Earlier on the afternoon of 1 December 2002, I whined: > Well, I installed Linx successfully, and felt really proud of myself until I > attempted my first session and then I realized i was only sort-of successful- > sort of. The problem is that on the install I apparently didn't install the > X-Windows package- altho I did 'ask' for both KDE and Gnome. As a consequence, > when I boot into Linux, I just get the type-in-instructions mode, not the > graphical interface I need. > > I have tried to re-install, but that doesn't work, and my instructions don't > tell me how to uninstall it in type-mode. Any suggestions? > > I was installing Mandrake Linux 8.1 from the Power Pack(age)
Johhny Stork, trying to help this klutzy person, wrote: > > Hi Pat. I also got your phone message. When you login, what happens when you > type in "startx" or "gdm"? If either of these get you to a login prompt (gdm) > or X (startx) then all is fine and you just forgot to check the box for a > graphical login during the install. To which I reply- When I type in either as root, nothing happens. The response is that it's an invalid command... and I think there's a couple of little gremlins in there laughing at me. > > Do you recall doing a X configuration? Should have showed you the video card > it "thinks" you have and monitor along with options to choose and test > various video modes. No, it didn't go thru this process. > > If all this sounds greek, or "startx" doesnt give you a login prompt then we > can do a couple of things. The simplest would be to re-install and select > advanced mode and I can try to step through the install with you over the > phone. Or, there are some tools you can use to configure X from the command > line...logged in as root > > XFree86 -configure (I think...) I tried this too, and the gremlins laughed louder. Then in another attempt to help, Keith Robinson wrote the follwing: > > No need to re-install. With mandrake as root do: > XFdrake This too I did, and the gremlins began to roll on the floor, chortling with glee. (Translation: I got the invalid command bit again) I know that somewhere out there there is a solution. Any other suggestions, oh helpful people? Oh, one last query. (Yeah, sure like this _really_ will be my last one. Not bloody likely) When I go to get right out, to shut the computer down, I type 'exit' but the program still wants another command. I finally got out by hitting C-A-D, but there must be a more elegant solution. The tooth gnashing continues, pat
