stupid install tricks

By basd on Sep 22, 2009 | In kde4, linux, opensuse, gnome

Some of the good, bad and ugly:

1. Do NOT add the OpenSuse ATI repository for the Gateway LT3103u.

...

This is a very bad idea, because now your video will not work, which is very close to saying now your computer will not work.

2. If you have already done this, press "3"and the "enter" key at the grub loader to get yourself to a konsole prompt. Login as root. Run YAST. Select the "repository" list. Got to the ATI repository. For the items that are marked "i" for "installed", mark them with "-" to uninstall them. Then run the hardware>graphics cards/monitors so that you will have a functional screen again.

3. One thing I really hate about new installs is adding all of the repositories. Why can't they be a menu? Why can't they be one click?

Well, sort of they are -- you can "add" the "community repositories". This, unfortunately, will not add the KDE 3.5 main repository and will not add the KDE3 factory repositories.

But, aha! I found a trick. Go to the build service, and one-click install "kicker". You've now conveniently got a running kicker panel and also the main KDE 3.5 repository is added.

Then, go to the build system and install "konqueror". There are some choices. I prefer not to go to the bleeding edge of "unstable" -- I stick with "Factory." You will now have a bunch of dependency elections to make, but you've got the kde4.3 repositories and will be updating to kde 4.3. Yay! (On dependencies, pick the "install with vendor change" elections and "replace" elections. Essentially, you have to do away with the 4.1 that is in the standard OpenSuse 11.1 install and replace with 4.3. Plus, these are all "vendor changes" because you are switching from the main repository to the 4.3 factory repository.