Installed now what does it want
 

OK I am brand new I haven't a clue about anything. I installed Mandrake 9.2 then rebooted. I'm coming up with this [name@localhostname]$ and of course the cursor what does it want please? I tried my name no such command it said I tried startx wow what errors
SECOND QUESTION I didn't mean to install this boot loader I'm going to boot it from a cdrom so how do I get rid of this bootmanager please. I'm on an amd 2.8 Radeon 9600 pro with 40 gig hd and 1500mg ram when i typed startx it was a radeon error with no screens found
Ok all I can do is wait did this not go in right? I really got to get rid of this boot manager also.

oops
 

i forgot this is a second hd windowsxp is on a 120hd

X gui problem -
find out the refresh rates of your monitor via google.
as root at the prompt type:
follow the on screen directions, they aren't really difficult if you read thouroughly. If in doubt about anything, try the default option. (there may be another tool in mandrake, i'm not familiar with it)
then retry startx

boot manager problem
Why uninstall it? How do you plan on starting up Linux when you remove it? If you installed to the MBR I don't recommend uninstalling.

monitor refresh rate
 

from settings it says 85hz
I can't log in I worked for days trying to get ready for everything would go smoothly and it won't even log in and omg i have no clue This was default as I didn't set it Is this maybe too high for mandrake?

to make sure what ur vert refresh rate might be, and since you have windows on the same machine, just boot into windows, check under "control panel" for your hardware settings (monitor settings?). your vert refresh rate will be mentioned there, and thats what you should be using. now, if it does say 85, could you post what "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4" reads? maybe theres something there we can figure out?
along with that, post the file "/var/log/XFree86.0.log". this is where your errors from X are dumped.

i'm too stupid i guess
 

i finally got the xf86config to run first off my video card is not in the list so i chose generic radeon there is a linux driver on ati site...then i ran into problem of memory wasn't sure i have 128mb ram i assumed this was multipled by 1k well i guessed on some but then at end i get this "failed to open filename for writing" and I haven't a clue how to copy the error messages to I just write them on paper and type up here or is there an easier way?

nothings ever stupid at all.
where/what machine are you posting all these from? you cant startx, so im assuming you're posting from your windows partition?
if youre flippin back n forth betwn windows, and linux, you can save the files on a floppy, and then open using notepad or whatever on windows to post ... ?

yes im flipping
 

im flipping back and forth but remembering i really really don't know what im doing how do i save those errors to a floppy? ill start writing be back sooner or later lol

0. startx (to build the error log under /var/log so you can do 7)

1. get floppy, insert into drive.
2. change to root by doing "su", and then entering password.
3. enter "ls /".
4. if you see 'floppy", then goto 5.
if you dont see "floppy", enter "cd /" followed by "mkdir floppy"

5. enter "mount /dev/fd0 /floppy"
6. enter "cp /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 /floppy"
7. enter "cp /var/log/XFree86.0.log /floppy"
8. enter "ls /floppy" - and you should see the 2 files there.
9. enter "umount /floppy"
10. grind teeth, get back on windows, post.

YOYO is back
 

ok problem is the messages...the text...flies by does a lot of [ok] then comes to screeching halt unable to read anything i logged in as root typed help and then i needed help, remembered the old shutdown -r now command and it worked but alas it doesnt get those error reports I'm guessing ..ok so im dreading, but i assume there is a command to produce those error reports? makes me wish i had study computers instead of putting some wet pigments, linseed oil and turpentine on a canvas

we bumped
 

i think we must have hit submit at same time checking on your last reply now thanks

makes me wish i had continued drawing cartoon figures - woulda saved me all the headaches i get staring long at the screen. :) lol

also, the reason for X crashing will be the last few lines of the log file. so, if it makes it any simpler to just write it down, and post here, .... ?

do a "cat /var/log/XFree86.0.log", and just note down the lines from where the errors start.

LOL LOL LOL
 

this is sad this is almost fun and i haven't even logged in yet! is this warped or what! oh the cat/var...gives error of no such file or directory i will assume as that should be run from startx
startx will not start, the reason its screams is as follows:

Using vt7 config-4
(ww) Radeon: No matching device section for instance (Bus ID Pci :2:0:1)
EE no device detected
Fatal server error: no screen found


its not a pci its ati radeon 9600pro agp
lol why do i think it doesn't mean that at all

on ati's site there is a driver for this mean thing would it be possible to mount that driver without x? if so how? i have never mounted anything as of yet (wonder why lol!) i have only read so I have no experience here. however doesn't it need more than a driver if it can't even find the hardware? I can do the config but then still get errors lol
How do we get it believe I have a video card not too shabby of one even!

i keep wondering is it the monitor also? but i do keep seeing radeon error ???

its cat /var - theres a space between cat and /var. cat is a command in unix to just output the contents onto your screen. no need for gui to use that.

since you have posted the error ....

can u edit the XF86-config file? wanna try using a generic video card driver like "vesa"?
instead of the entry for your card, can u edit it and make it say "vesa"?

this is from my machine -
Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "nvidia"

instead of nvidia, i had entered "vesa" before i installed the nvidia drivers again. try that?

ps: im learning as i go too, although i have solved my driver problems ... :)