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Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!news.ecn.uoknor.edu!feed1.news.erols.com!insync!news.hal-pc.org!not-for-mail From: mwfurn@hal-pc.org Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc Subject: HELP! Date: Sun, 30 Mar 1997 16:29:52 GMT Organization: Houston Area League of PC Users Lines: 57 Message-ID: <333e8ac1.64687754@news.hal-pc.org> NNTP-Posting-Host: max0-65.hal-pc.org X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.1/32.230 Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:38060 Let me say this up front, I'm new to UNIX and I would appreciate some information/help. Sometimes I see messages posted for help and see no responses so any helpful response to this message will very much be apppreciated. I got millions of questions but will only ask the following questions for now: Why do you HAVE to mount the a: floppy drive for FreeBSD? It just seems to me that you would want to boot your system up with the a: drive known to the operating system. Why the extra command to mount it? To mount the drive, you have to know the root password and I don't want my kids to know that. When I installed the system, there were several conflicts in the kernal. Where can I find information on how to resolve the conflicts and do I need to resolve all the conflicts? I could never get the FTP install to work. I finally downloaded the FreeBSD files to my C drive (using windows95 and a FTP program) to install FreeBSD. When I enter ftp command I get "ftp>" but how do I make a connection. If I type a command in, I get the response that I'm not connected. HELL, I know that. I want to get connected but I never entered my service provider's phone number in so I know the system will not make a connection. I have used the "man ftp" command but it does not help out on this topic. When I tried to installed the system using FTP, I got connected to my service proovider (I believe using the ppp pprogram) but I got a error finding any of the FreeBSD FTP sites (ftp.freebsd.org). I got a home computer that I plan to connect to the internet when I want to get mail, read newsgroups or visit some web sites. When I enter the FTP information (sysinstall command), What is my host name? Do I make up the name up or is my service provider's name (hal-pc.org)? Why is a name important and why can't the system make a connection when necessary? What is my domain name? Why is that imporant? What is the Gateway information (do I need gateway info or do I enter no)? What is the IP address? Is that my service provider's address or the address assigned to me when I make a connection? FreeBSD asks all this information but NEVER asks you for your service provider's phone number which I think is rather odd. I mean, even if the computer knows all this info, It can't make a connection without a phone number. Why can't you enter the phone number, your user ID and the password to make a connection? When I make a ppp connection (using the ppp/term atd ???-??? command), I get the packet mode message but how do I ulitilize the connection. Do I shell and then run netscape or what? I guess what I really want, Is to run netscape (or any internet app) and have the operating system make a connection (if necessary) in the background. How do I set that up or where can I find the information to do it. I know I asked alotta ignorant questions and made a moron outta myself posting this message but I did it to get some help and again I would appreciate any help. Thanks in advance.