Mandrake Linux 10.1 - Stuck After Installation

[LiamLinux]

I thought I would give Linux a try, so I downloaded the 3 official Mandrake Linux ISO files, burned them onto disk, and installed Mandrake Linux 10.1. Just before installation it asked me for the 4th disk, I pressed cancel as I did not have it. Once I rebooted, it got to the stage asking me if I wanted to load Linux, Linux-nonfb, or failsafe, I chose Linux. Once it had loaded into a kind of DOS it said:

mandrakelinux release 10.1 (Official) for i586
kernel 2.6.8.1-12mdk on an 1686 / tty1
localhost login:

What do I do from here?

[Flatline]

If you didn't create a user account during setup, you can log in as root and use the administrator password you gave during the install. It sounds like either you elected to not boot into a graphical environment or your xwindows setup is faulty.

[LiamLinux]

I didn't enter any passwords for either user, or administrator, I left them blank.

[Flatline]

then at the login: prompt, you can just type root. it will ask for a password, and since you didn't enter one you can just leave it blank.

[LiamLinux]

mandrakelinux release 10.1 (Official) for i586
kernel 2.6.8.1-12mdk on an 1686 / tty1
localhost login: <-- Do I put "root" here?

I then get:

[root@localhost root]# <-- Do I leave blank and just press enter?

[Flatline]

That looks to me like you're in on the command prompt. Do me a favor (to make things easier for both of us) and type

urpmi nano

and hit Enter. It should ask you for one of the install disks, and then install nano for you.

After that's done, let's check to see whether x works...try typing

startx

and see what happens. If you don't get into a graphical environment, then we have to start poking around with nano.

[LiamLinux]

I typed: urpmi nano, and it came up with the message "no package named nano", but I then typed: startx, and it comes up with loads of information, one bit of into that might help resolve this problem is:


(EE) Screen (s) found, but none have a suitable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

please consult the X.org Foundation support
at http://wiki.X.org

[Flatline]

Looks like x wasn't set up properly during setup. I think if you run

XFdrake

you'll be able to configure your settings (select your monitor model, video card, vertical and horizontal refresh rates, etc.).

[LiamLinux]

I got onto XFdrake, once I tryed to test the monitor an error occurred, so I might just format & install a fresh copy.

Do you know of anywhere that has a step by step Mandrake Linux 10.1 Official installation Guide?

Thanks for your help!

[Flatline]

You'd probably get the same error with a new install. Are you sure you specified the right monitor? If so, and it's still not working, you could try setting your monitor up as generic and setting the horizontal and vertical refresh rates (usually you can find them on the back of the monitor) manually.