Usually when you install a distro it will ask you for a passwd for root if it didn't then there should be a readme file which will have that info otherwise you can try login name root password root : note all lowercase, linux is case sensitive, anotherway is to login as normal user and try sudo passwd root and try to set a new root password

I guess you could download the MEPIS live CD and use the OScentre to install GRUB

I installed ubuntu 5.04 hh on ide 1 using xp pro on ide0 installed grub 0.95 boot lt went very well I then installed 2000 on ide 0 and it worked well I am brand new and trying to figure out how to get my win modem working.

Dommy- I did set a root password and I found the half graphical half command line program that allowed me to log in as root and save changes to the inittab file

Eerath- When I had tried to use grub nothing would boot....the screen would just be blank and nothing would happen

I have a version of ubuntu that I can run from a cd so I can't install any programs I heard that Mandrake was more noob friendly so that's why I didn't use it.

Well....I figured out how to edit the inittab file logged in as root, as I had said....I had to go to the command line program (that was command line but also allowed you to use a mouse to save and open documents) window and then go to root midnight command session. I then changed it so that I was defaulting to 3. I restarted and I was able to log in as root and I then tried to install the drivers and thins is what I got:

No precompiled kernel interface was found to match your kernel; would you like installer to attempt to download a kernel interface for your kernel from NVIDIA ftp site (ftp://downlaod.nvidia.com)?

Then I click yes and then this:

No matching percompiled kernel interface was found on the NVIDIA ftp site: this means that the installer will need to compile a kernel interface for your kernel.

So yet again I click yes and then:

ERROR: Unable to find the kernel source tree for the currently running kernel. Please make sure you have installed the kernel source files for your kernel; on Red Hat Linux systems, for example be sure you have the 'kernel-source' rpm installed. If you know the correct kernel source files are installed, you may specify the kernel source path with the '--kernel-source-path-' command line option.

Then I hit ok and:

ERROR: installation has failed. Please see the file '/var/log/nvidia-installer.log' for details. You may find suggestion on fixing installation problems in the readme file available on the Linux driver download page at www.Nvidia.com


On top of all of that I can't get out of the command line interface.....I don't know how to open so that I can edit and save documents in command line...so I can see the inittab file but I can't edit it so that I can go to the graphical interface.....lol. What would I search for to find these commands and what they do so that I can do this??


Ed

What this means is that for your precompiled kernal that you got from your Linspire distro there is no precompiled driver available, this is fine it simply requires more work on your part, so what you needto do is download either from your disto CD or from the Linspire site itself the kernal source code that corresponds to your running kernal version, once you have that loaded on your hard drive, it usual position is /usr/src/linux where linux is a link to the real kernal source usually in the form linux-2.6.12-lispire.
Now you can try the installer again and it should find your kernal source and compile you a new kernal which you can then add to the grub boot list to verify that it works before making it the normal bootable kernal, having done all this you are well on your way to being Master of the Universe . You may want to runup an Xsession for this as its easier done using a terminal emulator or 3.

But before you do all this check with the linspire site to make sure there isn't an Nvidia driver precompiled there also Google just in case someone else has done it already and can tell you where the pot holes are and how to avoid them. One that comes to mind is to check that you have the following programs, gcc and make I have a feeling you'll have to get them as well.

Finally you might consider using Mandrake because I'm pretty sure they have Nvidia drivers already

As o you other problem try one of the following:

CTL-C will usually get you out a running program
CTL-ALT-Delete the three fingered salute will cause linux to restart
CTL-D or exit should get you back to the login screen

YOU ARE HAVING FUN just keep saying that to yourself and all will be well

I am....I'm going to search google to see if I can find something. Will Mandrake 10.1 go back to the graphical mode after the drivers are installed?? I want to do a search for a command line bible or something along those lines...Is it just called command line for Linux or does each distro have a different code?

Fun...lol...riiiight!!

Ed

This is an Indian Uni site which contains some interesting links both free and commercial, you may get a lot of unwanted popups here so be careful, http://www.linux-iips.tk/ it looks like Programming->books will lead you to a wealth of info, should keep you out of mischief for months

Otherwise just Google