loging on to mandriva linux

I hope i spelled that right. I need some help getting onto mandriva linux. when i turn it on it takes me to a command line prompt and asks me for my user name and password which it have. then it gives me a line "('username'@mandriva)$" what i want to do is get to the GUI so i can do some work, how do i do that. Other than that linux is running fine parallel to Windows XP.

 

All you should need to do is type in "startx" at that prompt and it should start the GUI portion. It seems that you are logged in, so that command (without quotes) will get you going.

 

If you want a graphical logon, you need to install something like GDM or KDM, or if you're feeling hardcore, XDM. If you've got the gnome desktop, go for GDM, and for KDE go for KDM. Strictly speaking they should both work with any Window Manager/Desktop environment, but it's always nice to have consistency. Also GDM looks a bit nicer XDM looks really ugly.

You should install one of these using your package manager. I can't remember off the top of my head what the Package Manager for Mandriva is... but I'm sure that info is easy to find

EDIT: I'm also assuming that X is installed... It should be with Mandriva.

 

Isn't RPM the Drake Installer?

 

the startx command almost works. it goes to a GUI screen with my mouse enabled but then closes back to a prompt. in both linux and failsafe it does this.
in both it says "waiting for X server to shut down" and in failsafe it says "could not init font path element unix/:-1, removing from list!" FYI i have never used Linux so make a "Linux for dummies" for me please.

 

It would appear that you did not fully install Mandriva. The GUI should have installed as part of the default install procedure. You may need to run the installer again.

 

does that mean that i have to format the linux partition? Or will the patch option on the instalation menu also work.

 

There should be no need to reformat the Linux partition, you can install right to the existing partition and it will over-write the existing files and install the missing files. It is best to tell the installer to install all packages. This way as you download and install software, and a package is needed from the CD/DVD, you won't be asked for the CD/DVD every time.

 

well i boobed it up way to far. I reinstalled it, well that doesn't work. so i use a partition to format and merge the partition with windows (by all means everything Linux should be gone). it restarts, does it's work with the partitions, restarts again (going go so far) and starts up giving me the Linux multi OS choice menu (LOLI), HOW IS THIS PROGRAM STILL WORKING. i try windows, "fatal system error" I'm having a panic attack. windows doesn't work several times, and don't ask me how changing the partitions on the D drive would corrupt the OS on the C drive, i have deleted Window's systems like this before (Linux and failsafe don't work either). i stuck in my HP pavilion recovery CD and formated the C drive (no big deal, everything on the D drive is important). i restarted and it should have started ME, but goes the the Linux OS choices which tries to boot up windows XP which is no longer there!!! This leads me to believe that the LOLI is on the D drive. My plan is to unplug the D drive so LOLI doesn't come up, upgrade to XP, plug in the D drive and hope i can fool LOLI into thinking that the new version of XP is the one i had on it before. than i can copy all the important files on the D drive onto the C drive and format the D drive completely to remove any more files from Linux. I just hope i can fool LOLI, and the C drive will work when i unplug the D drive. What do you think.

 

LILO is a boot manager. The default install location is the boot sector of the boot partition; which in your case is drive C, unless you specify a different location during install.

Insert your ME Startup Disk into the floppy drive and boot your computer. At the DOS prompt issue the following command: FDISK /MBR press the enter key. This will rewrite the Master Boot Record on Drive C. You should now be able to boot to Windows ME.

If you do not have a ME Startup Disk it can be download from http://spock.uccs.edu/pub/bootdisks/bootme.exe

 

One step ahead of ya, thanks though. My ME is on CD so i used Dos off of a CD to run FDisk. The com is up and running (no more dual boots).