OK, I have installed Redhat 9 on my system, details below:

AMD 2ghz
512 mbram
Nvidia FX5200 128mb ddr

The rest is standard, cdrom, cdrw..blah blah..unless you need something else!

Ok heres the problem....when i boot to Linux it goes through the check all with Green Ok's, then when it says booting, and something else which I have not yet been able to read becuase it all happens so fast..the screen goes black and then...Nothing...nothing for half an hour or more....I have read all the other forums about this subject and the replies are assuming that i have a knowledge of Linux and / or have actually got it to boot...well i have not had that luxury as yet...

My question is - after having surmised that it is the video card giving me problems....is..how do I install the drivers when i cannot - or rather do now know how to? please could someone give me a SIMPLE answer....in other words...

1. Boot as normal and do the following... or
2. use the installation CD and use the add driver facility..but having tried that ....the only drives it gives me are fp01, hdc and hdd, neither of which recognise the *.run file extension becuase nothing happens.....
3. If I am being totally stupid ...fine...i accept that, because this is all new to me......so if someon could point me in the right direction I would be most grateful.....thanks in advance

By the way I do NOT EVEN know how to log in as root..so...help there too! Or where to put the downloaded Nvidia file I assumed I need as follows:


sh NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-4496-pkg2.run

I know I am a complete dimmo..but hey we all started somewhere!

Oh and i downloaded the file using Windows as I oculd not / did not get into Linux as yet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! this has had some views already but no answers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! HELP

do you have a boot disk of any kind? during installation they may have given you the chance to make a boot floppy, or you can find various live CD distros available for download online. i would suggest finding something like that which will allow you to boot into a working linux, and edit files on your hard drive. if you use slack live, available from http://freshmeat.net/projects/slacklive/?topic_id=1012

you should just be able to burn that iso on a cd (i'm assuming you are running windows now, or something), pop it in and reboot. use bare.i unless you absolutely have to choose something else. that should work. then you should be able to access your hard drive, but you might have to type

mkdir /mnt/hd
mount -t auto /dev/hda /mnt/hd

which will mount the drive and allow you to access files on it. if linux is on it's own partition, use that instead of hda.

now you can start playing around. well, i guess the first thing i would do is edit your inittab. i like emacs, but you can use kedit or vim or whatever if you prefer, but you want to do this:

emacs /etc/inittab

this will open up a file for you to edit, and you want to look for a line that says id:4:defaultinit or something like that, and change the 4 to a 3. it sounds to me like your graphics card isn't working, and when boot tries to load the graphical login screen (init level 4) X windows fails. setting the default runlevel to 3 will start the system without X, and allow you to login from the command line. so take the live cd out, reboot, and you should get a login promt. type root and enter your root password then run

/usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config (just type that in and press enter)

and put in all your information, choosing the safe settings when you're unsure. when you're done, type startx.

if that doesn't work, then you probably need to reinstall. hope some of that helps you, and if it doesn't, post up!

good luck

OK...yes I do have a boot floppy, which I made during the install process....however several things here!

1. As I said I am a TOTAL newbie...and half the info you have given me is complete alien talk! - For example, when I boot using the floppy, it comes up with the following:

Either wiat 10 seconds for Linux to boot, or type linux params to change the parameters...hmmm if only I knew what parameters!
then this
boot:

Now if I type anything in the space after the boot: part nothing happens at all....it just says wrong directory or some such nonsense.....

2. What is bare.i ?
3. Even if I got Slackware how would I install it....I am so stupid I cant even get linux to run.... Windoze I can do...in fact i can run rings round most people in windows.....but I wanted a challenge and this certainly is that alright! ANY IDEAS?

for what it's worth, I had similar sounding problems installing debian woody (though thanks to a friend, I did actually end up with debian sarge - because the woody wouldn't "do" my graphics card).

The boot disc I made, comes up with some stuff, and stops at boot: but if I leave it, it starts automatically, or I can just enter and the boot image thing starts the debian running.

I don't know how things are with redhat, but during the debian install, I did it 3 times before I spotted the line about configuring networking (I have a dsl link and the pc is connected to the modem/router via ethernet). After putting in the IP's and so on (it's a static IP not dynamic), I still had not got anyting graphic working (I couldn't even get the "X server" bit running), I had got a command line set up with a net connection.

This meant that I could just tell it to download the nvidia driver, and then type in the command that you mention earlier and just enter it.

You could still get some error's but it would be getting nearer.

erm, also, the lack of net connection under the redhat, what kind of modem has your system got ? Because if it's a "winmodem", then that could be one reason that you cant get connected. Also, during my debian install, it offered the option to configure kppp to set up a "dial up" facility (during the kde installation attempt). I didn't bother with it as I know that my internal modem is a winmodem, so I just sorted the dsl/network thing.

Maybe that you just need to find out about or sort a dial up connection?

Just my worth.

regards

John

Hmmm......Urmmm..not quite sure if you have your wires crossed.....I have not even got into any sort of running linux program as yet...Modem? what? I can't even see my screen....I dont know if Linux recognises my modem.....I am asking about HOW I CAN - get into some sort of screen that enables me to install these wretched Nvidia Drivers that redhat saw fit to ignore when compiling the version 9 or prior...as I keep saying I AM A NEWBIE......I have no clue as to what to do....