Thanks for reading this.

I just inherited a old Compaq 2266 with a Cyrix 333mhz 256mb RAM that I am using as a test machine for my first time with Linux. Before I began, this was a Win98 Machine working perfectly. It's old, but it was used a couple times and put in a closet until I got it.

If I can get everything working, it will be a dual boot on a AthlonXP 2800.

I downloaded the 3 Mandrake 9.2 ISO images and burned them. I tried a dual boot first, but there just wasn't enough room for everybody (4gig HD) So, I wiped the harddrive and let Linux repartition. I selected all the packages except the one for Scientific machine (or something similar)

Everything installs fine from beginning to end, I get the congratulations at the end with the required reboot. As it is rebooting, I get a menu screen with Linux, Failsafe and Bootdisk as options, I have tried Linux and Failsafe, but all I get is a screen full of text and then it stops. I heard there could be delays during the probing and so I walked away for an hour while I had something to eat. Nothing happens. I reformatted and reinstalled 2 more times and I get the same thing.

The following is all I can see on the screen when it stops scrolling and there is a blinking cursor below the last entry:

Buffer cache hash table entries: 16384 (order: 4, 65536 Bytes)
Page-cache hash table entries: 65536 (order: 6, 262144 bytes)
CPU Cyrix II 3x Core/Bus Clock Stepping 08
Checking ‘hlt’ instruction. . . OK.
POSIX conformance testing by UNIFIX
Mtrr: v1.40 (20010327) Richard Gooch (rgooch@atnf.csiro.au
Mtrr: detected mtrr type: Cyrix ARR
ACPI: Subsystem revision 20030813
ACPI: Interpreter disabled
PCI: PCI BIOS revision 2.10 entry at0xfd9d4, last bus=0
PCI: Using configuration type 1
PCI: Probing PCI Hardware
PCI: ACPI tables contain no PCI IRQ routing entries
PCI Probing PCI hardware (bus00)
PCI: Using IRQ router SIS [1039/0008] at 00:01.0
PCI: Found IRQ 9 with 00:01.2
Disabling direct PCI/PCI transfers
Isapnp: Scanning for PnP cards
Isapnp: No Plug and Play device found
Linux NET4.0 for Linux 2.4
Based upon Swansea University Computer Society NET3.039
Initializing RT netlink socket
Apm: BIOS version 1.2 Flags 0x03 (Driver Version 1.16)

I've been around PC's for awhile, my first computer was a Commodore 64, I'm not stupid, but I know NOTHING about Linux. If this is an elementary question, I apologize, but I just don't know what to do.

I really appreciate anybody's time and advice.

Thank You,
Sean

I thought I should mention that I was forced to do a text install because I would get a black screen if I tried linux or vgalo. After the first 2 installs I would get to "Configuration of X" and set my video setiings and it would give me a grey screen with an "X" as a moving mouse pointer and just stay there. I would have to reboot. But when I rebooted, I would get the same thing as I described on my first post. The 3rd and last install, when it asked if I wanted to check my video, I said no, completed the install, rebooted and again, got what I described before.

Thanks agian,
Sean

Check your BIOS and make sure that 'plug n play OS' is disabled. That can and usually causes problems.

Make sure you don't have any USB stuff plugged in too.

Post back if that don't help.

Thanks for responding Dalek . . .

I disabled "Plug and Play OS" in the BIOS, I unhooked my DSL Modem that was plugged in (with the USB Connection) during the entire install. I read somewhere that you want to plug in everything during the install so it is recognized during the initial setup. Should I have not done that? ( I know it's a no-no with Windows)

Anyway, it still hangs at the exact same spot? Do you think I need a reinstall? (Even though it went through perfectly 3 times)

Thank's again
Sean

If it is installed and you need to connect through USB to your DSL modem, I assume you will, then do this.

Shutdown the system and plug in the modem. Boot up and watch for any messages. It may see the modem when booting, it may not. Anyway, after that go to the Mandrake Control Center and click on Network and DrakConnect. You should be able to just walk through the rest. It may ask for the CDs though to install more packages.

I have dial-up so I really don't know how to go further. It should work after that. If it does connect, reboot and see if it connects then. If it does, you're good to go. If not, may need to change a setting to get it to connect on boot.

Oh, Mandrake Control Center is here, Start thingy then Configuration then Mandrake Control Center. It will ask for the root password too.

Hope that helps. Post back either way.

Thanks again Dalek,

Ok, after my last response to you, I went back into the BIOS and poked around. I found "Large Disk Access Mode" was set to DOS, I changed it to "Other" and It came right up.

I went through "First Time" screens and then tried to set up my DSL. I want to use USB so I can share the connection, using it's NIC card, with my XP machine. The modem gives you both options. So I stumbled through that and couldn't get it working. So I figured it would be too good to be true for it to just work right off the bat, so I cancelled that decided to just explore Mandrake. Everytime I tried to open anything, like games, appearance settings or set the clock, nothing will open. I don't even get an hour glass. So, I went to logout and reboot (Microsofts cure for everything) and booted to a command line asking for my login, I typed it in and it went to a command line, I typed startx and gives me

XIO: Fatal error 104 (Connection reset by Peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requestes (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

and back to command prompt.

the hits just keep on coming . . .

I really appreciate your time.

Sean

As I have been tinkering, I realized there was more to that last erro message than what I included. Incase this makes any difference.

All I can see on the screen is a bunch of video selections and then this:

_FontTransSocketUnixConnect: Can't connect: erno =2
failed to set default font path 'Unix/:1'
Fatal Server Error:
could not open default font 'fixed'

When reporting a problem related to a server crash, please send
the full report output, not just the last messages

XIO: fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
after 0 requestes (o known processed) with 0 events remaining.

$

As I was typing this I remembered that when I was screwing with the DSL settings, I changed around a bunch of things trying to make the connection. Could that have anything to do with this message? If it could, can I reset defaults from a command line?

Thanks,
Sean

Questions. Does the modem connect through the USB port or the NIC card?

What kind of "video selections" are you getting? If it is like these 769, 771, 785, 788 then that may help.

I never was good at this x setup thing so hopefully some other guru will step in with some info.

Anybody remember the command line command to setup the XF86Config file?

I'm at a loss here.

I just got my Mandrake 9.2 and Slackware 9.1 CDs. Whhoooo Ooooooo. I may be a while getting back. Any guesses on what I may be doing?

Later

My modem is capable of both and I tried both. As far as the video selections you mentioned I think you're referringto what I'm getting on the screen. I can't really choose anything from them, I think it is showing all the options and what is selected:

( -- ) SVGA: Maximum allowed dot-clock: 50.529 Mhz
(**) SVGA: Mode "800 x 600": mode clock = 50.00
(**) SVGA: Mode "640x480": Mode clock = 25.00
(**) SVGA: Using Hardware cursor

I assume that (**) means that it is chosen . . .

There are a bunch more, but these are the only three selected. There is no way to get back t othem, they just scrolled past after I typed startx. When I was finishing the install, I picked the exact monitor from one available on a list and I initially chose all the safest (lower) resolutions and figured I could adjust them later.

I don't see any options 769, 771, 785, 788 or anything resembling that.

I'm lost.

Thank you.
Sean

I have never done this in Mandrake before so it's either this or reinstall unless somebody steps in that has done this before. Hint, hint.

Do the following:

That should let you reconfigure your XF86Config file and get x back. I can't remember what all it asks you about. It is text based though.

Plug the modem into the ethernet port. It is much easier to deal with in Linux. If you do reinstall, when you get to the summary page make sure to configure the network and internet settings. The more you can configure in that summary page the easier it is to work with, especially the monitor and network.

This may help too. http://easylinuxguide.jsutnoni.com/viewtopic.php?t=418 I wrote it and I think will still need it.

Hope that helps. I'm about to install Mandrake 9.2 myself.

Oh, Linux commands and such are case sensitive. THiS is not the same as THIS or thIs.

Later. Wish me luck. <small prayer here>

hi sean, did you get any errors during install about x? what monitor and video card do you have? also i've done a forum search and here is a link to some very useful info.

http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ticle&artid=16

hope this helps.

Thank you Dalek and Peacedog,

I'm currenty browsing the link you both provided, but I wanted to give you my progress thus far:

First I tried the cd /usr/X11R6/bin
xf86config, then I tried changing to the directories individually and none of them exist. Should I be starting form any particular directory?

And Peacedog, no I didn't have any errors on the install. (Except the initial BIOS hang up on first post install reboot) The machine I'm using has onboard SiS 55970 / 5598 and an old Packard Bell 1511sl monitor. (This is my test machine)

Thank You and I will be browsing those links . . .
Sean

Studid question,

During the instructions for the xf86config command it says make sure you are logged in as root. I'm not sure how to tell. When I reboot the computer it will as for my Login, is that the same?

I don't want to start typing until I'm sure I at the right starting point.

Thanks
Sean

did you create a user during the install? i.e. does your login look like

[root@localhost sean] or...(i'm guessing about localhost)

[sean@localhost sean]

yes I did create a user at install. My prompt is:

[sean@localhost sean]$

This where I am sitting at the moment . . .

Thanks
Sean