I recently installed Fedora 11 and every time I would log in a small window in the corner would say "Firmware needed", and it would give me two options: Install firmware and Don't ask this again. I would always click on Install firmware and everything would work fine. The last time the window popped up saying firmware was needed, I decided to click on "Don't ask this again" in the hopes that it would install the firmware every time automatically. The opposite happened: it did not install the required firmware, and I don't get the option to install it when I reboot. Now Linux fails to start the file manager. What is weird is there are probably about 50 or more "windows" in the taskbar along the bottom of the screen, and they are constantly moving. Also, my hard drive icons are no longer on my desktop. When I go to Places --> Home Folder, for example, all of the small "windows" in the taskbar close, one by one, and when there are only a few left you can read "Starting File Manager...". Also, the window that would normally open showing you the contents of your home folder do not open. This is also the case for any folder. However, I can still access files via the console.

Does anybody have any ideas as to what is going on here?

Thanks

some hardware specs would help
the cpu
the amount of ram
your 3d card or the pseudo 3d chipset that is built in

you say that nautilus is not starting BUT you have the minimised icons in the lower toolbar ???

that "Firmware needed" is asking you about installing a driver

?? My Crystal Ball is seeing a ? Laptop ? that you are using ????

this would be VERY HELPFULL info
Is it a Laptop or Desktop ???

I have a desktop with an Intel quad-core CPU @ 2.4GHz, 4GB of RAM, and a nVidia GeForce 8800 GT. Yes, the lower toolbar is filled with minimized windows. When I click on Places --> Home Folder the minimized windows close one by one, and as they expand the minimized windows read "Starting File Manager...". After about 30 seconds the lower toolbar once again becomes filled with minimized windows.

Thanks

I attempted to install Fedora Core 11 from the Live CD on a Dell Inspiron 1100 laptop...

Once the desktop loads I'm getting the same symptoms. "Starting File Manager" opens multiple times very rapidly across the bottom panel. No icons on the desktop. When I open a menu item above most of the "Starting File System" buttons disappear. Anyone else have ideas?