Hi Guys,

I've not got a support request so am sorry if this is in the wrong forum. I've been a Linux user since Ubuntu 7.04 and do a lot of development. I love trying new things on my production machine but when it comes to my laptop (I take it everywhere and do all my work on it) I need something fast, minimal and works without hassle. Something that will do what I want it to do without any eye candy or bugs.

I've used Ubuntu, Lubuntu, OpenSuse and many more from the distrowatch top 100. I always felt most comfortable in the .deb based distributions. Now I've had enough of the bugs in Ubuntu and its derivatives, along with Unity. I have a good spec on the laptop but I just think it's a waste of RAM. I just want to get my work done in the quickest and easiest way possible.

I think Cent OS 6.2 with its good stability and basic minimalistic looks is beautiful and after a lot of research have decided to give it a shot on the Live CD (it's downloading now).

I was wondering if users could answer some questions:

-Is Cent OS a good to use as an everyday OS?
-Is it possible to upgrade rather than fresh install a new release?
-Although it's stable and uses older versions of applications I'm assuming it uses all the latest security updates?
-If you're a Cent OS desktop user how have you found it?

Ah doesn't matter, exactly what I'm looking for but my network card isn't picked up. Can't even connect with ethernet. Nevermind.

Welcome to the CentOS fora.

Quote:
Yes, yes, yes and excellent, for my purposes.

Quote:
Eh? You're giving up even before you've posted the output returned by --


and considering what the ELRepo Project could supply?

O.k. Your choice.

Hi Alan,

Cheers for the reply, I tried that command but even setting my keyboard to the UK layout wouldn't allow me to use the " | " key.

I do know however that my wireless card is a Broadcom BCM 4313 rev 01.

I'm totally new to Cent OS and RPM based distributions. I don't have a clue about this ELRepo project either. I'm going to have a look around and see if I can get this working.

Hi Alan,

I've installed ELRepo and downloaded the driver from Broadcom as well as the file wl-kmod-5 from the ELRepo site and although following the guides can't get it installed. Is there any step by step guides on the net? I'd really like to get this working. CentOS is very nice.

All the best,
Kris.

Not sure what's going wrong - perhaps too many ingredients in the mix - but removing what you have done, or doing a fresh re-install if not too much is invested, is the first step.

Your best bet is probably ELRepo kmod-compat-wireless but check the Vendor:DeviceID fingerprint or post the results of for confirmation.

. . . or as Kris has already told us, his keyboard does not seem to offer the | symbol, just use a two-step process --


-- and post the output thus returned.

We really do need to see the Vendor:Device ID Pairings for your network device(s).

I had the same problem where I loved Centos but could not get brcm4313 work in 2 different machines, here I quote my previous post at the social section:

"After 10 years of traveling among different distros, I came to Stella / Centos from Fuduntu. The only downside was my BRCM4313 wireless device not recognized. After a 3-day struggle I found the following thread: http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/wireless-internet/177469-so%20lved-wireless-scientific-linux-6-help-3.html

Now I am really grateful for Stella/Centos team for the great job they are doing. I think this should be included in the current build files PS. Attached is the RPM I built using latter3 instructions to solve the problems with many broadcom wireless devices using the kmod-wl built for Centos / Stella / SL 6.3 (64 bit)

Can find the RPM I built using latter instructions at https://forums.nux.ro/index.php?t=msg&th=79&start=0&"

By the way, I am using Stella release 6.3 (Final) [According to /etc/*-release]
My kernel is Linux 2.6.32-279.5.1.el6.x86_64 x86_64
this also worked with 2.6.32-279.2.1.el6 (I think this is the kernel that comes with 6.3 originally)
I have followed the instructions in the URL at my post above

my machine is Dell Inspiron N4050 which originally came with Ubuntu pre-installed,it's breathing under Stella 6.3 now
Regards

i am sorry for the low tech reply but i have to put in some input my friend! i have been feeling the same way you have about working best with .deb linx os's and even suse but let me start off by telling you that Centos is the best you can get! in my opinion of coarse when i burly installed centos6 on my hp probook it seemed like another ubuntu riddled with network card bugs, but one thing was different the SPEED! and STABABILITY! i also use my laptop on the go since i host my own servers in a datacenter as lamp servers and need access to them as fast as possible! for ftp uploads! and with ubuntu i would always have to drop into terminal or even run ENDLESS FSCK'S!!!!!!!! or file system checks for some odd resaon or another this was a never ENDING battle, also a problem with opensuse and debian, but in centos i have yet to see 1 FSCK! and let me tell you the laptop i am testing centos 6 on HAS BAD SECTORS! i mean alot of them! that right there proves centos is stable as it gets! i also keep my laptop running 20 hours a day + the only thing i noticed with centos 6 is that some of my wifi network cards even wired would run a bit sluggish but with minnimul tweaking i got that problem resolved at first i wanted to quit it just seemed like another linux os! but it wasnt know i am in love! stick with centos in my opinion, because i am sure as hell happy that i did!
sorry for the rant i just really love this operating system!