I am totally new to linux, and I downloaded Mandrake 10.1 installed fine after a few trys, now i boot to linux and i get a dos looking screen and it says "localhost login: and i type my name,and it says [server@localhost server]$ , now what do i do, a thought this was supposed to have a GUI - graphical, and well I have no idea what to do next.

did you specify a ui when you performed the install?

Well it said KDE GNOME and grahical or something like that, and checked them all, but i don't know how to get on one.

Hello,

Oh dear, looks like something's gone a bit astray during installation...

Don't panic - should be able to sort things out.
From the command line, switch to the root user by issuing -

Now we need to check what run level you have booted into (Linux uses different 'run levels' for different purposes - for using a graphical environment, the system needs to boot into run level 5). at the command line, type -

it should return something like 'N x', where 'x' is your current runlevel. If it's anything other than 5, first thing to try is switching to runlevel 5, which should start the graphical interface - enter -

Try this and post back with results - if it works, then there is a file which will need checking / editing to ensure correct operation in future...

Type startx after you login to boot to your default X.

You can also set it to boot from KDM or GDM a graphical desktop chooser.

Use something like nano/pico or any text based editor and edit /etc/inittab

change id:X:initdefault: to... I believe its 2... change the X to a 2.

Keven, so far that did work, what u told me, can i make auto boot to that at all times?

OK Gameover,

Good. To make runlevel 5 boot by default, you need to edit the file /etc/inittab. This needs to be done as the root user.

In there, you'll find a line something like -

..where x is the default run level. I'll guess that it's currently set to '3'. Change this line so that it reads -

.. and you'll be good to go. Reboot the machine and check that all works as expected.

I've recently installed 10.1 on a machine, and from memory, there was a check box that you had to either check or un-check - can't remember which - for the machine to boot into the GUI by default. I'm guessing that this is where you've come slightly unstuck - easy mistake.

Anyway, hope you enjoy Mandrake - it's a cracking distribution.

lol, thanks buddy, all is well so far, except setting up internet . I have a linksys hub , internet is always on, but mankrake won't let me surf the net

Hi,

Glad you're up and running. Regarding the internet problem, try going into Mandrake Control Centre first and configuring a LAN connection; you may need to manually enter DNS server addresses. If you continue to have difficulty here, I'd post a new thread.

Cheers.