Problem after installing Mandrake 9.1 with WIndows XP

[anarkhis]

PLEASE hELP!!! I'm a newbie in Linux thing, and I hope someone could help me fix this..
About couple of days ago, I tried to install Linux Mandrake 9.1 in a separate HardDisk (HDD).

Here's what I did in "chronological" order:
1. I erase my HDD using Partition Magic 8.0 (I'm using Windows XP in as master disk on doing this)
2. I made a FAT32 and Linux partition (the master HDD=NTFS(WinXP), so the Linux was made on the second disk with FAT32 and Linux partition in it)
3. I restart the machine and begin to install Mandrake 9.1 using the CD (I believe I did it carefully and install the "minimum requirement" of Mandrake basics
4. After it completed, the installation seems "so far so good". The boot option screen came in (the blue screen that lets me to choose which OS I want to load [linux, windows, failsafe, etc])

BUT, when I let it automatically to choose 'Linux', the screen ended in "command line" mode or "text mode". I thought, after filling the right 'username' and 'password', I can go staright to the graphical interface, but I was wrong, the screen keeps throw me back to the text-mode.
...
After I remove my second HDD (Where Mandrake is installed) and try to boot to Windows XP, it failed. The screen shows me something like:
"L 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 and so on.." and I even never made it to the "dual boot" menu to go to Windows XP.

But when I put the second HDD (with Mandrake in it) back as a slave, the "L 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 99 and so on.." message dissapeared, and I can made it to the "dual boot" menu. And I can log to Windows XP.

THE QUESTIONS:
1. Can someone help to me go to the graphics-mode (from text-mode)?
2. How can I fix the boot problem (log to Windows XP without having to be in a "dual boot" menu first)?

Help me please..

[Cabhan]

To go from the terminal to the GUI, try

startx

If that gives an error message, let us know.


As far as the boot menu, did you physically remove the second HD? If so, what's going on is that your bootloader (LILO) is trying to find its files and failing, because they're on the second HD.

Try putting the second HD back in, and booting to Windows.

[anarkhis]

Thanks Cabhan, but it's not my luck, startx didn't work, this is what the screen displays when I typed it:

Using authority file /root/.xauthority
Writing authority file /root/.xauthority
Using authority file /root/.xauthority
Writing authority file /root/.xauthority


xFree86 Version 4.3.0
Release Date: 27 February 2003
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0, Release 6.6
Build Operating System: Linux 2.421-0.13mdksmp i686 [ELF]
Build Date: 12 March 2003
	Before reporting problems, check http://www.XFree86.Org/ to make sure that you have 	

the latest version.
Module Loader present.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting, (++) from command line, 

(!!) notice, (II) informational, (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) 

unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Wed Jun 15 05:30:31 2005
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XFree86Config-4"
Using vt 7
(EE) No device detected

Fatal server error:
no screens found.

When reporting a problem related to a server crash, please send the full server output, not 

just the last message.
This can be found in the log file "var/log/XFree86.0.log".
Please report problems to xfree86@xfree86.org.

XIO: fatal IO error 104 (connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0" after 0 requests (0 

known processed) with 0 events remaining.

What do you think?

Oh, and, yeah, the computer can actually load to Windows when I put back the second HDD. But, can I load to Windows without the second HDD? I mean, can Windows XP be normally loaded without having to go to the bootloader first? What should I do to fix it?

[Flatline]

During the installation, did you test your X configuration?

Could you post your /etc/X11/XFree86Config-4 file?

[anarkhis]

During the installation, did you test your X configuration?

Could you post your /etc/X11/XFree86Config-4 file?

No, Flatline, I didn't test my X configuration. And I don't know how to post the /etc/X11/XFree86Config-4 file. Can you tell me how to do it? I know nothing about text-console command line..

[Flatline]

If you used the ext3 filesystem for your Mandrake install (which should have been the default) you can read your linux files from Windows with the explore2fs utility: http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm

That way, you can just browse to the file and copy and paste the text.

On a side note, is there any reason you chose such an old distro?

[anarkhis]

If you used the ext3 filesystem for your Mandrake install (which should have been the default) you can read your linux files from Windows with the explore2fs utility: http://uranus.it.swin.edu.au/~jn/linux/explore2fs.htm
That way, you can just browse to the file and copy and paste the text.

Thanks, I'll try it.

On a side note, is there any reason you chose such an old distro?

Unfortunately, Linux is not quite popular OS, in my country. Not yet. I'm interested in trying Mandriva 10 or another distro, but the cost was too expensive! So, I borrowed Mandrake 9.1 from a friend and I decided to try it. (Windows makes me sick, but for the time being, I don't have much choice..)

[Flatline]

It's too bad international shipping is expensive...if I were closer to you I'd ship you a copy

I don't know if they ship to Indonesia, but Ubuntu does send CDs for free...you could try: http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/

[anarkhis]

It's too bad international shipping is expensive...if I were closer to you I'd ship you a copy

I don't know if they ship to Indonesia, but Ubuntu does send CDs for free...you could try: http://shipit.ubuntulinux.org/

Thanks for the info, Flatline! Hope they can send me a copy..

[anarkhis]

Could you post your /etc/X11/XFree86Config-4 file?

Hey, the explore2fs works! Thanks! And here's what's in the XF86Config-4 file:

# File generated by XFdrake.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the XF86Config man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
    # Multiple FontPath entries are allowed (they are concatenated together)
    # By default, Mandrake 6.0 and later now use a font server independent of
    # the X server to render fonts.
    FontPath "unix/:-1"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
    #DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> &#40;server abort&#41;
    AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse doesn't work
    #DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> &#40;resolution switching&#41;
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
    Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
    Load "extmod"
    Load "type1"
    Load "freetype"
    Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Keyboard1"
    Driver "Keyboard"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "us_intl"
    Option "XkbCompat" ""
    Option "XkbOptions" ""
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Mouse1"
    Driver "mouse"
    Option "Protocol" "MouseManPlusPS/2"
    Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
    Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "Generic"
    ModelName "1024x768 @ 70 Hz"
    HorizSync 31.5-57.0
    VertRefresh 50-70
    
    # Sony Vaio C1&#40;X,XS,VE,VN&#41;?
    # 1024x480 @ 85.6 Hz, 48 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "1024x480"    65.00 1024 1032 1176 1344   480  488  494  563 -hsync -vsync
    
    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     50.00  768  832  846 1000   576  590  595  630
    
    # 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     63.07  768  800  960 1024   576  578  590  616
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce"
    Driver "nv"
    Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    Screen "screen1"
EndSection

I guess it was a hardware problem huh?!
This is my computer system report (hope it help):

*****  Start of Report  *****
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

<<< General >>>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Program Name&#58;                         SiSoftware Sandra Professional
    Program Version&#58;                      2002.1.8.59
    Report Done On&#58;                       Wednesday, June 15, 2005
    Report Done At&#58;                       01&#58;02&#58;38 AM

<<< System Summary >>>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  < Processor&#40;s&#41; >
    Model&#58;                                Intel&#40;R&#41; Pentium&#40;R&#41; 4 CPU 1.60GHz
    Speed&#58;                                2.13GHz
    Performance Rating&#58;                   PR2346 &#40;estimated&#41;
    L2 On-board Cache&#58;                    512kB ECC synchronous ATC

  < Mainboard and BIOS >
    Bus&#40;es&#41;&#58;                              AGP PCI USB 
    MP Support&#58;                           No
    System BIOS&#58;                          Award Software, Inc. ASUS P4S533-MX ACPI BIOS Revision 
                                          1004
    Mainboard&#58;                            ASUSTeK Computer INC. P4S533MX
    System Chipset&#58;                       ASUSTeK Computer Inc Unknown &#40;0651&#41;
    Front Side Bus Speed&#58;                 4x 133MHz &#40;532MHz data rate&#41;
    Installed Memory&#58;                     352MB

  < Video System >
    Monitor/Panel&#58;                        Plug and Play Monitor
    Adapter&#58;                              SiS 650_651_M650_M652_740

  < Drives and Storage Devices >
    Floppy disk drive&#58;                    Removable Drive
    ST320014A&#58;                            Disk Drive
    ST340014A&#58;                            Disk Drive
    ST38410A&#58;                             Disk Drive
    ASUS CRW-5224A&#58;                       CD-ROM/DVD

  < Peripherals >
    Serial/Parallel Port&#40;s&#41;&#58;              1 COM / 1 LPT
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   SiS 7001 PCI to USB Open Host Controller
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   SiS PCI to USB Enhanced Host Controller
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   USB Root Hub
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   USB Root Hub
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   USB Root Hub
    USB Controller/Hub&#58;                   USB Printing Support
    Keyboard&#58;                             Standard 101/102-Key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 
                                          Keyboard
    Mouse&#58;                                PS/2 Compatible Mouse

  < MultiMedia Device&#40;s&#41; >
    Device&#58;                               Standard Game Port
    Device&#58;                               SoundMAX Integrated Digital Audio
    Device&#58;                               BtCap, WDM Video Capture
    Device&#58;                               BtCap, WDM Audio Capture

  < Communication Device&#40;s&#41; >
    Device&#58;                               Generic SoftK56

  < Printers and Faxes >
    Model&#58;                                Microsoft Office Document Image Writer
    Model&#58;                                Canon S200SP
    Model&#58;                                Canon PIXMA iP1000

  < Operating System&#40;s&#41; >
    Windows System&#58;                       Microsoft Windows 2002 XP Professional Workstation Ver 
                                          5.01.2600 Service Pack 1

  < Network Adapter&#40;s&#41; >
    Networking Installed&#58;                 Yes
    Adapter&#58;                              SiS 900-Based PCI Fast Ethernet Adapter
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
*****  End of Report  *****