Recently installed Mandriva 2006 and ther are four small details that keep me from fully using the OS.

1. When booting, the process stops when it gets to "DET IP information for ETH0". It just states that it "failed". Nevertheless, after what seems like two minutes, it keeps on booting and finishes the process. This problem might have to do with #4 below. Maybe I clicked what I was not supposed to.

2. Once I have booted, there is a message in a small box that says
"ËRROR AMAROK" Could not read WAV. I just click "ok"an it goes away. How can I get rid of it, or better yet fix what is wrong?

3. When trying to shut down, I have to go to system "configuration" to be able to allow shutdown for everybody. It only works after I manually shutdown and reboot, then the logout screen will give me the option of shuting down. What happens is that then I shutdown and the "shutdown option will again disappear from the screen". I know I can shutdown as su, but that is a tedious process, and only I can do it because of the root password. What can I do to make the "Allow shutdown for everybody" option permanent?

4. Last but not least. After a few hours , I was able to get my ISP modem connection with a US Robotics 5610B modem. I connect, but can not browse. I know I am connected because a window tells me I am connected, the time I have been connected, and the speed. Still, I get a message telling me it "could not find the site".

So those are the "small details". Please help and keep it simple, I am a real beginner. Thank you.

1) Do you have an ethernet card? If so, do you have broadband? What I assume is happening (because of #4) is that you are a dialup customer with a computer that has an ethernet card, but no broadband. So at boot time, your machine is polling to get an address, but since it's not connected, it fails. Now as to how to fix it, I don't know for sure, but I assume in your control center (or whatever it's called) you should be able to go in there and find the check box for "disable eth0" and that should get rid of the boot problem.

2) I'm guessing there's a startup sound and that the music player can't find the song. This too, I would guess is in your control center or desktop configuration.

3) Don't know. Shutdown is typically reserved for root because it's a security risk to let just anyone shut down. As you may have noticed, linux cares about security.

4) Try to go to a command line (console) and type in ping -c 3 66.102.7.104 if you get a reply, then you have DNS problems. If you don't get a reply, then you most likely have a communications (modem) problem.

1. Yes I have an ETH card, but use cable modem, not hi speed.

2. Do you mean the song it plays, because it does play a tune just like other OSs when finishing the boot. I did notice I left a music cd on the tray, so next shutdown I will take it out.

3. But I have a dual boot with mandriva on another machine, and it always has all choices (shutdown,log out, and restart).

4. I tried the ping, and it answers "destination host unreachable" so that means it is the modem with the problem. What now?

1) you mean you use a dialup, not a cable modem (cable modems use television lines, dialup uses phone lines). Your US Robotics modem seems to be a dialup modem.

4) Did you install a driver? Or did your distro auto configure the device?

It is dial-up. Sorry about the confusion. The instructions in the modem indicate that the modem will be auto-detected by linux kernel 2.3 and higher. I also did a querry in KPPP, and it tells me the modem is there.