O.k. I need to get some files off this computer so I would greatly appreciate the help.

I'm not new, but not long enough at using linux to know what to look for as to what to look for as to why it is happening this way either. Everything was fine untill one day I started not to be able to log into the graphical interface. The screen doesn't do it's shake rattle roll thing like it would if I finger fumbled my password it takes it and acts like it is going to go in and right back to the login screen.

I would just redo the computer and see how long before this happens again, but I have a couple of important files to get off of it first and like a moron I put it in a file with a space in it so I can't even log into failesafe and retrieve the files as I have no clue how to get to that file with linux telling me it doesn't exist.

If someone could help out in getting me to the files in either direction I'll just reinstall the mandrake 10.1 cd's and go one with life, but I really need to get to those files. Your help is much appreciated. Thanks!

Have you tried to kill X and use command line login?

Once i'm in the graphical interface I'm stuck and if I use failsafe I have the command line, but I have the issue that the folder I want is /home/bear/Desktop/Work Stuff and I can't get to it from the command line as there is that space in there and it keeps telling me that the file or directory Work does not exist.

Enclose the path in "s ...

What I found useful is using MEPIS live CD and then access the files from there. It loads alll the partitions well. I did that to retrieve myWINXP when windows crashed.
HTH