Linux Distro

**Indigno** · 06-30-2005

Last winter I tried (unsuccessfully) to convert my PC to Mandrake Linux. It worked, but I couldn't get any internet up on it so I switched back to XP. A few weeks ago I got a cheap Dell inspiron 2600 from my neighbor. I treid getting it to work on windows, but once it was up, I coudn;t get anything to instal without getting completely corrupted. So I blew the dust off of my old Mandrake 10.1 cd's and treid to install. I can get it to install, but when it boots up, it's not the smooth, windows - like installation window it should be, it's more like a dos editing program. after it's installed, It boots to a Linux that is all text based, and after I type in my username the keyboard stops working. I'm really screwed because my old pc broke and I'm stuck with no computer. So, I need a different linux distro that supports laptops, is free, easy to install, and has some good packages with it.

**Indigno** · 06-30-2005

I just read something, it says that this means my X server isn't set up right. how do I set it up right, or does anyone know the configuration for the Dell INspiron 2600 Laptop?

oz · 06-30-2005

Maybe try Suse, Fedora, Ubuntu, or even the latest Mandriva LE-2005.

**GNU_man** · 06-30-2005

Mandrake DOES support laptops. It actually works really well. During the Mandrake install there is a point where the system gives you a list of installed components and then says which are configured and which are not. The ones that are not configured are shown in red. You probably didn't configure X so it won't start at boot time.

Try: startx

As for the keyboard problem, maybe it's a hardware problem. Try pressing the num-lock key to see if the light comes on and off.

**Indigno** · 06-30-2005

Originally Posted by GNU_man

Mandrake DOES support laptops. It actually works really well. During the Mandrake install there is a point where the system gives you a list of installed components and then says which are configured and which are not. The ones that are not configured are shown in red. You probably didn't configure X so it won't start at boot time.

Try: startx

As for the keyboard problem, maybe it's a hardware problem. Try pressing the num-lock key to see if the light comes on and off.

I noticed that, I treid to configure my Xserver, but I couldn't get it right, is there a site that has this kind of stuff listed out?

As for the keyboard thing, it only does that in that screen, any other time it works fine, though I will attach a regular keyboard when I can get my system stable enough to use as my main computer.

**GNU_man** · 06-30-2005

You don't need a site to list it out. Type:

Code:

xf86config

and just answer the questions.

**bigtomrodney** · 06-30-2005

Yup try that one, and I think Mandrake has a tool called draxconf or drakx, try those ones.

**Indigno** · 06-30-2005

Originally Posted by GNU_man

You don't need a site to list it out. Type:

Code:

xf86config

and just answer the questions.

where do I type that in... sorry for being an enourmous noob.

**dylunio** · 06-30-2005

Originally Posted by Indigno

Originally Posted by GNU_man

You don't need a site to list it out. Type:

Code:

xf86config

and just answer the questions.

where do I type that in... sorry for being an enourmous noob.

You type that in a terminal like xterm or konsole you might want to type

Code:

su
&#91;root pass&#93;
xf86config

so that you have the perms to edit the file.

**Indigno** · 06-30-2005

Originally Posted by dylunio

Originally Posted by Indigno

Originally Posted by GNU_man

You don't need a site to list it out. Type:

Code:

xf86config

and just answer the questions.

where do I type that in... sorry for being an enourmous noob.

You type that in a terminal like xterm or konsole you might want to type

Code:

su
&#91;root pass&#93;
xf86config

so that you have the perms to edit the file.

but how do I get there if I dont have a GUI running, and I cant log in... I just need a referance for my laptop configuration.

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