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[phil1118]

Please, please help.

Back in November I bought a Lenovo Z580 64 bit laptop as I needed to take work out with me to clients.  I have found that W8 will not connect to my network, will not load windows 32bit programmes spefifically bought to run under XP Pro.  Consequently the new laptop almost joined the Iranian monkey orbiting the earth.  This is the worst OS ever produced, there was no warning that it would only run 64bit
programmes.

I changed the hard drive and tried loading XP Pro 32 bit, it loads, just, but there are no drivers for it to connect with anytrhing, the screen is in basic mode.  In other words the machine is useless in this mode.

Windows 8 alters the Bios on its first load so that it will constantly seek for this and nothing else, I have tried altering the bios but it has not worked.

I want to run Linux so that I can now get back to working other than in the office, therefore a number of questions.

I want Linus to be the primary OS, will it overwrite - flash - the bios to remove the W8 flash?
Can I get the video card drivers?
Can I get the network drivers?

I understand I can run XP Pro as a VP - this will allow me to run an expensive cartology programme that I am reluctant to replace.  I will ask for instructions on how to do this once Linux is up and running.

Phil

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

OK, to get Linux installed and booting you'll need to disable "secure boot" in the BIOS and set "legacy boot".

This will likely break Windows 8 .. but it should allow you to install Linux over the top.

That said .. running XP in a VM (virtual machine) is not going to give you the full 3d graphics drivers either.

Have you considered a dual boot Linux/Win7 setup ?

[phil1118]

No, not considered dual boot Linux & XP.  something to consider though, but I will need to know how to do it.

Where is the best place to obtain the Linux OS?

Phil

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

There are a LOT of Linux distributions to choose from .. you might want to try one of these:-

Mint
http://www.linuxmint.com/ (http://www.linuxmint.com/)

Ubuntu
http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop (http://www.ubuntu.com/desktop)

Peppermint
http://peppermintos.com/ (http://peppermintos.com/)

Fedora
http://fedoraproject.org/ (http://fedoraproject.org/)

Suse
http://www.opensuse.org/en/ (http://www.opensuse.org/en/)

Debian
http://www.debian.org/ (http://www.debian.org/)

But there are MANY more to choose from:
http://distrowatch.com/ (http://distrowatch.com/)

[phil1118]

Thanks for the help so far, gradually getting used to the Ubunto version.

One problem though, it connects to the internet without any problem.  However I am unable to connect to my home windows network or any other network to connect two machines together and share files.  Windows machines connect without any problems.

I have been trying to work through the problem by going through the forums and Help.  It directs me to the connect to server on the files menu.  When typing in the network address of the server computer it it will not allow me to connect.  In the larger box there is a Network network:/// displayed and cannot be changed.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Phil

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

Open a terminal and run:

Code Select Expand

sudo apt-get install samba smbclient
just to check they're installed.

Now do you know thee name of the Windows network ? .. is it WORKGROUP ?

Do you know the IP address of one of the Windows PC's ?

Have you right-clicked a folder (that you want to share) inside your home folder, and selected "Share" ?

Which version of Windows are the other PC's running ?

Do your PC's all get thier IP addresses from your router automatically using DHCP, or have you given them static IP's ?

[phil1118]

To answer the questions.

It is workgroup

IP address 192.168.0.3

Folders on the laptop and server "shared"

Server - XP Pro 32, Laptop 1 - Windows 7.

They get their ID input manually to separate them and use this same idenity on the work server.

When trying to browse or find a server it will not show it as being there.

Phil

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

What happens if you open nautilus and select

Go > Location

then in the address bar enter

smb://192.168.0.3

and hit enter ?

If you can't find the "Location" menu item in Nautilus .. see here:
http://linux.about.com/library/gnome/blgnome6n3c.htm (http://linux.about.com/library/gnome/blgnome6n3c.htm)

[phil1118]

Thanks, cracked it, I can now see and access other computers on the network.

However I still have a small problem.   I have an office printer on the home network, that I use extensively.  It is a Riocoh Afice AP3800C.  I have been looking for drivers for it but cannot find them.  I have just tried the generic printer option and just gibberish is printed.

Any suggestions.  Otherwise I will have to transfer the work to a windows machine and print through that.

Phil

[Mark Greaves (PCNetSpec)]

First, delete te printer you added.

Now download this PPD file:
http://www.openprinting.org/ppd-o-matic.php?driver=Postscript-Ricoh&printer=Ricoh-Aficio_AP3800C&show=0 (http://www.openprinting.org/ppd-o-matic.php?driver=Postscript-Ricoh&printer=Ricoh-Aficio_AP3800C&show=0)

Once you have that saved somewhere, re-add the printer, but when asked which driver tell it to load it from a PPD file, and point it at the file you downloaded.



Source:
http://www.openprinting.org/printer/Ricoh/Ricoh-Aficio_AP3800C (http://www.openprinting.org/printer/Ricoh/Ricoh-Aficio_AP3800C)

For my future reference (if necessary):
http://support.ricoh.com/html_re/model/ap3800c/ap3800cen.htm#UNIX (http://support.ricoh.com/html_re/model/ap3800c/ap3800cen.htm#UNIX)

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