Can't open anything, at all

[just_another_mib]

Let me preface this by saying that I'm quite certain that I've done something stupid. I am a Linux newbie and was trying to install an rpm (expat-1.95.8-4.i586.rpm from rpmfind.net) to resolve a dependency. The installation wanteed to remove a bunch of, what I assumed were obsolete, files. I assumed (bad idea) that the install new what it was doing and accepted. Now...I can't open anything. I can't run anything. Half of my icons are missing and when I right click the remaining icons all I can do is look at the 'properties'.

This was a new install of Suse 10.1, running KDE 3.5, from a friend's DVD (as I have no burner). Can somebody please help? I had Firefox open when this happened and it still seems to be working fine, but I'm hesitant to shut down the system as I suspect I'll not be able to open Firefox (or anything) again.

[just_another_mib]

Well, I screwed up the courage to restart the system and found that KDE is unable to run at all. So, I guess the only thing to do is reinstall.

[Dapper Dan]

I was going to say, (after reading your first post) that a re-install is in order. Don't worry, the more you re-install, the more you learn! What was it you were trying to install/upgrade? It's always better to use the distro's package management to install/upgrade packages. It has also been my experience that it is better to stick with what is presently working over what is new or current. I know it seems as if newer is better, but with Linux, that often will break things.

[just_another_mib]

Thanks. Not a mistake I'll be making again. Still getting over the Windows to Linux transition hurdles.

[just_another_mib]

The install was expat (XML parser) to resolve a dependency for SynCE (sync's a PDA running Pocket Windows to a Linux system). I have no idea why it wanted to remove a bunch of other packages on the system and worse yet, it failed to install the new files. Go figure...