I just installed MEPIS on my old windows box, and when i took out the install CD and rebooted, it goes to a prompt, instead of loading the gui.

I know nothing of linux, but i know i am tired of windows. I use almost all opensource stuff on my windows box now, but figured i may as well learn the os of the future...

the prompt it takes me to is ...

mepis1 login:


i can enter either root and pw: root or login with my account, but i still don't know what to do.

the machine is...

p4 2.4ghz
512mb RAM
radeon 7000/64mb
CD-drive
10gb hd (mepis is the only installed OS, the disk was formatted during install)



also, the network doesn't set itself up, using the p4s800x onboard networking and running through my windows box to connect to my cable modem. i have the same network settings on the windows box that worked when i had ubuntu installed, which worked. But this is something i think i can fix if i can get back into the gui.

So is your computer still showing a black screen with just text on it?

If this is the case I think you can try typing startx
or maybe init5 or init4 (there may be a space before the number)
(login as a user, and NOT root before doing this)

I think by default it starts up into a command prompt environment (which is known as init 3 or 4 or something), then you start the x server. I believe this is equivalent to asking the box to move to a higher init level. init 0 turns off the computer I think, and init 6 reboots it.

I tried using slackware a few times and got this far and gave up cause I couldn't get any further, but I think this will get you started.

Or try something more likely to work out of the box like mandrake or red hat!

I guess I needed to rerun the part of the installation that installs the front-end thingy where i get to choose which OS to use. Even though i only have one, and then only one kernel installed, i still have to have it. I re-installed it, (i don't remember what its called, and it seems to have disapeared) but it works now.

Now, on to the network problem! Making no progress there at all.

Is there some kind of auto-detect thingy like Ubuntu and Windows has?

Do you know what kind of network card you have in your machine..???

most NIC (read: network interface card) are usually auto-detected
on install..

turns out i didn't have all the setting on the windows box right, but Mepis was working just as it should! lol, should have known!

This is a very good learning experience, doing all this.

My next step is to install BOINC, which I run on my windows box. I've downloaded the program into my user directory, but now I'm not at all sure what to do with it. I'll keep looking...

Is there some kind of Add/Remove programs thingy in MEPIS? I know the one in windows doesn't work all that well, and one has to use uninstaller programs to really get rid of all the files, esp. .dll's.

synaptic, it can add or remove anything

I'm keeping this thread here because I'm hoping that installing programs works about the same for all of them, and none of this info is specific to boinc.

I've got the gzip file unzipped in /username/boinc and now I have no idea what to do. I try to run it in the terminal window and it says

bash: boinc: command not found

but i do a dir and it shows

boinc

as the only file, about 9 megs, and "executable", according to the konqueror.

hmmm...


I'm going to download something else and see if it works. POV?

Found this on Google:

http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread109550/pg1

Not sure how exact it is, but the 3rd post down sounded good to me

Hope this helps. Can't believe they didn't include a README or INSTALL file to help you on your way.

add this line to /etc/apt/sources.list, you will need to edit it as root:

deb http://www.thomas-alfeld.de/frank/download/debian/ ./

then do these commands as root:
apt-get update
apt-get install boinc-client boinc-dev boinc-manager kboincspy-cvs

Sounds like you didn't install grub to the mbr

yes!