On Mon, 17 May 1999, you wrote:
> Bela Lantos wrote:
> >
> > Hi everyone,
> >
> > Since I installed Mandrake 5.3 I have problem with pppd dying unexpectedly
> > because of timeout. Even though I increased timeout to 2 min, it still dies.
> > However, if I dial again, the second time it connects OK. This problem doesn't
> > exist if I dial in as ROOT, only as user. It wasn't so in Mandrake 5.2. I am so
> > disappointed with it, that I am going to dump Linux from my desktop and stick
> > with Win95. At least it doesn't double my phone bill.
>
> Turn on debugging and see if anything obvious pops up. Check your log
> files and see if anything is listed there when the connection is
> dropped.
>
> > 5.3 would also hang if I tried to shutdown with CTRL_ALT_DELETE at the killing
> > of the gpm daemon -> corrupted file system. My mouse is a serial mouse. My
> > friend's is a PS/2, he doesn't have this problem. I uninstalled the
> > "initscript", and installed the one from Mandrake 5.2. It works fine.
>
> Do you need gpm?
I didn't start it myself. It was started automatically after installation. Of
course, I need the mouse.
It doesn't sound like you're very comfortable at the
> command line, so I'm wondering if it's even necessary for you to run
> it.
I know the command line as much as someone who just came out of the DOS world.
If you don't need it, turn it off. Problem solved. And if there
> IS a bug, how about submitting it to Mandrakesoft through something a
> bit more 'official' than the newbie mailing list?
I did that, too, but received no help. They told me to come to the newsgroups.
It's been a while
> since I've seen Gael or anyone else affiliated with Mandrakesoft posting
> to this list.
>
> > I also installed Red Hat 6 on another partition. It is missing kpackage and
> > glint, which is a very ugly error from Red Hat. Pppd works fine as ROOT, but
> > when I try to bring up kppp the following is the message:
>
> What does this have to do with Mandrake, might I ask?
Nothing right now, unless Mandrake leaves every settings where Red Hat left.
As for it missing
> kpackage and glint, who REALLY cares? Glint sucked rocks through a
> straw! Try gnorpm or (horror of horrors!) the command line! As for
> kpackage, I tried it with Mandrake and just gave up on it.
Kpackage worked fine for me, no problem. Glint was excellent in some ways.
While
> uninstalling packages, it would magically up and lose root privileges
> every few minutes forcing me to restart the program. Thanks, but no
> thanks.
>
> > "pppd is not properly installed!
> > The pppd binary must be installed with the SUID bit set.
> > Contact your system administrator."
>
> And if you use the supported tools, it works just fine. Odd, that. Try
> configuring with netcfg and using '/sbin/ifup ppp0' and '/sbin/ifdown
> ppp0' and everything is fine. Be sure to check the box that says 'Allow
> users to activate the interface', else normal users will get an error
> when they try to dialup.
No, the answer was posted to me: as root you have to set UID for /usr/bin/kppp.
>
> > I click OK to the message, then try to dial with kppp, and the following is the
> > message:
> >
> > "Sorry, can't create modem lock file."
>
> So check the permissions on the /var/lock directory to make sure your
> user can write there.
I am the user. (And the root as well.)
>
> > Do these Linux companies know what they are doing? Since Red Hat received so
> > much investment, and Mandrake became successful their products are not worth
> > buying unless you are a programming guru who can fix the ugly errors.
>
> This KPPP problem doesn't exist on my copy of Mandrake, and I haven't
> seen any other postings about 'works as root, not as user' from anyone
> else in the past 3 or 4 months that I've been using Mandrake.
The same problem happened to my friend.
>
> As for the 'programming guru' comment, I'll be the first to admit that I
> couldn't code my way out of a paper bag. My Mandrake installation and
> subsequent use has been completely trouble-free and without any need to
> program anything.
Mine was also, except for troubles with dialling in, and with the shutdown.
These were not present in Mandrake 5.2. After replaceing Mandrake 5.3's
initscript with 5.2's one, everything works fine. --> Bug in the initscript in
5.3 (at least with some serial mice).
>
> > I am very upset about their carelessness. Linux will not win the hearts of
> > people this way. I am now not recommending it to anyone until it will be
> > praised on the newsgroups.
>
> I'm sick and tired of people posting to this mailing list who've seen a
> mention of Linux somewhere, bought a distribution, installed it, and now
> stare blankly at the monitor wondering what they hell they're supposed
> to do. And when something doesn't work exactly the way they think it
> should, they're completely baffled as to what to do! Linux provides you
> with more debugging information that you could ever imagine -- if you
> know where to look for it (hint, try /var/log)
You may be sick and tired. I have been using Linux for about a year now.
You can't say I didn't put hours into it.
>
> Linux on your personal machine IS NOT and will NEVER be like running
> Windows.
Another mistake. This is exactly the aim of Corel, KDE, Gnome, and the Mandrake
project.
Windows allows you to be an end-user. No sense in worrying
> about where you files are stored or how to configure your POP client to
> retrieve your mail -- Windows will take care of that for you. Linux
> forces you to be an administrator. This is a powerful system that
> allows you to undertake tasks in a variety of ways. It's up to YOU to
> make something of it.
>
> So quit stomping your feet and tossing a temper tantrum and ask for help
> WITHOUT the "threats" to give up Linux. You'll get alot further.
If I cannot connect to the Internet from Linux because the new versions come
with trouble, then I have to use what does the job. My distributor confirmed
that ppp is a Linux problem. Don't misunderstand me. I love Linux, and I am
hoping to dump Win95. But I need a reliable work horse that doesn't need too
much time for maintainance. I don't mind spending time on setup, but after that
I don't want annoying problems like Win95 has.
Yours: Bela
>
> --
> Steve Philp
> [EMAIL PROTECTED]
