Problem with linux mint

[ARJOT SINGH]

hey guys
I m running linux mint 8 with win xp and win 7 ultimate. I have installed linux mint on my external usb hdd and both windows on my internal hdd.
My problem is that for the last few days software package manager is not opening. When I click on manager's icon the window displays for a second then nothing happens.
Please help.
Also how can I install realtek hd audio drivers on linux mint.

Also I would like to know about the linux mint 8 kde ce edition. Is it stable enough and bootable with windows?

Also can u guys tell me about any multimedia kde based distros that can be used alongwith windows in triple boot and can be installed on usb hdd.

Thanks in advance.

[Cool G5]

Linux Mint KDE is good enough.
You can try Sabayon Linux(KDE desktop).

Why you need Realtek HD drivers? The pulesaudio in Linux Mint should work fine.

[ARJOT SINGH]

Sabayon can be installed along with windows right bcoz my friends say that it sometimes doesn't recognises windows.

Also can anyone suggest any bootloader other than grub. Grub is very slow.
I have heard about easy BCD but does it work with windows and linux both and can u explain me in detail about how it works.
Thanks

[Cool G5]

Offcourse you can dual boot Sabayon with Windows.
Other than GRUB you have LILO.

Sorry but haven't tried easy BCD.

[Rahim]

Can you explain what do you mean by "slow" regarding grub?

Regarding your Intel HDA, i have booted into live mode in PCloS & SImplyMepis and sound didn't work. I messed with alsamixer but to no avail. Then booted with Mint 8(GNOME) and yet no sound initially. I opened Pulseaudio configuration and under one tab selected "No Amplifier" and voila, sound worked I still can't understand what that option is in alsamixer.

Sabayon maybe a loaded distro but a little complex to administer for new users.
Mint KDE4 CE is very good.

[ARJOT SINGH]

Hey guys
Thanks guys for ur replies and solutions.

I was trying to install sabayon on my usb hdd which is always conected to my pc and win xp & win7 on my internal sata hdd. But it gives me error that boot device not found. Previously linux mint used to work in similar setup.

---------- Post added at 09:34 PM ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 PM ----------

Originally Posted by a_rahim

Can you explain what do you mean by "slow" regarding grub?

Regarding your Intel HDA, i have booted into live mode in PCloS & SImplyMepis and sound didn't work. I messed with alsamixer but to no avail. Then booted with Mint 8(GNOME) and yet no sound initially. I opened Pulseaudio configuration and under one tab selected "No Amplifier" and voila, sound worked I still can't understand what that option is in alsamixer.

Sabayon maybe a loaded distro but a little complex to administer for new users.
Mint KDE4 CE is very good.

Hey a_rahim
Thanks for ur solution. I have given up on GNOME and going to KDE based distros now.

On my system grub boot menu loads after a long time. I think it is something to do with my linux installation on my usb ide hdd.

[FilledVoid]

I have the same problem with Grub on Ubuntu 9.10 but I really don't mind that much since Ubuntu seems to boot up quite fast otherwise. However this tends to happen if you have Grub2 installed on a USB drive or if the boot partition is on a different drive than one which Grub2 is installed. Don't quote me on this though. This is what I sort of gathered some time ago on IRC.

[Tron91]

The main problem with linux is that it provides too many options. The last time i had used FC10, which i installed from the bootable dvd, i ended up downloading all the rpms which was touching 16 GB. Then i could run whichever desktop manager i wanted lol.

[celldweller1591]

@Tron91
This is not a problem IMO. Actually , linux offers everthing a power user wants i.e a list of DEs and applications and wide range of distros and their derivatives . Its all up to you what you want and what u dont. Its just that you should choose wisely .

@FilledVoid
I too had problem with Karmic , but that was bcoz of the hardware. I fixed it afterwards. The improved KMS was conflicting with my intel hardware so i had to add a script to acpi=off and now i work well .

[papul1993]

Also how can I install realtek hd audio drivers on linux mint.

no need to install driver the default ones will work fine.

[Tron91]

Originally Posted by celldweller1591

@Tron91
This is not a problem IMO. Actually , linux offers everthing a power user wants i.e a list of DEs and applications and wide range of distros and their derivatives . Its all up to you what you want and what u dont. Its just that you should choose wisely .

See what i meant now, how would you choose without using/testing all of them and which fulfill your requirements? Windows comes with just one shell, the age old explorer and no one complains about it lol. Linux got so many and unless you use all of them at some point of time you can't decide which will be your perfect mate. And India is still using the low band-width networks so you can't ask anyone to download all distros and find what suits your need or keep mailing the Distro vendors for CDs and DVDs.