help please

[shyfty]

hello,
i am a compete newb to linux. i managed to install a copy of open suse 11.1 on my wd external hard drive, via my desktop computer. that was easy enough. it runs on my desktop computer, it brings up a desktop, i can surf, do whatever i want no prob. ive managed to set up my desktop and laptop to boot from an external usb hard drive before the internal hard drive. the problem is when i try to boot on my laptop, no desktop appears. from what i understand it goes to a "bash" prompt or something (it looks like DOS). it tells me to log in with my username and password, after that nothing, no desktop. whats the deal here?

[shyfty]

o yea, id like to still be able to go between my desktop, since it is a powerhouse, and my laptop, since it is mobil. pelase help asap, im frusterated.

[coopstah13]

Login and type exec startx and see if that brings up the desktop. A lot of the time you can move disks around and have them boot on different machines but sometimes you can't.

[shyfty]

Login and type exec startx and see if that brings up the desktop. A lot of the time you can move disks around and have them boot on different machines but sometimes you can't.

i tried that command, linux literally said "giving up". my linux must be an epic fail....

[MikeTbob]

I think it's a Graphics/Video card problem. If you have different Video cards on each machine, then the problem is that you will need to change the driver each time you switch machines.

[shyfty]

I think it's a Graphics/Video card problem. If you have different Video cards on each machine, then the problem is that you will need to change the driver each time you switch machines.

that is probably the problem then. my desktop is running an nvidea geforce 8600 gt, while my laptop is using an mobile intel(R) 965 express chipset family. how would i go about doing this? how can i change the driver each time, and for that matter how can i get the driver for the graphics card in my laptop to install on linux, since it is running in the bash command?
thank you for your help

[MikeTbob]

Follow this thread, I just helped him change his and the process should be the same.
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/red...uggish-pc.html

[shyfty]

ok ill do that, but will that mean i have to run these commands whenever i switch computers, or will it just isntall the driver for my laptop, allowing me to move between computers without having a huge hassle?

[MikeTbob]

We are talking about moving a USB drive between machines right? Yes if that is the case, I think you'll need to change the xorg.conf file each time you switch machines. I have not used a USB drive for switching between machines, so there may be an easier way. Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in here.

EDIT:
You could try booting without an xorg.conf file, most modern distro don't actually need it and will insert the correct drivers for you on boot.

[shyfty]

We are talking about moving a USB drive between machines right? Yes if that is the case, I think you'll need to change the xorg.conf file each time you switch machines. I have not used a USB drive for switching between machines, so there may be an easier way. Hopefully someone with more experience can chime in here.

well i appreciate your time and response, that is a solution, but i think i will hold out to see if there is some kind of "quick fix" to make everything golden. please someone tell me there is once single thing i can do to my external, so i don't have to run a bunch of commands every time i have to change.