by hitting crtl+atl+f1 you are just switching to a terminal session, you need to stop a few services, try these commands:

make sure you are root - user can be switched by using the "su" command
/etc/init.d/gdm stop (could also be xdm)
/etc/init.d/xfs stop

then continue with the instructions of switching run levels

-weisso

Ok, I'm encountering a different error now. At this point, I think I'm just going to have to call it and re-install. I've backed up with a LiveCD so I won't lose data. I am really sorry to get all this help just to give up but this is a work computer and I've got to get it back up and running ASAP. I think I'll use CentOS instead of Fedora this go round, shouldn't need as many updates as often!

Thanks again, and again I'm sorry to cause the trouble.

Scott

Why not just go to FC8 in that case?

It seems like Fedora is constantly needing updates and, as I said, I don't always look them over as close as I should. Fedora would probably make a better home system than CentOS, but I'm running this at work doing high end CFD. I've been told that CentOS is more of a core system with less junk running in the background and less frequent updates. Would you not agree?

Well as i said before, you never have to update unless you have determined it necessary.

In my opinion for baseline core, i use Gentoo, i have about 9 Gentoo servers and about 10 workstations we use for DEV,SVN,Webservers,etc....

The base install comes with pretty much just a kernel and base tools, also portage is just, in my opinion, hard to live without.

Portage: (care of gentoo.org)

Portage is the heart of Gentoo, and performs many key functions. For one, Portage is the software distribution system for Gentoo. To get the latest software for Gentoo, you type one command: emerge --sync. This command tells Portage to update your local "Portage tree" over the Internet. Your local Portage tree contains a complete collection of scripts that can be used by Portage to create and install the latest Gentoo packages. Currently, we have more than 10000 packages in our Portage tree, with updates and new ones being added all the time.

Portage is also a package building and installation system. When you want to install a package, you type emerge packagename, at which point Portage automatically builds a custom version of the package to your exact specifications, optimizing it for your hardware and ensuring that the optional features in the package that you want are enabled -- and those you don't want aren't.

Portage also keeps your system up-to-date. Typing emerge -uD world -- one command -- will ensure that all the packages that you want on your system are updated automatically.


But in the end, i would choose witchever Distro you are MOST COMFORTABLE with. I stress that because, it's hard to do anything when you don't feel comfortable.

-weisso

The reason Fedora sees more updates and is buggier than RHEL(Centos) is that Fedora is the development branch of RH. Centos (RHEL)is based on FC6 while the current version of Fedora is F8. All the debugging for C/RHEL5.1 was done when FC6 was debugged (by being used by us). Fedora will always have a lot more updates becuase it is the "bleeding edge", while C/RHEL is the "rock stable" version. As far as stuff running in the background that is totally up to you (no difference here between C5.1 and FC6). You can shut off as much stuff as you wish.