Fedora Core 3 Questions and Experiences.

Hi readers...

I have installed Fedora Core 3 last week and even though I still have some issues, here is what I've learned and it might help others.
[list=1][*]Have a PIII computer with a 20GB HDD and Installed windows XP Pro.[*]I decided to set up a second hard d. drive, to avoid confussions. when installing and running.[*]Downloaded all the iso files (CD Images) from the Fedora Site.[*]Downloaded ISO Recorder Power Toy By Alex Feinman an utility to burn CD Images Using Windows XP.[*]Having all the discs ready 4 and a Rescue Disc. proceded with the instalation.[*]No Bumps, so far, straight forward instalation -Selected Workstation Option.[*]All Devices, Cards, Monitor, and etc. detected. no troubles, even my USB 256MB Drive.[*]Found a site MadPenguin.org How TOs with instructions to Read my Windows HDD. This Site has also instructions to configure Apache, PHP, My SQL, and other stuff such as multimedia.[*]Updates have been running smoothly.[/list=1]

But I still have issues...
The intention is to setup a site for developing Mambo Server Templates, Components, and extras.[list=1][*]I still can't run MySQL. The conection is dead after I start the service; Here are the details:
/etc/my.cnf Contains:

[mysqld]
datadir=/var/lib/mysql
socket=/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock
skip-innodb

[mysql.server]
user=mysql
basedir=/var/lib

[safe_mysqld]
err-log=/var/log/mysqld.log
pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid

When I go: mysql -u root; here is what it says.

Can't connect to local MySQL server through socket '/var/lib/mysql/mysql.sock' (2)

I went to look for Documentation or Help and found that this error message means that the My SQL database Server service was not running, hence, I went to start it, and I got:

mysqld dead but subsys locked

I haven't found any solution Yet.[*] I tried to install Thunderbird Mail Manager, Got the file, Ran the installation, but I still don't know how to run it, since the program wasn't added to the applications menu, where all the files went and how to set it as the default Mail Program.[*] I don't know how to modify the application menu to add more programs to it.[*] Once I installed Apache I don't know how to start the service automatically once I restart or shut down the system.[/list=1]

Please help.
I hope some of the solutions I wrote help others.

Regards.

Originally posted by sitmex [*]I still can't run MySQL. The conection is dead after I start the service; Here are the details: /etc/my.cnf Contains: [safe_mysqld] pid-file=/var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid

Delete the file /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid. There may be also a 'lock' file - if exists, remove. Such files are used to make sure two instances of a service won't be running at the same time. When the program starts, it checks for the file and if it exists, it stops. It's a good solution, but sometimes, when there's an improper shutdown, the file is not removed. In such cases that error occurs. If you delete the file your program willstart.

[*] I tried to install Thunderbird Mail Manager, Got the file, Ran the installation, but I still don't know how to run it, since the program wasn't added to the applications menu, where all the files went and how to set it as the default Mail Program.

It asks you during the installation. Search /usr/local and /home/yourname for thunderbind directory. May be in one of the two locations as default. How to add it to menu - look next question.

[*] I don't know how to modify the application menu to add more programs to it.

It depends on the desktp environment you use. In KDE you have kmenuedit program.

[*] Once I installed Apache I don't know how to start the service automatically once I restart or shut down the system.

There's a nice graphical tool that makes it much easier, unfortunatellty don't know it's name in Fedora. Can give you more compilicated, console-mode solution (it works for all distribution) based on symlinking between /etc/init.d and /etc/rc5.d. But I hope someone will jump in with graphical tool name.

Fedora starts GNOME as its desktop by default. To switch to KDE use the command

switchdesk KDE

in a console. (Actually, I think I remember that there's a "Switch Desktop" item in the Gnome preferences section of the default menus.)

You can change the Gnome menus, but its really much easier in KDE. (Although adding a panel item in Gnome works well.)