Maybe try and start opera from the command line..

$ opera

.. see if that works. Or maybe locate where is was installed and try executing it using the full path.

Try opening up a terminal and typing "opera" (no quotes) and see if that launches Opera. If not, become root with su (see ethics's post) and type "updatedb" (again no quotes). When that's done exit back to your normal user. Then type "locate opera" and type the full path to the executable (if you can't tell what it is, post the locate results here). Linux programs by default don't put icons on the desktop or make menu entries -- you can do that yourself later.

You really shouldn't have this much problem with the Nvidia driver. I've used it on a number of 5000 series Nvidia cards without any trouble at all. Is the machine itself locking up? Or is it just X? I.e. can you restart or kill X with CTRL+ALT+Bkspace after it has frozen?

The nv drivers (gereic) should be able to do much better than 1024x768 as well (I run them at 1900x1200 on my machine at work). Maybe you sshould try them?

Take things one step at a time. Open a terminal, do as you were told earlier, and type in su. Give the root password, then edit the xorg.conf file, changing vesa to nvidia, and adding the additional resolutions you want. Save the file, then reopen it just to make sure the changes you made have been saved. If nvidia and the larger resolutions are there, then either ctrl-backsapace or ctrl-alt-backspace will close x windows, leaving you at terminal only. If you are not signed in, sign in as your regular user, not root. Then issue the command startx. That will fire up xwindows again, with the new configuration.

Peace,
JimBass

Great.
Opera at the cmdline says:
ERROR: ld.so: object 'libjvm.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.
ERROR: ld.so: object 'libawt.so' from LD_PRELOAD cannot be preloaded: ignored.
Then it launches, but closes almost immediately.

System still hangs when I change resolution using drakx11 or through the MCC; total freeze... ctrl-backspace does nothing... hell, even the 'numlock' light doesn't work.

But now, I have 1600 resolution, but the monitor still displays 1024 @ 60 Hz. So I have to slide the picture into view by running the mouse off the edge of the screen!
I can't change it back, either... keeps locking the system when I try to change it back!

Maybe the FX-5200 isn't supported? Just a guess-- it's only got 256 Meg, maybe it's time to upgrade if I want to keep running Linux.

OK... I put everything back to 1024x768, 60 Hz. I'm just going to leave it there... it's too much of a hassle to try and change it.
Should I try and go back to the default video drivers that came with mandriva? I only ask because the graphics are really slow and choppy with the ones from nvidia.
And as far as opera goes, I can just use foxfire. It's not that big a deal; I just got used to opera for windows; it works pretty slick there.

But anyway, thanks for all your help. Sorry it turned out to be a waste of time!

The Opera problem sounds like you don't have the Java runtime installed or it's not picking it up. You mighjt want to get it from java.sun.com sometime. Anyhow, I like Firefox quite a bit more than Opera, so I think you've made a good choice :-).

Anyhow, good luck with it now. Maybe you'll get your X woes straightened out once you're more familiart with Linux and have a chance to experiment with it more.

I had a nvidia FX5200 128M on my desktop and it worked fine with the driver I downloaded from the nvidia website.

You could try running 'xorgconfig' and configuring X from scratch. It's a text based configuration tool that will ask you a bunch of questions. You will need all the details of your hardware such as the monitor's refresh rates, etc. Keep a copy of your old 'xorg.conf' file just incase it all goes pear-shaped though.

I recommend xorgconfig because I use Slackware, not sure what Mandriva has to offer.

Cheers

snurfl have you considered being super lazy, hea dover to the 'mandriva irc room on freenode and ask to some post there xorg configuration who has it set to 1280x1024 or what ever resolution you want to pastebin then just change the line saying driver: from nv or vesa to nvidia.

http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_d..._1.0-8762.html are you following all of the steps here?

Make sure you are in run level 3 (ie not an X run level)

As for opera type into a terminal, what output (if any) do you get?

snurfle posted the output from trying 'opera' on the command line already..

Xorgconfig took care of the video trouble immediately. Nice recommendation, Rojon.

I messed around with Opera a bit, and it seems to be working fine now. That was just a noob mistake... once it fired up, I had closed the terminal window from which I had launched it. Duh!

Seems to be running sweet now!

Thanks for all your assistance, gang.

Now- are there any more 'secrets' I should know about, or will things become apparent the more I use it?

If you want a shortcut for opera you can right click on the desktop (KDE) and create a new link to an application. In the pop up window type 'Opera' under the 'General' tab, and under the 'Application' tab, type 'opera' in the command box (or the full path to where Opera is installed). That should place an icon on the desktop that links to Opera. Look in the properties of any other icons and you will see how it's done (you can change the icon as well).

Linux will always bring it's fair share of problems when you start using it but nothing that can't be sorted. Just remember most problems can be fixed some way or another.

Cheers

Thanks... That's exactly what I had done!
I'm sure I'll end up leaning heavily on this site as I go along. Although, I really haven't seen anything too hateful (other than the video setup!).