Hi I am loading kubuntu on a new dell, and its not going too well, kde crashes right after login and there is no icon to click to start the install process. Can I launch the installer from a terminal??

Well, there are two options. The newest version (at least of Ubuntu; I'd imagine it's just the same for Kubuntu, as they only differ by software selection) has an option in the boot menu (below "Try without installing") to "Install" - this seems to do the same as the usual "try without installing" option, except that you don't get panels etc. (the full desktop), just a background image, theme and the installer app window. But if KDE is crashing, I doubt if this works. The other option is to download and burn the Alternate Installation Disc from Kubuntu website - same place where you got the Desktop disc, but just select the Alternate disc - and use that. It doesn't include a live-cd nor a graphical environment, but instead allows for more options, and a text-mode install which sometimes comes in handy if X or the desktop environment causes trouble.

So go for the Alternate disc.

thanks, I got it to go, but I had to use the safe VGA install mode, which incidentally didn't use a VGA resolution, but KDE didn't crash either and it all worked out.