Add media to urpmi

Keep in mind:
# man urpmi
# man urpmi.cfg
# man urpmi.addmedia

http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/ is very useful to help you in adding sites to you urpmi's media.

For example this is my /etc/urpmi/urpmi.cfg:

# generated Thu Sep 15 09:47:16 2005
{
}

Main\ (distrib1) ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/current/i586//media/main {
hdlist: hdlist.Main (distrib1).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist_main.cz
}

Contrib\ (distrib2) ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/current/i586//media/contrib {
hdlist: hdlist.Contrib (distrib2).cz
key-ids: 78d019f5
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist_contrib.cz
}

Java\ Contrib\ (distrib3) ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/current/i586//media/jpackage {
hdlist: hdlist.Java Contrib (distrib3).cz
key-ids: c431416d
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist_jpackage.cz
}

update_source ftp://bo.mirror.garr.it/pub/mirrors/Mandrake/official/updates/10.2/main_updates {
hdlist: hdlist.update_source.cz
key-ids: 22458a98
list: list.update_source
update
with_hdlist: media_info/hdlist.cz
}

Installation\ CD1\ (2005\ LE\ Dischi\ 1) removable://mnt/cdrom/media/main {
hdlist: hdlist.Installation CD1 (2005 LE Dischi 1).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
removable: /dev/hda
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist1.cz
}

Installation\ CD2\ (2005\ LE\ Dischi\ 2) removable://mnt/cdrom/media/main2 {
hdlist: hdlist.Installation CD2 (2005 LE Dischi 2).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
removable: /dev/hda
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist2.cz
}

Installation\ CD3\ (2005\ LE\ Dischi\ 3) removable://mnt/cdrom/media/main3 {
hdlist: hdlist.Installation CD3 (2005 LE Dischi 3).cz
key-ids: 70771ff3
removable: /dev/hda
synthesis
with_hdlist: ../..//media/media_info/synthesis.hdlist3.cz
}

plf-free ftp://ftp.easynet.fr/plf/mandrake/free/10.2 {
hdlist: hdlist.plf-free.cz
key-ids: caba22ae
list: list.plf-free
with_hdlist: hdlist.cz
}

plf-nonfree ftp://ftp.easynet.fr/plf/mandrake/non-free/10.2 {
hdlist: hdlist.plf-nonfree.cz
key-ids: caba22ae
list: list.plf-nonfree
with_hdlist: hdlist.cz
}

What is it supported ?

Monitor :
Wide screen 1920x1200 17" WUXGA X-black is very cool, no problems!
Dri not yet supported from xorg for my video card ATI Mobility Radeon X600 256 MB

Wireless:
WiFi:
Works but you have to install the ipw2200-firmware first.
You need to install the dhcp-client if your network has a dhcp-server.

Note: I have to activate the network interface to make it works. :-) these because I use Gnome and the network graphic tool seems to has some problem activating the interface on the fly.

Bluetooth:
Works.

Audio:
Alsa makes its jobs well. I had some trouble with the microphone, I don't know why but to make it works correctly I must open the mixer (Gnome or Kde) deselect Mic in, select another audio source and then reselect Mic.
At the beginning I had problems wyth Skype ( audio resource busy ) so I could not make multiple calls. At now it works very well and my resource in not busy any more.
As Multimedia System ( Gnome ) it's selected OSS.

Connections:
USB and i.Link work.

Card Dual Pro Reads:
It doens't work. No support at all.

Function Keys:
They don't work. I have followed the instruction on http://popies.net/sonypi/ but I think there is some problem with the kernel module, because dmesg reports this:
Sony Vaio Jogdial input method installed.
Sony Vaio Keys input method installed.
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call1 (line 589)
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call2 (line 600)
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call2 (line 602)
sonypi command failed at drivers/char/sonypi.c : sonypi_call1 (line 589)
sonypi: Sony Programmable I/O Controller Driverv1.26.
sonypi: detected type2 model, verbose = 0, fnkeyinit = off, camera = off, compat = off, mask = 0xffffffff, useinput = on, acpi = on
sonypi: enabled at irq=11, port1=0x1080, port2=0x1084

However spicctrl works, in this way you can controll the brightness of you monitor by hand.

DVD/CD:
Works.

I'll find out a way to pint out all the info about hardware that Mandriva is able to identify.

Choose the distro: Mandriva 2005 LE

At the time of my installation ( end of July 2005 ) only Mandriva 2005 LE has been able to detect my SATA HD . I have tried Debian (testing), Knoppix, Ubuntu without succes, probably now the situation could be better.

0) Backup all you data!
1) I have resized my disk partition for a dual boot with Windows XP SP2 and Linux.

Windows : sda1 - 27.0 GB - NTFS
Linux Swap: sda5 - 1.8 GB - Linux Swap
Linux Root: sda6 - 63.0 GB - ext3

I think you could make the same work with dedicated software.

3) Reinstall Windows following the Sony procedure
4) Start with the Mandriva 2005 LE.
4.1) Insert in your cd/dvd ( first disk )
4.2) Reboot the machine
4.3) Follow the instructions
4.4) Enjoy!

I have to say that the installation procedure of Mandriva has been one of the more easy that I have ever seen for a Linux distro.