Newbie to BSD

[junkman4547]

After fumbling around for half a day..... I managed to install FreeBSD. But when I ...startx.... all it gave me was four mini windows.......

I typed.....start KDE..... on one of the window ....KDE started... .....but there's problem.....

This is the strangest KDE I've ever encounterd... there was no usual task bar with launchable icons on the bottom ! ! !

What did I do wrong ??! ! ?? .......please help.

[Slip]

I think you are jumping a little ahead with yourself installing FreeBSD while not knowing the basics. Instead of typing startx which starts TWM, type kdm.

[junkman4547]

I think you are jumping a little ahead with yourself installing FreeBSD while not knowing the basics. Instead of typing startx which starts TWM, type kdm.

Your statement is right on the money....

I have no idea what I'm doing ....still.
Thanks for the tip on starting KDE. I'll try that.

[darkprince]

in order to start KDE you will need to do the following

RTFM (freebsd.org ... read the handbook, this is covered)

echo "exec startkde" > ~/.xinitrc

then type 'startx'

This is of course assuming you have compiled/added KDE?

this is also covered in the freebsd handbook

pkg_add -r kde3 (to add the precompiled binary)
or
cd /usr/ports/x11-wm/kde3 && make install clean
you might wanna check that above directory by typeing 'whereis kde3'

[junkman4547]

Thank you Darkprince. KDE now acting like it should.
As of right now, I don't have internet connection on FreeBSD. I know that I completely screwed up the configuration, mainly because I have no idea what to answer. So I left it unanswered.

I wonder if I can start those configuration without going through the installation all over again ?....

Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.

[darkprince]

Well the thing with FreeBSD is once the OS has installed all those nitty gritty things you forgot to do postinstall can be fixed up .......

you can run 'sysinstall'' and go to 'configure' if you really want to do some post installation configurations but there's really no need ..

forgot to turn ssh on?

echo "sshd_enable=YES" >> /etc/rc.conf

forgot to setup your nic ... easy ...
ifconfig -a
find the name of the nic (ie. rl0)
echo "ifconfig_rl0=inet 192.168.0.2 netmask 255.255.255.0" >> /etc/rc.conf

if you have any questions, post them ...

might also be worth having a look at the freebsd handbook , freebsd diary and freebsd forums.

[junkman4547]

Thanks again, Darkprince.

I'm typing this posting using FreeBSD ....

I managed to find the instruction in the Handbook. And....ahem...once again...fumbling my way around and somehow succeeded enabling my internet connection...... .....

[junkman4547]

I need another help.......
I've searched high and low for information on how to mount
my cdrom .....and tried everything I know.....but nothing work.

There are files on the cdrom that I need to add and since I
can not mount it I transferred the file to floppy discs and ran
into the same problem.

I tried mounting floppy drive with command line....all seems
to be ok, but when I tried to read from it, the system said
something about .....mtool......?

any suggestion on either the cdrom or floppy drive is
appreciated......

[junkman4547]

update....

I now can successfully mount my cdrom.....but when I tried
to read from it......it said

....process died unexpectedly....

and stop reading......

any idea what I am suppose to do to solve this problem ....
please help...

[darkprince]

post the exact error

is there anything in /var/log/messages?