I can't get my desktop to open
 

I can't get any further on my new laptop with Linpus Linux Lite 2.6.25 OS than the prompt
[root@localhost /]#

did you try typing X?

write or after that prompt.

As I know, Linpus has many different version. One version is console mode, in this mode, you don't have x window, you only can use command line.
Linpus is co-working with Acer. For some models, Acer is using console mode, price for this model is also cheap than other models.

Do you have a xserver installed?

I recently had a similar problem in Debian. "GDM" had an error at boot and would not load. Was stuck using a BASH prompt. Is there a way to bypass / fix the Display Manager in BASH? Can Startx start either Gnome / KDE / XFCE manually?

When you boot look at your /var/log/messages I think it is. I should give you and error why its not booting. Unless you don't have it set to boot.

Right now I use slackware and by default you have to startx your self everytime. So if yours it like that you can either configure it to start.