First installation >> (L) letter printed in the screen

[ameen]

It is my first time to install Linux
I want to try it

After the installation my PC reboot than the (L) letter printed in the screen.

I tried everything to load the linux
I don't now what happened

can anyone help me?

++++
Intel 4
proccesor 3 G
512 DD Ram

[dylunio]

What distro do you have?
and what bootloader did you instal? GRUB? LILIO?

dylunio

[ameen]

Also, I cann't format my hard disk with winXP CD
I'm using another PC now
please help

[ameen]

What distro do you have?

what does it mean distro?

and what bootloader did you instal? GRUB? LILIO?

I used floppy disk as a bootloader

thanks dylunio for replying

[dylunio]

To format the disk try KILLDISK

dylunio

[dylunio]

What distro do you have?

what does it mean distro?

and what bootloader did you instal? GRUB? LILIO?

I used floppy disk as a bootloader

thanks dylunio for replying

Distro means distrobution of linux e.g. redhat, feroda, yoper, suse, mandrake

if you boot from floppy do you have your BIOS set so the floppy is the first boot device?

dylunio

[ameen]

dylunio thank you very much

I'm trying to install mandrake Linux 10.0

My BIOS is set to boot from
1- CD
2- Floopy
3- Hard disk

when I try to boot from CD or floppy it starts at first than I don't hear any sound in the driver and the screen goes dark. it seems that it stops booting.

I will try to use Kill disk
thanks

+++
I noticed some thing during the installation that the Graphic card need a configuration. also, I need to choose the type of my monitor which is LG Flatron

[dylunio]

Let me know how it goes,

I've found out that the 'L' you were experienceing was the start of the LILO boot, but it froze.
Next instal try and put LILO or GRUB (which is better [unless you have a old system] in my opinion) on your hard drive and then create a BootFloppy for emergiances only;

dylunio

[ameen]

thanks I will try it today
But from where I can put LILO or GRUB

which step?
also the (LILO or GRUB ) Is it a type of formating?
what is it?

===
my system is new

[dylunio]

Since I've never instaled Mandrake I'm not sure which stage it is at in the install. But it will be something like 'Bootloader', I belive mandrake automaticly installs LILO.

I know GRUB is written to the Master Boot Record (MBR) of the hard drive, and I think this is also true about LILO.

LILO and GRUB are bootloaders. So when you boot up with your hard drive it will appear and give you a choich of what to boot into, this is very useful if you have more than 1 operating system on your computer.

Most of this should be done automaticly for you with Mandrake,

Also when you are instaling this time check that your monitor works with any test feature Mandrake has, if Mandrake has saX or saX2 there will be an option to test in it.

let us know how it goes

dylunio