[gurutech]

Quick question on Mandrake Linux 10.1. I know this version is probably old, but I ran across a DVD I made about a year ago, and thought I'd install it on an old machine I had laying around.

I got it installed and so far everything seems OK. The only problem is that it boots up to a command line. I know I had gotten it to install before where I could type a command on the command line (after logging in), and it brought up a text mode configuration thing, and I saw the option where I could make it boot to the KDE gui (which I did choose as the gui during installation.

Can someone tell me what this command is that I need to run?

Thanks in advance!

[arochester]

Try startx

[gurutech]

I get a message:
xauth: creating new authority file /root/.Xauthority

execve failed for /etc/X11/X (errno 2)
then a short pause, then "giving up"

xinit: No such file or directory (errno 2): unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error.

Am I looking at a reinstall?

[RootbeaR]

Possibly, but I would go with a newer distro. Mandriva replaced Mandrake I believe.
I am no computer expert and am new to Linux as well but I highly recommend PCLinuxOS.
It can't get much easier to use and it detected all of my hardware no problem. Added a printer by clicking "Add Printer."

http://www.pclinuxonline.com/wiki/HomePage

There is an easy to read guide on the desktop of the LiveCD explaining how to properly set-up and install.

[gurutech]

Problem - and I think this may be why I am having problems now....

I installed Mandrake while the hard drive was in a different computer (different hardware, etc..), and then moved it to the current machine after the install was done. The reason for this is that the current machine has no floppy, no CD or DVD drive, and won't boot off a USB device (it has 1 USB port).

I was hoping it would just detect the new hardware and go from there, but obviously not...

Since there's only 1 spot for a hard drive, how can I copy the data from an install ISO onto the hard drive, and install Linux from there?

[arochester]

Can you connect to computer to a network? Look at "Install GNU/Linux without any CD, floppy, USB-key, nor any other removable media" at http://marc.herbert.free.fr/linux/win2linstall.html

[gurutech]

I was hoping I wouldn't have to install XP or something first.... but looks like that's the only option...

[saikee]

I have moved Linux this way a few times, more importantly two of them are Mandrake, V9.2 and V10.

There are in the 3rd machine now! That is installation took place in the 1st machine, then moved to the 2nd machine and moved again to now in the 3rd machine.

You need to get the GUI working first in the 1st machine. Reinstall it if you have to.

Mandrake is a big Gun Linux. When you move it the distro will detect the changes in the new environment and politely ask your permission to delete the old drivers and install the new ones.

The majority of my distros have been moved home twice. Other that didn't were installed later.

I don't believe in re-installation without a sound technical reason even some of the distros take little as 6 minutes to install. If Linux can be moved lets move them. Hard disk to hard disk, partition to partition and machine to machine.

[gurutech]

I ended up reinstalling Suse Linux 10.2, and that seemed to "transfer" much better than Mandrake.

The only thing I am having a problem with is that this machine is a "tablet" PC, with no external keyboard, so I am looking to be able to use the "virtual keyboard" on the login screen. The "virtual kb" will work after I click the icon on the desktop after login. I am also having a problem getting the "touchscreen" feature to work. I've gone through all the settings that are built-in to Suse, but none of them work.

Any ideas?

[saikee]

I know if a user stick with established technology he/she would have no worry in Linux.

For newer technology, virual keyboard, touch screen etc you may have a job to wait for the drivers to come out. When hardware vendors are not supporting Linux the drivers available are inevitably generic.

I have no idea on how good Suse is in supporting the new technology but it should be one of the best ones around.