Mepis, easiest to install Linux....please

People keep talking about Mepis around here, so I decided to give it a try. I went to the site and got the 7.0 release from one of the mirrors. I already have a linux partition on my desktop, but I don't use it much. My desktop is now generally just used to game. Everything seems to go alright, until it's time to start kdm. Nothing happens. I'm just dropped to a text only login. It says I could try pressing some keys to get a GUI, but that just locks the machine up. I then popped the cd into my laptop and rebooted. Same story.

Mepis has no generic drivers that work with the 8600 GT or the 9600m GT? I don't expect full performance out of box, but nothing. Sorry Mepis, I can't accept an OS that claims to be really easy that requires me to install my graphic drivers before I can do anything. How is this possible? Isn't Mepis derived from Ubuntu?

 

No. Mepis is derived from Debian. Ubuntu is also derived from Debian.

If you want a newbie Linux, you might want to try Linux Mint (mainly derived from Ubuntu).

 

I already have a newbie linux, ubuntu. I could get the video working, but what's the point? I expect this kind of thing from linux, but not from "easy to install" distros. Ubuntu is still my king. I'm a little bit above newbie at this point, but I still like instillation to be pretty easy.

I am now looking for a different distro to play with. I've messed with Fedora a bit, so I might try that. I guess Debian would also be a good choice. I ws just trying mepis to see what all the fuss is about. It didn't "just work", so I give up on it. It's probably good for some people, but not for me.

 

Of course mepis 7 doesn't have proper drivers for your brand new graphics card, mepis 7 is rather old, so if you wanted to go mepis with support for your newer hardware, you'd have to download mepis 8.

As for how old, it uses kernel 2.6.22, you'd probably want at least .26 for that hardware.

 

Bill....get MEPIS 8 Beta 5....hardware support is astronomically better...then report back...your vid drivers will be in synaptic if they aren't automagically installed...but I think they are...sorry, can't remember right now. MEPIS is Debian derived and uses Debian Lenny repos....Ubuntu is Debian derived also. Linux Mint is Ubuntu derived but is working on a Debian version I think.

 

There's an 8....maybe I went to the wrong mirror. 7 was the highest I found. Trying 8....

 

But seriously, where do I find 8? The best I can find from the mepis site is 7.

I could look for a torrent....but...um.........meh, whatever.

 

Here it is...beta 5 is what you want.... ftp://ftp.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/distributions/mepis/testing/ It's very stable, which is what MEPIS strives for...now they are using KDE 3.5.10

 

OH! Gotchya

 

btw.....my vid card in my sig is an 8600GT....no probs with that card.

 

MEPIS is run by one guy. Although it's a really good distro, the support is a bit wanting. I also suggest that things take a lot longer to get 'fixed' or worked on than say, Debian or Ubuntu. Understandably so but it's something for the general Linux user to take into account. How long is it going to be in Beta 5?

I think Debian is more suited for servers or expert Linux users, imho. It's also has the slow update cycle unless you go with testing or unstable.

I think Ubuntu's 6 month cycle isn't too bad and although it has deviated from Debian for my liking, I am no expert so it's satisfactory for me. I would try Kubuntu or install KDE desktop if you like MEPIS and Debian (KDE desktop).

 

Yep, one guy and a support team. Support is not lacking because one doesn't need any. The Beta's have been breezing along at a fairly rapid rate.

But, all that doesn't matter with regard to Warren, as Kubuntu is a download away if somehow the distro ceases to exist ala Libranet... I'm hoping Warren will do the right thing and turn the distro over to another 'entity' if he lacks the time to supervise it's development. But, kudo's for the good job done since inception.

 

Yeah, he's done a great job. That's why I pointed out the differences between his 'team' and the corporate backing of Ubuntu, Fedora (Red Hat) and even the considerable team backing of Debian.

But, I don't agree with the statement of 'support is not lacking because one doesn't need any.' That's just silly. If you only watch videos and use Firefox, say, then you don't need any. If you REALLY use your computer and/or you're fairly new to Linux, you'll need support regardless of how 'user-friendly' the distro is reputed to be.

 

No support needed from the maintainer....support is going to come from the forums, including Ubuntu...so, it doesn't matter if you stick with a deban based distro in this case.

 

If you really -use- your computer, and tinker with what you shouldn't, then you should understand how to fix it. Makes sense to me.

 

I'm putting Kubuntu back on anyway, as that's always been my distro of choice...MEPIS is all about stability, and I'm really more of a bleeding edge kinda guy

 

Kubuntu or any *buntu is only bleeding edge for about a week.