[mythtv-users] Trouble with Install... Gave up unless help can be given. :(

[Aaron]

I have been trying to install MythTV.  Ever since I saw a demo of it on 
systm (that old techtv guy's web movie 'darktips' site).  I first tried 
installing a dual boot system on my main machine so I could get the jist 
of how everything works and should be setup.  I never got my remote to 
work for it, but I was able to go full in and watch TV and play back 
recordings.

QUESTION #1 ->  How do I uninstall Fedora Core 4 from this machine so I 
no longer have to use GRUB and select Windows XP everytime I boot up?

Since then, I've bought parts and fully built a HTPC from scratch.  I have:
LC11M-black Silverstone Case  http://silverstonetek.com/products-lc11m.htm
ABIT KV-85 Motherboard 
http://www.abit-usa.com/products/mb/products.php?categories=1&model=305
512mb Centon Brand DDR Memory
AMD Sempron 2600+ (with in box heatsink and fan)
Sony DVD+/-R/W CD-R/W Drive 
http://sony.storagesupport.com/dvdrw/dru530adwn.htm
Samsung 250gb 3.5" SATA Drive
NVIDIA GeForce MX4000 128mb AGP Video Card 
http://www.xpcgear.com/evganv96lx.html
Hauppauge PVR-150 MCE KIT 
http://hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_pvr150mcekit.html

Following Jerrod (or is it Jarod?) 's guide, I made it all the way 
through downloading and installing Fedora Core 4 and running the 'yum 
upgrade'.  I then copied the $KVER string and the atprm addresses.  I 
then downloaded the video drivers from Nvidia and installed them.  First 
problem: getting the tv-out to work.  I looked all over over nvidia's 
site, mythtv.org, wilsonet, GOOGLE.  I installed the "generic" nvtv 
drivers and still nothing.Finally I had some luck by finding the one key 
line I was missing in the xmod.conf file, and entered it.  I then got 
the 'yum install mythtv-suite' and then the LIRC.  Second problem and 
where I stopped.  Yum's version of LIRC didn't seem to work at all for 
me, so I downloaded the thing from lirc.org directly (second link down)  
[http://prdownloads.sourceforge.net/lirc/lirc-0.7.2.tar.gz] (647 kB 
released: 14-Aug-2005).  I went through the ./configure and save and 
install..  then the make and make install.  During configuration, I 
chose the USB, and the soundgraph imon/vfd selection.  It informed me 
that I needed to use the lirc_imon module.  I edited modprobe.conf and 
added that line to the very top (first entry) of the file and rebooted.  
I then ran the executable scripts to initialize the port and driver, 
which worked fine.  When I did the 'ls -l /dev/li*' it identified there 
was a device present.  I then ran 'irrecord' and was able to 
send/receive signals.  I programmed the file 'myremote' as per the 
official mythtv.org document, and copied it to the /etc/lirc.conf file, 
overwriting it.  This is where my next problem came.  I ran 'irw' as per 
documented to see if I could get any commands to display.  IRW executed 
and dropped a line down, but then did nothing.  It appeared to be 
frozen.  I hit CONTROL+C to cancel, and it dropped another line before 
displaying the prompt.  I opened up /var/log/messages and saw that the 
port was closed as soon as I ran IRW.  I thought it might have been 
something wrong with access rights, but I did all the appropriate steps 
(chmod or whatever it is). 

QUESTION #2 -> What am I doing wrong?  What am I missing?

This was all done Wednesday night, Thursday morning.  It is now Sunday 
Night.  I have installed, formated installed, reinstalled, 
repartitioned, and begged the chat room for help but nobody seems to 
know anything about my problem.  So my last ditch effort is here on the 
mailing list.  If nobody else can help me, I'll have to give up 
completely and probably got with Winblows MCE :( :( :(