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Mandrake Linux Newbie: need some help **UPDATED***

deerslayer

deerslayer

Lifer
I acquired a copy of Mandrake Linux 8.0 for a friend and I want to install it just to check it out and see what it's like. I don't have any purposes intended for it yet. I tried installing it on an old computer i had, but it gets so far, and i lose my display. The computer is only 133 mhz, but i was told this would be fast enough. What are the minimum requirements to run Mandrake. I don't know anything about Linux so go easy on me. If anyone would like to contact me via instant message, i have yahoo and AIM under lynx180. I would appreciate any help i can get.
 
Why not use 8.1 or 8.2? I have noticed that 8.1 was a lot easier to install than 8.0. Whatever the problem is, I'd bet that it's fixed in the 8.1 or 8.2 releases.

It sounds like an X server problem. I'd probably recommend punting on X for now in the installation - there should be some way to install the files, but not actually test them. Then when you finish the installation, you'll boot to the terminal/console (the Linux version of the DOS prompt in Windows) and you can try and get X working by running xf86config manually. You'll need to know a fair bit about your monitor and graphics card to do this though. xf86config is a text based, menu/input driven configuration program for X.
 


<< Why not use 8.1 or 8.2? I have noticed that 8.1 was a lot easier to install than 8.0. Whatever the problem is, I'd bet that it's fixed in the 8.1 or 8.2 releases. >>



I'm on dialup internet, haha, so it would take me a while to download it.



<< It sounds like an X server problem. >>



What's X server? I'm EXTREMELY new at this. I haven't even been able to boot into it yet, all i did was try to install it.



<< Then when you finish the installation, you'll boot to the terminal/console (the Linux version of the DOS prompt in Windows) and you can try and get X working by running xf86config manually. >>



I got it installed, it booted, and got to the screen with the penguin in the upper left corner, and then it goes to a blank screen, but the computer stays active, I just can't see what's going on. I'm not sure what you are saying about running xf86config. I tried booting normal and failsafe, but both do the same thing. There are four boot options but i cannot remember the other two.

Thank you for the reply. I'm just really new to this and I know next to nothing about Linux, i just wanted to give it a try. 🙂
 


<<

<< Why not use 8.1 or 8.2? I have noticed that 8.1 was a lot easier to install than 8.0. Whatever the problem is, I'd bet that it's fixed in the 8.1 or 8.2 releases. >>



I'm on dialup internet, haha, so it would take me a while to download it.



<< It sounds like an X server problem. >>



What's X server? I'm EXTREMELY new at this. >>


well, linux itself is a command line OS. you type stuff to run programs and whatnot. but most people want a GUI to look at for certain things, and that is X. X is what allows you to have a desktop, with a mouse to click on stuff, etc.


<< I haven't even been able to boot into it yet, all i did was try to install it.



<< Then when you finish the installation, you'll boot to the terminal/console (the Linux version of the DOS prompt in Windows) and you can try and get X working by running xf86config manually. >>



I got it installed, it booted, and got to the screen with the penguin in the upper left corner, and then it goes to a blank screen, but the computer stays active, I just can't see what's going on. I'm not sure what you are saying about running xf86config. I tried booting normal and failsafe, but both do the same thing. There are four boot options but i cannot remember the other two.

Thank you for the reply. I'm just really new to this and I know next to nothing about Linux, i just wanted to give it a try. 🙂 >>



first try this, after the screen goes blank, try hitting ctrl+alt++ or ctrl+alt+- (plus/minus signs on numpad) and keep trying some of those, see if you can change the resolution, that could be a problem. if that doesnt work, try hitting ctrl+alt+F2 and see if that gets you to a virtual console. there you can log in and try doing this:

killall kdm
killall gdm
killall xdm

try those in that order until it looks like you successfully killed one. if you get the message "no process killed" then you didnt kill it. after that, hit ctrl+alt+f7, wait a couple seconds, then hit ctrl+alt+backspace (not delete!) and that should kill X. then you can try to configure it.
 
BBWF, definitely has the right instructions. Follow those.

FWIW, Linux is not as hard as these instructions may indicate. It's only when things go wrong (as they are in this case) that it gets tricky. Personally, I'd recommend buying the CD's for one of the newer release from somewhere rather than messing around with 8.0. Unless you enjoy a challenge, of course. Heck if you want to Paypal me a little to cover shipping and blank CD's, I'll mail you 8.2.
 
Thanks for all the help guys. I will try this stuff tomorrow, i don't have time tonight. The computer i'm messing with it on is just an old piece of junk i had collecting dust in my basement. It's a p133 w/ 48mb of ram.

I am just messin with it because my friend burned me a copy of the version he had, and it looked like it would be fun to mess with it. I don't have paypal pm, but if i do decide i want to take you up on your offer maybe we can work something out. I'll post tomorrow on how everything goes.

Thanks again, i appreciate your patience with me.
 
😀 Well, the CTRL ALT + worked and now i can see my screen, but the desktop is huge and my monitor isn't, how do i shrink it down so i can see the entire desktop on the screen at once? I've looked for it, but i don't see it. Thanks for all the help guys, it looks cool so far
 
Check your XF86Config or XF86Config-4 file for lines containing the word "Virtual" followed by two numbers. Change those numbers to match your desired resolution, or remove the line(s). Then restart X.
 
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