Newbie question...

Hi!

I am new to Linux, but have decided to use Fedora. I have a lot of folders
and files saved on CD (*.avi, *.mpg and *.mp3 etc) and wonder if I will be
able to see and use them when I have installed Linux? I also have a lot of
stuff on my second harddrive that I want to keep. What do I do?

Since I am a musician and use SB Live Platinum, I wonder if I can use most
of the functions with Linux? I will have my soundcard in another computer
otherwise, but my hopes are to get rid of Microsoft FOREVER!!!

I don't know if this is the right group for this question, but I give it a
shot and would be happy if someone could help me!

I know that I should try linux before, but I prefer just do jump in and
fight with the big problems in the beginning.

Thanks
Yvonne

Hi Yvonne!

Well, you will be able to do most of the things you use to with Windows.
However, Fedora (wich I use since the 1st version of it) will not
include some of the features you are looking for in the default
installation, so you will need some tweaks to do.

1- Fedora does not read .mp3 files without installing a small rpm called
mpg123. It is easy to find it on the net. Once installed, you can use
xmms to read mp3s.

2- For video files. such as avi and mpg, you can use Xine, wich is
really great. http://xinehq.de/index.php/home . You can also find rpm
packages on dag repositories at http://dag.wieers.com/packages/ ( if you
feel like it, there is a howto on that web site to include that site to
use yum, so fallow instructions, then type
yum install xine
then it should install and resolve dependencies all by itself! )

3- As for your 2nd hard drive, make sure not to format it during the
instalation Just read the documentation before installing. But it
will be really easy to use it witout touching it. All you have to do is
change the settings in the /etc/fstab file, then it will detect it.
However, if it is an NTFS formated drive (most windows XP and 2000
drives) you will have to install a 3rd party software to read it, also,
it will be readonly. On the other hand, if you have a FAT32 hard drive (
most windows 95/98/Me systems) you will get no trouble at all.

As for your SB live card, I don't know. But sb live soundcards usualy
works nicely with fedora.



So as you see, you will have some work to do, and some reading b4
getting your computer working as you want it to do. Fedora is not a
"everything works out of the box" distribution. But it is still a really
good one.

(also, june 6th, the new version of it, Fedora core 4, will be released!)

I hoped I helped you somehow, email me if you need more infos ( remove
the NO-SPAM from the ad)

Malick

Yvonne wrote:
> Hi!
>
> I am new to Linux, but have decided to use Fedora. I have a lot of folders
> and files saved on CD (*.avi, *.mpg and *.mp3 etc) and wonder if I will be
> able to see and use them when I have installed Linux? I also have a lot of
> stuff on my second harddrive that I want to keep. What do I do?
>
> Since I am a musician and use SB Live Platinum, I wonder if I can use most
> of the functions with Linux? I will have my soundcard in another computer
> otherwise, but my hopes are to get rid of Microsoft FOREVER!!!
>
> I don't know if this is the right group for this question, but I give it a
> shot and would be happy if someone could help me!
>
> I know that I should try linux before, but I prefer just do jump in and
> fight with the big problems in the beginning.
>
> Thanks
> Yvonne
>
>