I tried to install Mandrake/Linux on my 800Mhz Laptop and upon boot up it keeps comming up to the command line for username & password. I can get past that but I don't know squat about linux so I can't get the whole program going.

I am brand new to the whole linux thing and am very excited to get it going but so far nothing. I'm working with a 3 disk set of MandrakeLinux 10.1 Community that came with a bunch of stuff that I got with a magazine at Barnes & Noble.

Do you guys have any suggestions to get this working?

Should just restart with Linux or Redhat Fedora (I've got copies of these in library books)?

Will they give me all the whistles and bells I'm used to.

For now, my family uses three Win-XP machines on a home LAN.

I'm so glad I found this site and BBS.

Ok, do you remember choosing to have the graphical login start after you boot or not?
Even if not, try logging in and then the command startx.
IF that doesnt work you have a problem with your graphics, and some hardware details could help.
If it works you'll be loading into the default desktop of KDE.
You could then change your settings to give you a graphical login prompt, which by default is Mandrake's own, but I prefer KDM.

I tried startx. I got:

evecve failed for /etc/x11/x (errno 2)
giving up

xinit: no such file or directory (errno 2) unable to connect to x server
xinit: no such process (errno 3): server error

Looks strange. How have you installed it. I'm especially interested if you have choosen to manually select packages or you have just checked the bigger groups (or was it fully automatic install).

If you've made it not very standard, try the command (well, you can try it in all cases):
[CODE[su
(then type root's password when asked)
urpmi kdebase[/CODE]
This command will try to install main part of KDE environment. KDE is graphical and uses X (the program that failed to start with startx). urpmi tool is used to install software. What's important, it also installs everything that's needed by the program you request. So if you don't have X, it'll install it with KDE. If the installation will start it will ask you to but installation cds in, do it.

FYI Mara meant