OK, my problem is that 1: Linux is too d**n confusing to newbies like myself, and 2: I'm trying to get my portable HDD to work between my home computer and my school computer, which are of two totally different configurations.

The version of Linux I'm using is Mandrake 9.1, 2.6.2 kernel i believe. This is the version our books go off of, so I'm not really interested in a different distro.

It installed just fine on my school computer, but it won't run on my home computer. It detects and installs the hardware on my home cpu, but it just won't work. I loaded up into linux-nonfb and when I type "startx" it tells me that my graphics card is in something called "edge-triggered mode" and says it can't initialize it.

Space is at a premium on my home computer, so I can't really use any more HD space on my home cpu.

Any help would be appreciated.

1: Linux is too d**n confusing to newbies like myself
... sorry to hear that. However, this tends to depend on your expectations. Curiously, people with a great deal of experience with computers have the most trouble.

Have you had a hunt for one of the many tutorials around the internet? Have you tried contacting any local "LUG"s (Linux User Groups)?

2: I'm trying to get my portable HDD to work between my home computer and my school computer.
... OK <rolls up sleeves>

The version of Linux I'm using is Mandrake 9.1, 2.6.2 kernel i believe. This is the version our books go off of, so I'm not really interested in a different distro.
... Shame - never mind: mandrake was originally designed to flatten the linux learning curve. There are disagreements about the results. However - without changing distribution, you will want to upgrade that kernel ... but on with your problem:

It installed just fine on my school computer, but it won't run on my home computer.
... this will be mandrake linux that won't install?

It detects and installs the hardware on my home cpu, but it just won't work.
... I can see why you can get confused. Mandrake installs to a hard drive not a CPU.

I loaded up into linux-nonfb and when I type "startx" it tells me that my graphics card is in something called "edge-triggered mode" and says it can't initialize it.
... so you have a successful install of mandrake linux? Is it installed on the removable drive you mentioned earlier or onto your home PC internal hard drive?

Your problem is that you cannot start XWindows to get a graphical desktop.

To help you I need to know about your video card. What kind is it?
(If you want to know what is in your computer - from the mandrake command prompt, enter "lspci" and read the resulting technical information carefully.

It installed just fine on my school computer, but it won't run on my home computer.
... this will be mandrake linux that won't install?

no, it INSTALLED and it RUNS on my school computer, with my removable drive, but when i take the drive home, it won't run on my home computer

It detects and installs the hardware on my home cpu, but it just won't work.
... I can see why you can get confused. Mandrake installs to a hard drive not a CPU.

ok, smartass, i know that, i was using cpu becuase i got tired of spelling out computer

I loaded up into linux-nonfb and when I type "startx" it tells me that my graphics card is in something called "edge-triggered mode" and says it can't initialize it.
... so you have a successful install of mandrake linux? Is it installed on the removable drive you mentioned earlier or onto your home PC internal hard drive?

the removeable drive

To help you I need to know about your video card. What kind is it?

i have 2 BFG GeForce 7800 GT's running in SLI mode... in Windows, they run in SLI, anyways. and yes, i've already downloaded Linux drivers for this, and am fully aware that i may not get SLI functionality out of Linux.

... this will be mandrake linux that won't install?
no, it INSTALLED and it RUNS on my school computer, with my removable drive, but when i take the drive home, it won't run on my home computer
Ahhh... you installed mandrake linux to the removable HDD, you have tried to boot your home box off the external HDD - which worked, except that X didn't start. That right?

... I can see why you can get confused. Mandrake installs to a hard drive not a CPU.
ok, smartass, i know that, i was using cpu becuase i got tired of spelling out computer
Try "box" - same number of letters and it is actually a slang term for a computer system. Try not to use technical terms out of their normal use as it makes you look only semi-literate (or worse: lazy).

To help you I need to know about your video card. What kind is it?
i have 2 BFG GeForce 7800 GT's running in SLI mode... in Windows, they run in SLI, anyways. and yes, i've already downloaded Linux drivers for this, and am fully aware that i may not get SLI functionality out of Linux.
Excellent: there are known problems with nVidia cards and old versions of mandrake.

You'll need to edit your bootloader configuration file - I'm hoping you are using GRUB.

On your home computer:
When you see the grub menu, press "e" to edit the configuration file.
You'll see three lines, the middle one starts with the word "kernel"... select this one using the cursor keys. Hit "e" again.
Type the word "noapic", and press enter.
Now you are back to the previous screen. Press "b" to continue the boot process.

It is easier to use your school computer...
... boot into mandrake like normal and become root. Use your favorite editor to open /boot/grub/grub.conf (the file may be /boot/grub/menue.lst though) and look for the line starting with the work "kernel". At the end of that line, add "noapic" - save and exit. When you get home, you should have X.

The other way of getting around this is to upgrade your kernel. Mandrake 9.1 (Bamboo) came out in 2003 with a 2.4.21 kernel... so you are doing better with the 2.6.2 (check this in a terminal by entering "uname -r".) However, the latest kernel is 2.6.19 (or 2.4.34).

The thing you need to realize is that your external HDD installation of mandrake is configured for the school computer. You cannot expect those configurations to work exactly the same on any arbitrary computer.

But wait... there's more:
You may need more modifications.
I think Mandrake uses XFree86 - you may need to check /etc/X11/xfree86.org to make sure the monitor and video cards are set right.

If you think all this is hard... just think: you wouldn't even attempt this with certain other OSs.

This is no way to start out here--Simon was making a concerted effort to help you....

From my limited experience, you are looking at a driver issue. You say you have downloaded drivers, but you don't mention installing or configuring. Any clues from Nvidia site or maybe a Google search?

Is it not possible to get the people at your school to update to a more modern Linux distro?

Actually it looks like an interrupt issue associated with early 2.4 and 2.6 kernels and detailed in the "Common Problems" section of the nvidia driver "readme" file.

Of course - I could be wrong...

Considering he's expecting this distro to run two separate computers, he's got off lightly. I feel this is ambitious for a newbie.

I've just checked - and it appears nVidia drivers have supported SLI in linux for a while now. You may not get it going with that aged kernel though - am I hitting that nail a lot? Gosh!

Simon is right, "cpu" is a BAD substitute for "box", "case", or "computer". In may have been what we said in '64 (19, not 18 ), but it's really not right for the 21st century. Fortunately he knew what you meant & also took no offense at your wiseass remark. Me, I would have at least said something like: "That's Mr. Smartass to you, bub. "

2 suggestions: "c6r" for "computer" a la "i18n" for "internationalization". (Any takers??); and if you must risk using words like "smartass", temper them w/ a smiley: -- they're really easy here.