Posted 07/29/2008 at 09:12:48pm

I just installed Unbuntu 8.04.0.1 using the Live CD AMD64 version for my Opteron 185 NForce4/2GDDR/8800GTSG92+CRT/IntelNIC+Cable/USB DVD drive, with many USB devices.

Everything went smoothly using the version slightly older than the current one. Internet connection was configured properly and about 60 updates applied. I chose an additional 30-40 add-ons. Dual booting with XP is well done and partioning was scary, but managable as I am very familiar with disk management and I had upartitioned space available. I am impressed with the jouncy windows and fun visual effects, unexpected. FF3 is also snappy.

Yet I am stoned cold blocked like a rocket sled into a mountain of Jello trying to get my X-fi Elite Pro to work (Which works incredibly well in XP). I saw and downloaded Creatives beta Linux drivers, but I have no idea how or where to put the nested files (I'm still new to Linux's directory trees and commands) and how or when to "make" them or if I need any pre-requisite packages such as OSS, which is similarly opaque with installation routines.

I'm aware of all the drama surrounding PC audio right now but I want to know:

How do I get my X-fi (Elite Pro or not) to work with my otherwise so-far-so-good Unbuntu 8 installation? Don't tell me to read Creative's Linux Readme.txt, I did and it is useless seemingly purposely so.