to Testing (you're pretty much safe to do this anyway, as long as it's not a production server). To correctly configure xorg: dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg. Make sure you know EXACTLY what your hardware specs are though, including the refresh rates of the monitor, etc.

Debian is (IMO) better than Ubuntu if you know what you are doing (or are willing to learn), as it allows you to really get into the heart of the system.

As Glider said, check your /etc/init.d to see what apps are being started that you don't need. There's a great app called sysv-rc-config to make enabling/disabling services real simple. Alternatively use ksysv if you want a GUI version.

 

Wow thank you for suggesting the testing version. Just from installing it it fixed all of my problems thank you so much. It even fixed my ram problems. IT is even allowing me to run 1280-1024 which is higher then i could get ubuntu to do. Guess i most have just had a messed up stable instal or something.

As for using KDE the computer is oldish its a dell optiplex GX1 with a 550mhz cpu and a wopping 8mb of video ram. So KDE is a little to much for the computer.

Thank you for your replys you fixed all my problems. Im sure ill have more though lol.

 

Got more questions about debian/ linux in general. I just put a 60 GB hardrive in my debian box and im wondering how would I go about formating it and turning the drive into a NAS drive. I basically want to use the drive to store files for all my computers on. Like backups of my Bookmarks and word documents so that i can access them on any computer in my house. Now I use to know how to do that on Ubuntu(something about mounting a drive or some sort) but my guess is that would be a no go on debian. I want to be able to access the drive from windows and linux computers so what would be the best file system to use it will hold big and small files (movies,pictures, documents, and the such).

 

Assuming the 60Gig drive has been used in a Windows machine then you can use fdisk to get rid of the existing partition(s), then set up your new partitions on it. You could get away with just one 60Gb partition. Then format the partition with your filesystem of choice.

If the new drive is an IDE unit it should be picked up by the kernel at /dev/hdX, where X is "a" for the primary drive on the 1st IDE channel, "b" for the secondary, then "c" and "d" for the primary and secondary on the 2nd IDE channel. Something like "fdisk /dev/hdX" (from a root shell), then "p" should list the existing partions. The fdisk help lists the commands for deleting and adding new partitions. Make sure you're fdisk'ing the correct drive!

Assuming you made one partition on there, it would be accessed at "/dev/hdX1". Filesystem-wise ext3 is probably the most appropriate, so something like "mke2fs -j /dev/hdX1" would format the 1st partiton of the new drive. Again, make sure its the correct partition you're formatting.

You can then mount the new drive. Make a suitable mountpoint for it i.e. a directory. Something like "mkdir /mnt/mehnewdrive". Then something like "mount -t ext3 /dev/hdaX1 /mnt/mehnewdrive" would mount the drive and give you access to it. Adding an entry to /etc/fstab would have it mounted on boot.

That gives you access from the local machine. To share it over the network your best bet is Samba . You should be able to apt-get that, then set up the config file to share out "/mnt/mehnewdrive".