Hello. I am ultra new to linux.
1) I installed Mandrake 9.1 without incident. Somehow, I've made it to where it boots straight into KDE by default. I was under the impression that it should boot into X first and then let me choose if I wanted to use an environment. If so, how can I change it?

2) I am trying to reconfigure my cable modem to get it to work. I tried to run Netconf in KDE. It tells me I need to be logged in as root to run this program. How do I do that within KDE?

Please dont flame me! I am extremely new and your patience and answers will be appreciated.

Tom

2) to run netconf as root (or any program, for that matter), from the command line, enter a terminal window (you'll find a quick link on your panel), and "su" into root. It'll ask you for your root password and from there you can run the program, as root. Make sure you "exit" out of root, however, as soon as you are done with anything you need superuser privelidges for

Thanks for the reply. Can you be a bit more specific?? I mean I really dont know how to 'su' into root. I dont know the commands or anything. And I know I should buy a book. I will. I'd just like to get this started.

Thanks

While in the konsole terminal (terminal window), you are presented with a standard prompt (generally something akin to user@system:~$). type "su" and hit enter. It will ask you for the superuser/root password. Submit the password (it won't appear on screen), and press enter. The "$" at the end of the prompt will now change to a "#" which represents the root user account. Now try entering "netconf" in the konsole window.