Newbie to Linux - been running Xandros for the past 3 months. Mandrake 10.1 OE (3CDs) installed easily. I now have Firefox, Thunderbird, Pan, TVTime, xine, etc running fine.

When I boot it, it goes to a tty prompt and asks for logon. I would like it to start up KDE automatically, and then let KDE ask me for the logon. How do I do this?
tia!!!
Kristi

You probably want to make 4 or 5 your default runlevel; this should launch KDM at boot.

Edit /etc/inittab to make it so, if you don't understand report back with your /etc/inittab.

A) Run through the MCC bootdrak module. The last item is whether to boot up to x. This is run level 5 on Mandrake Linux
or
B) As root, edit /etc/inittab.

Locate -> # The default runlevel.
id:3:initdefault:

Change to
# The default runlevel.
id:5:initdefault:

This is what the GUI setup will end up doing.
By default, you will be using the Mandrake Display Manager (mdm), but you can change that also in the setup. There is a kdm that you can use instead, but I think you just wanted a GUI login method by default.

Much too easy!!!

Now I can start a new session (say root) while I'm in user.

Last Q is can I switch sessions? (in KDE) - I don't see a button for that - just start a new one.
THANKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kristi

There may be an entry at the bottom of the KMenu to start a new session. If you already have another session, you can use the shortcut keys to go from one session to another.
The second session will probably be attached to vt8, so you can reach it by entering the CTRL-ALT-F8 combination, and return by entering CTRL-ALT-F7.

Yep! that does the trick!!! Perfect!!!
THANKS!!!
Kristi

Didn't see this before:
What/where is the tia
Kristi

Hello Linux users,
As my first attempt at installing Linux and my first use of a forum/question board I am not having much luck. First I'm sorry if this is in the wrong place but I cannot find where to ask a new question on this forum. Perhaps I have been looking at a computer screen too long today.
My problem is,
I have installed Mandrake 10 on a retired Dell Server with a P111 533 processor & 512 mb ram. It appears to have installed and it allows me to login but I cannot get KDE to run and I cannot get permission to change anything. I have read much on this forum and on other sites but have limited knowlege of command lines. (Sorry but I'm a Mac user so I'm used to my icon driven desktop)
How do I get Mandrake to start to a desktop so I have a chance at getting somewhere?
I did try to follow the advice as above but I cannot get permissions.

Cheers,

Peter

So I assume it is booting up to where it says tty and then asks for a login.?
login as root, give the password, and after it accepts it, type kde, that will start kde.

Then once you're in root, make the change suggested above and then reboot.

Hopefully then things will start to make sense.
Hang in there!
Kristi

Thanks for your suggestions Kristi but I get a message as follows,

execve failed for /etc/x11/x (errno 2)
giving up

Any suggestions would be helpful,

Cheers,

Peter

you are beyond my knowledge.

Post this problem with a bit of detail as a separate post in General. There are lots of folks here who can help you!
Hang in there!!!
Kristi