Hello All:
I just recently installed Mandrake 9.2. I was previously running SuSe 8.0 and decided to make the switch due to some issues I was having with the video display. I have a strange issue I'm dealing with. I went ahead and installed the new OS. During install it never prompts me to set the localhost login and password. After the installation was complete I reboot the system and it comes to a dos type prompt asking me to enter in the localhost and login. I never set a login or password. I try to enter the same login and password I was using for SuSe but nothing seems to be working. I have tried to reinstall the OS twice and it never seems to ask me to set the login and password. What can I do? Is there anything I can do from this screen to get to the GUI.? Could it be another issue? Could I set a new login with password? Any advice to a resolution would be greatly appreciated.

-Mr54mk

Sorry to hear you are having install problems Mr545mk, that can be very frustrating. I have installed Mandrake 9.2 serveral times and it always asks me to set the root password and gives the opportunity to setup a normal user as well.
Since you have the same experience each time, I would try the following:
when you get the login prompt, type the word root and if it asks for a password, just hit the enter key. If it logs you in, you can start an X windows session by typing startx . Let me know what happens....

It doesn't work. When I type in root at the login prompt it just asks me for the password. Any other suggestions??? Is it possible to enter a new login and password from this screen?

-Mr54mk

Not if you can't login. When you hit enter at the request for a password, it just gives you the login prompt again?

What 'exactly' does the prompt say?

localhost login:
password:

I can't get past this screen. Should I just try to wipe it out again???? Or can I set a new login and password.

-Mr54mk

You can't set a password or create a new user without being logged in.
Seems very strange that Mandrake doesn't prompt you for the root password during install - where did you get the cds?

www.linuxiso.org

I'm getting frustrated man. I just wanna set up my network with Linux but these issues aren't helping.
Here are the specs of my system

GA-8INXP
ATI 9700 pro
P4 2.53
512 mb pc2700
wd1200jb

-MR54mk

when it prompts you with
localhost login:
does it wait for a response before displaying
password:

yes. first it prompts for login then it prompts for password.

what does it do if you type root and hit enter at the login: prompt?

it justs asks for the password. I guess you can say that I'm caught in an access loop. I have no way of accessing the GUI.

Right - if it doesn't log you in when you just hit enter at the password prompt, then it is expecting some other password which is unknown and I don't think there is any way you are going to get logged in.
So, my advice would be to reinstall, paying particular attention to the screens that appear after the packages load. You should definitely see one that asks what you want to set the root password to. Good Luck!