I have an Intel Celeron 2.0 GHz Processor, with 128 MB Ram, and Intel 845GVSR Motherboard. Windows XP runs best on it but I can't say this for MandrakeLinux 10.1
A simple MP3 or Mpeg File takes 4-5 minutes to load. As I am 5 times less then a novice user I want to ask is there any method to switch from one desktop enviroment to another. Is there any other Desktop Enviroment available for Mandrake(I am not talking about Graphics i justwant an easy one similar to windows and lite weight dont need Desktop Enviroment like ICEWM or XTERM) And if there is not anyone please tell me how to Uninstall Mandrake safely without affecting wy WindowsXP.
Thanks A lot (In Advance).

first off, xterm is not a desktop environment. Also, most desktops environments are all but lightweight. What you probably want is just a window manager. Fluxbox seems to be very popular (I use and enjoy it), but see also the Member Choice Awards here at LQ.

If you wish to uninstall Mandrake, simply boot into windows, select the bit in the control panel where you get an overview of your disks (somewher under advanced administration), and reformat them into windows partitions. You may also want to run `fdisk /mbr', but please don't trust me on this--it's been long since I've last used windows.

Also, unless you deal with really huge mp3 or mpeg files, it's probably the programs that play them that take ages to load, not the files themselves. The solution is of course to get a more lightweight player, though I don't know what you're currently running, so I can't recommend any.

I use mpc for playing back my music library, and ogg123, mpg123, timidity and mikmod for the odd file here and there. I've previously used playsound for the odd file here and there with good results, but recently it's begun acting weird, so I've changed to ogg123/mpg123/mikmod/timidity. For video, I've used vlc, totem (-gstreamer) and xine, all working fine.

I've got a 2.6 GHz processor which isn't leaps and bounds faster than 2.0 GHz (surprisingly few tasks are CPU-bound). I've got 512 MB of RAM, compared to your 128--and I think the main difference may be there. Try running your favorite task manager and/or `free' and `top' to see how much memory you're using.

hope this helps --Jonas

First question: how the heck did you get XP running on 128MB memory? I had 256MB and had to increase to 512 to get it run decently (a clean install; I'm afraid of thinking what it does if I install heavy software on it). Well, anyway..

I'd say the problem is memory. Mandrake uses probably either Gnome or KDE (I'm not familiar with that fact) as it's desktop environment, and both of those are slow and heavy (though quite nice-looking if you tweak). I'm glad you planned switching from them. XFCE is a bit Gnome-looking (smooth) desktop, but much much lighter than KDE or Gnome; Fluxbox is "lightweight", meaning quite light, thing which you could also try. Switching a desktop environment/window manager is a matter of installing the packages of the new one (say all XFCE packages; compiling or installing the binaries) and after that configuring your display manager (GDM or KDM usually) to start the new window manager/desktop environment rather than the old one, and then removing the old. Or if you start X from the console via startx, then just altering your own configs. So story cut short: install all the needed packages of the new environment (check their websites for list and downloads), change config and remove the old environment (if you use GDM, it's easy, just click the settings button or choose from the list). Instructions for the switching itself can be found from the websites of the display managers (google for GDM or KDM, you'll probably have one of those).

However, if you at some point wish to remove Linux and not affect XP, you'll need the following:

- XP install disc (for accessing the recovery console, to get the XP bootloader work again if you use Linux bootloader now)
- a partitioning software, or a Linux Live-CD distribution with such software, to remove the Linux partitions and give the space for XP or enlarge the existing XP partition to fill the disk.

First thing to do is see that you have partitioning software (PartitionMagic for Windows, for example, or gPartEd for Linux, or Linux fdisk) so you are able to get rid of the Linux partitions. After having such software, simply follow these steps:

- boot your pc with the windows install disc, press F8 (usually) to access the boot menu if it doesn't pop up automatically
- start the recovery console
- run fixmbr that will restore your XP's bootloader and overrun that of Linux'
- reboot your PC normally, booting XP
- start the partitioning software or boot Linux Live-CD that has the partitioning software on it
- remove the Linux partitions (root /, swap and if you have defined other partitions; simply remove everything except Windows ntfs or fat partitions)
- if the software is capable, enlarge Windows partition to fill the disc (running scandisk and checking the windows partition before this is recommended, but not deadly needed), or if it's incapable, then just create new partition(s) to the empty space
- reboot and you're fine - no problems.