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SuSE Linux 7.0 tips and tricks

Some tips and tricks for Linux settings, applied particularly to SuSE Linux 7.0 distribution onto my PC Dell Dimension 4100:

  1. Sharing a partition between Windows and Linux
  2. Setting bttv drivers for Pinnacle PCTV Rave/Pro adapter
  3. Setting XFree86 4.x for Nvidia GeForce2 GTS AGP adapter (XF86Config)
  4. Disable graphic KDE boot

1. Sharing a partition between Windows and Linux

Access to partitions is defined in /etc/fstab file, it's good to create a backup copy first:

leon@lelab:~ > su (to pass root)
lelab:/home/leon # cd /etc
lelab:/etc # cp fstab fstab_000
lelab:/etc # more fstab (to visualize the file)

The fstab (see my file /etc/fstab) created by SuSE Linux installer gives an access to the Windows partitions for root user, it doesn't mount Windows partitions at boot and it creates a mount point at /windows/unit letter like /windows/C :

/dev/hda8 /windows/F vfat noauto,user 0 0

To make a partition accessible for all users in RW (read and write) it's necessary to replace the attribute user 0 0 by umask=000 and to make the partition mounted at boot, just remove the attribute noauto :

/dev/hda8 /windows/F vfat umask=000

This modification is done with vi (remainder: to leave vi saving the modifications, enter :wq and to leave without saving the changes :q!).

2. Setting BTTV drivers for Pinnacle PCTV Rave/Pro adapter

At SuSE Linux 7.0 installation (or later with SaX), it's necessary to install the Video4Linux packages:

SuSE installation configures the drivers (kernel modules) but may be (it's my case) which the configuration isn't complete and it's necessary to modify the /etc/modules.conf file. I append these following lines:

# BTTV setup by Leon - 8/Dec/2000
options bttv pll=1 radio=0 card=39
options tuner type=3

These parameters are for a Pinnacle PCTV Rave bought in France in July 1999 ; they are described in the bttv drivers documentation (which I didn't find when I wrote this page) or in SuSE Support Knowledge Base in the new instructions for Television on PC .

My /etc/modules.conf file can be downloaded from modules_conf.zip.

3. Setting XFree86 4.x for Nvidia GeForce2 GTS AGP adapter (XF86Config)

I encountered many troubles to configure XFree86, here's my solution:

  1. install the package AGP support : agpgart.rpm
  2. use latest NVIDIA drivers from SuSE ( 7.0 update):
  3. uninstall (conflict) packages:
  4. pass from XFree86 3.x to 4.x: # switch2xf86-4
  5. launch XFree86 4.x setup: # sax2 -f (in case of errors, check /var/log/SaX.log)

My monitor is a Sony 17se II (see the details of my PC Dell Dimension 4100) and the resulting XF86Config file is downloadable from XF86Config.zip.

4. Disable graphic KDE boot

To suspend KDE direct boot, we just have to modify /etc/inittab file to start in Run Level 2 by default. Starting in graphic mode is, by default for SuSE Linux, Run Level 3. Run Level attribution is specific to each distribution and is, generally, documented in /etc/inittab file.

To change Run Level from 3 (Desktop) to 2 (console mode):

  1. pass in su mode (root)
  2. create a copy of original file in inittab_000 for example
  3. edit /etc/initab and:

Reverse handling will make it possible to start again directly KDE desktop (graphic mode Run Level 3).

Bibliography

SuSE Linux :

Video4Linux and BTTV drivers:

Video4Linux in French :

The SuSE Linux 7.0 handbook (delivered with the French distribution)

Appendices

A. My /etc/fstab file: etc_fstab.htm (download the Linux file from fstab.zip)
B Download the Linux file /etc/modules.conf in modules_conf.zip
C Download the Linux file /etc/XF86Config in XF86Config.zip

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Version of the document: 1.0EN
Created: January 28 - 2001
Updated: January 28 - 2001
Author: Leon