The Pit Hole of Linux

[wingless]

How many attempts does it take to install Linux?
About 99 times, but only if you follow the instructions exactly.

But a working install? That must be a joke.

Ability of Linux to corrupt MBR = Excellent!
Ability of Linux to leave users lost = Excellent!
Ability of Linux to actually boot to a window = Impossible!

6 installs of Mandriva Linux today gets me to:
localhost login:
Password:

After entering correct responses I get:
[admin@localhost ~]$


Oh whoopee, now what? Is this it?
Why would anyone go through all this?
Geeze alive, this has got to be the worst OS ever.

[kage]

Linux isn't for everyone. If it takes you 99+ times to install it, and then you have problems logging in, chances are you are one of those people linux is not for.

I don't mean to sound critical, but there are some very well-written linux installation guides, and mandriva is one of the easiest ditributions to use/install.

Now then, this forum is for linux help. If you don't wish to receive help, and are just complaining about something you do not know how to use, please refrain from posting.

-kage

[JoeC0180]

Why not try asking for help rather than just complaining about it. Why try to install the same distro so many times? Are you using the same options each time because if you are it isnt going to work the 99th time if it didnt work the first.

Try installing a different distro if you cant get Mandriva to install correctly. There are only around 500 distros, I am sure you can get at least one to install. Try mepis or pclinuxos, both are good distros and easy to install. If you have trouble try asking for help.

[wingless]

Originally Posted by kage

...mandriva is one of the easiest ditributions to use/install.
-kage

That's what I read. And that's what the Install notes say, just hit "Enter" and it practally installs itself. 3 more installs get the same results, and I do login okay and password okay...that's not the problem. But I always end up here:
[admin@localhost ~]$ And I asked, "What is this?"

Originally Posted by JoeC0180

Why not try asking for help rather than just complaining about it. Why try to install the same distro so many times? Are you using the same options each time because if you are it isnt going to work the 99th time if it didnt work the first.

Try installing a different distro if you cant get Mandriva to install correctly. There are only around 500 distros, I am sure you can get at least one to install. Try mepis or pclinuxos, both are good distros and easy to install. If you have trouble try asking for help.

After DL'ing the three 696MB discs, not an easy task, I doubt I'll try all 500 distros. It's the only distro I have. Not many options offered and I believe I have now exhaused all variations. If you install an OS, and it installs fine and dandy, but ends up in [admin@localhost ~]$ netherlands...what is there to ask other that, "What the heck does this mean?"

Mandriva is user friendly enough to install and understand the screen as you install it. There is nothing hard about that. But not friendly enough to give any graphical interface or any indication why or what, if anything is wrong.
Seemed to install fine. Just nowhere to go with it after. No idea what it wants.

After spending useless hours on a simple install that turns hopeless, a waste of time, I shouldn't complain? I don't believe Linux isn't for me, I do tend to believe it isn't for either of my two PCs. Why? I guess one of the other 499 distros is the reason. Then yeah, 499 distros to go...it ain't for me either.

[DaveQB]

Seems you graphics card doesnt have drivers in the kernel tree.

May i ask what video card do you have ??

Also, try running 'startx' at that prompt your getting to. I am sure it will error out, take not of the messages it produces, especially the [EE] lines.

[jmtjet]

Chance are your ISO disks were corrupted in download. Also, I would recommend another distro-I don't like Mandrake myself. SuSE will install on most computers with a minimal amount of fuss. I would just buy a distro from eBay or someplace and give it another shot.

http://cgi.ebay.com/SuSe-10-0-LINUX-...QQcmdZViewItem

[modmidget]

Sounds like you still need to set the configuration to start KDE at bootup. I had the same problem with Mandrake 10.0 but that was a couple of years ago and I don't remember how I fixed it. If nobody here can help you get the GUI going try posting your question here: www.linuxquestions.org . I've gotten a lot of good help here at Cybertech but I've also had to use Linuxquestions to solve some pretty difficult problems. I've installed at least 5 different versions of Linux and found that Mandrake was the easiest.

[SirCave]

Originally Posted by wingless

How many attempts does it take to install Linux?
About 99 times, but only if you follow the instructions exactly.

But a working install? That must be a joke.

Ability of Linux to corrupt MBR = Excellent!
Ability of Linux to leave users lost = Excellent!
Ability of Linux to actually boot to a window = Impossible!

6 installs of Mandriva Linux today gets me to:
localhost login:
Password:

After entering correct responses I get:
[admin@localhost ~]$


Oh whoopee, now what? Is this it?
Why would anyone go through all this?
Geeze alive, this has got to be the worst OS ever.

When I first started experimenting with linux, it was due to the fact that I was tired of spyware infiltrating my browser, my OS freezing and hanging at will, leftover programs from failed or unwanted installs and the easy hackability that my OS offered, without the firewall, security and virus protector. It seemed, to me, that I needed more software to protect me than I really wanted on my computer. Linux is a very nice OS if you give it a chance, but it takes time. You have to read the free documentation that is anywhere and everywhere on the net, you have to go to forums such as this and ask questions, (AND NO QUESTION IS EVER STUPID HERE), but you also must have patience because without it, you will end up doing 99 installs without progress or benefits. How do I know? I was just like you when I first tried Linux, I believe my first install was Red Hat 8.0. I then moved up to 9.0, then Fedora, Fedora I, II, III and IV. I tried Slackware, Debian, pclinux, and VLOS, none of which I liked. Then I tried Mandrake, (which was the easiest and the most pleasing to my eye), but then I bite off a little bit more than I could chew and went for Gentoo. I am still working out my mistakes on Gentoo but I am learning as I go. I want to see a working desktop using KDE on Gentoo and let me tell you wingless, there are times when it is trying. But I just go back, re-read readily and available documentation and there are times, most often than not when I do find that the error was mine. Sometimes this is not the case because there is some hardware that should be upgraded before trying a certain distro. (Various linux OSes) Sure, it could be frustrating but the reward is a stable system that performs for YOU when you call on it and no spyware, spamware, viruses or daily potential hackers creeping around your system. The

[admin@localhost ~]$

looks to me as if you are trying to run a server without a GUI. It sounds like you are like me in wanting eye candy. I want to use my keyboard to run my system one day, but oh do I love my GUI. And you are not getting one on startup. There is an option to set it up that way during the install. So either your'e missing this step or your Video card needs some drivers or upgrading. Either way, don't give up. But someone else should verify that as I am a noober, noobie or noob, whichever you prefer when it comes to linux. I am not trying to give you advice on your problem, just maybe some hope that the OS does work, it just takes time. If you invest that time you won't regret your efforts. I am not picking on you. Just remember to take your time and ask your questions or make your comments with respect. Frustration is understable but respect goes farther. You may grow to love Linux and all that it has to offer.

[axxegrinder7]

just kidding ,however you can also get a copy of fedora core distro with any linux for dummies book,i got mine at the local library, after allocating space for the instal ,(beacause i was already running windows XP os) and grub boot loader ,which is in the fedora dvd distro.it was a simple distro to install ,quite like windows XP , choose options ,and click n go .within an hour youll be in linux world and rollin along, however,might i make one simple observation.......if it really did take 99 installs,id really reconsider if you have what it takes to actually run linux,(IT IS NOT WINDOWS) ,keep that in mind,i did alot of reading and alot of heavy consideration before i ever bounced across the linux line from windows,and im still learning ,so if your looking for easy go op system ,forget it lol............. good luck and try try try try try try try try try try try try try again lol ,thx

[modmidget]

Wingless, when you get to the point where the screen displays [admin@localhost~]$ try typing in startx and press enter. That might get you to the gui desktop. Also read this - http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...?postid=367105

[DonBB]

Its all right wingless, I know you just needed to vent. I was having problems installing Fedora on an old server of mine...could not for the life of me figure out why it wouldn't install, I was ready to kick the screen in. Turns out that the Promise Raid card was causing a conflict, and would not install unless I took it out. Good luck.

[Decay]

Wow i mean your so right... who would want to use linux (http://www.usatoday.com/tech/news/20...government.htm)

I mean look how bad linux looks... http://themes.freshmeat.net/

heres a picture of windows... http://www.osdata.com/system/ui/screens/smsdos.htm

wait no thats before the GUI(http://www.bellevuelinux.org/gui.html) is loaded

ps: when kage said your a person linux is not for ... means a person that should go over to this webpage (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/076...lance&n=283155)
or maybe (http://www.learning4good.com/successful-study.htm)

*SIGHS*
Sorry but sad truth you weren't born knowing how to turn your computer on or to use a keyboard. You Learned. Just like you 'learned' to use internet explorer, and 'learned' to use some of windows

All things with computers uses that naughty five letter word. Learn....

I am not being blunt cause your 'new' or cause you may not like 'linux'
I am being blunt cause you just couldn't pull yourself to stop and think before posting...

Feel free to delete post mod if you find it to 'flammy'

[SimpleSecurity]

Could be a problem with the graphics card, but should probably still start even if only in VGA mode.

We like Ubuntu, very graphically friendly.
'Linux for Human Beings'

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/