Installing Antivirus software and printer start

[SysEnvir]

Hi there!

Can someone please tell me which free antivirus package can be installed without command line interfacing? I have downloaded a number of files with .exe extensions, but clicking on them doesn't activate the setup. Which package do you recommend? Downloading without using the Synaptic Package Manager seems a bit of an obscure art. Can you recommend a package I can install using the SPM?

Further; i am new to Linux from Windows and installed the package as per instructions but although the OS can see my HP Laserjet 1020 it doesn't print from the spooler. The print jobs just disappear from the Print Job screen.
Finally my soundcard doesn't seem to be working, although I have flicked all the switches on the Sound screen. Any tips?

Many thanks,

[hazel]

.exe files are binaries compiled for Windows; they won't run in Linux. You don't really need an antivirus in Linux unless you are on a network that includes Windows machines, because all the wild viruses are written for Windows only. But if you want one, the one most people use is ClamAV.

You really do need to learn to use Synaptic or one of its command-line equivalents (apt-get or aptitude). You are crippled without it. The whole point of Debian is that it gives you access to a huge amount of officially endorsed software which you can install using these tools. I find synaptic quite easy to use and I actually prefer it to aptitude though not everyone here would agree with me. Try launching it and reading the help file.

To find out more about why your printer is not working, I suggest you use the http interface to cups. Point your browser to http://localhost:631/. Give the root password when asked. You can do all sorts of things from this interface, for example scan for printers, check the queue of a particular printer or order a test page.

Someone else will have to deal with your sound card problem!

[craigevil]

Av isnt really needed unless you are sharing files with windows.

clamav - anti-virus utility for Unix is in the Debian repos.
AVAST and AVG can be downloaded from their websites and installed using dpkg if you would rather use one of them.

For sound take a look at ALSA - Debian Wiki - http://wiki.debian.org/ALSA

printing - SystemPrinting - Debian Wiki - http://wiki.debian.org/SystemPrinting

[SysEnvir]

Many thanks for these replies, they are most helpful. Andy.