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I haven't had time to check the support at SuSE yet, but sometimes my SuSE box forgets its DHCP settings and reverts to static IP.

When this happens the name of the DNS changes to a string with a bunch of boxes and W's instead of my ISP.

If I change the junk string back, my DNS works again. But it's still a nuisance.

Has anyone else had this problem with SUSE?

I'm running SuSE 9.0 behind a Netgear firewall on a 350 P2 with a crappy D-link NIC, so that might be part of the problem too.

...All hail the YaST. :P

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No such problem on 9.3, which uses dhcp by default. Also lets you use YaST to specify that you want the connection to become active when the cable is plugged in so you don't get the long boot wait when it's not. If all else fails, upgrade =)

Are you sure you don't have whatever file stores the settings (/etc/hosts or /etc/dhcp.conf or something like that) set to read only?

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."

This post was edited by Tetrazome on Jul 30, 2005.

No such problem on 9.3, which uses dhcp by default. ...If all else fails, upgrade =)

Truth be told, I'm a newbie to Linux. That's why I chose SuSE.

I rechecked and actually I'm running 9.2. How do I upgrade? It was enough of an adventure finding the C complier to install Firefox with - not to mention manually setting up my monitor.

Are you sure you don't have whatever file stores the settings (/etc/hosts or /etc/dhcp.conf or something like that) set to read only?

I have read and write privilages to my /etc/hosts file, but I don't have a /etc/dhcp.conf file. I do have a /etc/resolv.conf.saved.by.dhcpd.eth0 though.

And, this problem only happens sometimes. Last time it happened after I ran YOU and rebooted. But I just ran YOU again last night and rebooted, and it worked fine.

By the way. How do I know which system files are important and where they are? (Like I said, I'm a newbie :). )

Thanks for the help Tetrazome.

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I rechecked and actually I'm running 9.2. How do I upgrade?

SuSe doesn't actually post its CDs on the web for you to download, but they have been asked if others can distribute them legally and they said yes. So you might just look around for 9.3 ISOs around the net. Or, if you have a fast connection, go to www.suselinux.com and find the instructions for how to do an FTP install. At some point during the installation it should ask if you want to install new from scratch or upgrade.

It was enough of an adventure finding the C complier to install Firefox with - not to mention manually setting up my monitor.

What monitor are you using? Every one I've used so far SuSe has setup automatically, I'm surprised it didn't do the same for you.

Why did you need to find a C compiler to install firefox with? When you can't find software, use YaST. Load it up, and just check the whole development tools section. This gives you all the standard C/C++ compiler/linker stuff you need. You should probably do this whenever you install a linux because you'll inevitably be installing software with the ./configure, make, make install method, which requires autotools and GCC.

Even then though -- you shouldn't need a compiler to install firefox. Mozilla.org provides firefox in binary form, that is, already compiled. But you don't even need to go that far, just fire up YaST, type in firefox, and it's probably in there (it's the default in 9.3 anyway).

By the way. How do I know which system files are important and where they are? (Like I said, I'm a newbie :). )

Anything outside of your home directory belongs to various applications, libraries, etc. Don't go editing/removing stuff outside your home folder unless you know what you're doing. Most configuration files are stored in /etc.

When upgrading or installing a new distro, back up /etc/X11/xorg.conf or /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 (the former if the distro uses Xorg, the latter if it still uses XFree86). That way if the new distro doesn't setup your monitor automagically you can just copy that file over. Those and /etc/fstab (mount your partitions) are the ones I end up editing the most.

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."

What monitor are you using? Every one I've used so far SuSe has setup automatically.

Really? I looked up some support on the net about the monitor and plenty of people had the same problem. But to setup the monitor, all you need are the display frequencies of the monitor, and you can Google those pretty fast. I just stuck those numbers into some file (via directions on the internet), put in a model number, and it worked.

The monitor is an old Dell 15" tube. It was actually buzzing and jumping when it was hooked up to an XP machine, but with SuSE it works great.

I spent $25 on this computer and all accesories :). I got the 9.2 DVD from a friend about 6 months ago now.

When you can't find software, use YaST. Load it up, and just check the whole development tools section.

Yeah, I know about the whole YaST software thing, but it gave me some error about permissions. I've tried all kinds of FTP sites, they all gave me the same error, so I just quit and installed the old fashioned way. I can follow directions. It's just the finding directions that's hard.

Do you think an upgrade would fix these problems? I've only got a few gigs of free disk space :).

Please contiune to vote AND post.

Really? I looked up some support on the net about the monitor and plenty of people had the same problem.

With SuSe specifically? People have trouble setting up their monitors all the time in linux in general sure. But SuSe has autodetected perfectly the laptop LCD, old fashioned CRT, and modern LCD+DVI monitor I have. Most newer monitors report their frequencies on request by software, so this will probably become less and less of a problem as old monitors fall out of use.

Yeah, I know about the whole YaST software thing, but it gave me some error about permissions. I've tried all kinds of FTP sites, they all gave me the same error, so I just quit and installed the old fashioned way. I can follow directions. It's just the finding directions that's hard.

That's very problematic. The 'whole YaST thing' is supposed to be your main way of installing new software, regardless of whether you originally installed SuSe from the DVD or from ftp. What error are you getting?

"Nurture your mind with great thoughts, for you will never go any higher than you think."