Wierd "Desktop Enviroment" issues

[Damo2k]

Hello I'm new to these forums and also new to Linux/Debian

I have encountered some issues I hope someone can clear up for me.

I downloaded the debian i386 3.1r2 netinstaller image and installed it, went throught entire installation process. When asked what packages I wanted to install I selected "Desktop Enviroment" It downloaded about 520MB of files and installed. When i rebooted, I was preseted with a Login GUI and could select from GNOME or KDE. It was working 100%. Totally perfect. (even though its in vmware) However been a n00b I ****ed up with adding new applications later as Im a noob at linux, and so decided to reinstall a clean install of debian, on clean drive, bootloader etc.. (im using virtual os software btw)

I downloaded the new CD ISO's of 3.1 r3 i386 (the 2 first ISO's) as I thought having the ISO's I would not need to download hugh amount of files every install. I went through exact same process to install except when it came to installing packages after apt scanned both ISO's for packages, I choose "Desktop Enviroment", however when ready to install it immediatly threw up an error and returned to the base-config menu so I don't know what the error was. i tried this several times to no success. I thought maybe the first 2 ISO's didnt have all necessary files so then i got the DVD ISO 3.1 r3 i386.

Again up to the point of selecting "desktop enviroment", it installed!! but when ever I boot, i do not get the GUI logon like in the first case. I get a shell, so at the shell, i enter "startkde" it says not found, and "startx" brings up some really old basic looking GUI, not like GNOME or KDE, someone said it could be X-Window or something?.

My question is how can I install the "desktop enviroment" thats the same as the netinstall 3.1r2 with GUI logon screen and choice of GNOME and KDE from the ISO images as im gonna mess up linux setup alot from learning stuff and downloading linux setup from the internet every install is not practical as I have a 2Mbit line which never really sees 2mbits ! and also I have a bandwidth cap limit every month thats quite low.

If anyone else has encountered this and has a work around, it would be greatly appreciated.

[Pirate Steve]

Try,

#apt-get install gnome

Then refer to this web page,
http://packages.debian.org/stable/gnome/gnome
and run

#apt-get install on all of those packages. This will install from your DVD.

[Damo2k]

I see, put i perfer KDE.

just wondering why installing "Desktop Enviorment" from net installer ISO works while not from the full CD/DVD ISO's.

I know that gnome, kde can be installed separetly from cmd prompt, but when the "desktop enviroment" was installed, it installed aload of tools that were listed in menu's in gnome, and kde. I dont want to have to or know how to!? install these separetly. Also had that gui logon (gme i think?) Im not sure as to what apps I need yet so its handy to have a handful of apps already installed for me to play around with. I would like all this to install auto like it did with the net-install. Should the CD/DVD setup do this or am I wrong?

Only option i

[Pirate Steve]

I think when you select desktop environment from the install screen you get a
::default setup::
did you notice the instal packages by selection choice (something like that)?

I don't know why the default would be different between netinstall and DVD instal?

[Damo2k]

I think when you select desktop environment from the install screen you get a
::default setup::
did you notice the instal packages by selection choice (something like that)?

I don't know why the default would be different between netinstall and DVD instal?

no, not that i remember anyway, i just presses Space for * on Desktop Enviroment and hit <Enter> for it to start installing. Im new to linux but this seems really strange. I think i'll just do a clean install of the debian net installer 3.1 r2 and select "desktop enviroment" as i know this works, and as soon as i have a clean install, i'll backup the vmware image.