Installation problems with mandrake 10.0

[lmlypfan]

I'm running linux for the first time.
I have a few problems to say the least.

When i try to load the Graphical interphace by using the startx command, I get the "Fatal server error: Caught signal 4. Server Aborting"

So i go to xfree86.org to check it out. Says i have to install some files (binarys)?

I decide to back up a bit and study some command files. Every command file i enter it either says, "blank" is a directory. Example is /: is a directory. If i use the ls command i get "tmp/" in blue text.

I am so lost. I'm trying to give this my best but keep runnin into brick walls.

I know your all gonna ask what the specs are on the box i'm runnin. Its a thowaway from a friend so I'm not too sure.

Is there a command to get the specs of my pc?

If anyone would take some time to help, it would be greatly appreciated.

[jeremy1701]

Let's start from the beginning...

You have succesfully installed Mandrake 10.0 or no? If so, did you set up X when you installed it?

Jeremy

[lmlypfan]

Yes mandrake is completely installed.
I dont recall being prompted to set up "x".

I'm pretty sure i need ot set up xfree86

Bo

[techieMoe]

Yes mandrake is completely installed.
I dont recall being prompted to set up "x".

I'm pretty sure i need ot set up xfree86

Bo

The last time I installed MDK 10, I noticed this as well. Rather than prompt you outright to configure several things, like your X environment and time zone, they give you a summary page with "Configure" buttons next to the different things. This is easily confusing, and I missed it the first time. In previous versions of Mandrake, the user was prompted explicitly.

[jeremy1701]

Good point techimoe. Perhaps we should send MDK an e-mail about this? It seems to confusing a lot of people.

Jeremy

[inetman2]

If you have not done much configuring yet, you might want to just reinsert your installation CD and start over.

[lmlypfan]

i'll try it out.

[lmlypfan]

I re-installed,
I did the configuring for the video and it's still having problems.
It lets me "test" the config, and i get the "caught signal 4" error.
When i google caught signal 4, xfree86 (cvs) tells me that the version of xfree that I'm running was never ment to run and i need to get the lates version xfree.

My question is, why would mandrake come with an version of xree86 (cvs) that was never intended to run.

[Windwood]

I know your all gonna ask what the specs are on the box i'm runnin. Its a thowaway from a friend so I'm not too sure.

Is there a command to get the specs of my pc?

Go to a website called 4allmemory.com
There is a link that you can use to scan your equipment and give you a printable report on virtually everything you have. It is very thorough, the report I got was almost 4 pages.

I faced a similar problem when I acquired a generic box that I wanted to upgrade memory for.