Mandrake 8.2 Hmmmmm!!!

[griffinspc]

Ok here goes and sorry about the length but more info rather than less is usually better, I just did a clean install of Mandrake 8.2. The configuration is this:

P200, 64MB, Matrox Mystique 4MB on-board, HD0 8.2GB, HD1 1.5GB, Samsung 17Gsli, like to run this machine at 800 x 600 75Hz.

I have a very basic Win 98 FE on the large drive,HD0, (I use it for testing odds & ends) using 3GB and installed the Linux using the remaining 5GB. HD1 is running Win NT.

This machine is networked to my main machine running Win98 SE.

In order to boot these 3 OS's properly I use XOSL since I need to hide the NT "C" drive from the Win98 "C" drive which I can do with the hide feature and swap drive feature in XOSL. The Linux boot loader works fine and I have the XOSL pointed there for Linux so I get a standard Linux startup GUI from XOSL.

This by the way is my first Linux install and I'm just setting out to learn it.

Here's the problem. The OS boots through the long string of checks with all OK's. It gets to the Desktop GUI (I chose KDE) and it starts to load ICONS and startup apps. At this point my keyboard (standard US) locks up and though my mouse (standard 2 button serial) can move in any direction no click is accepted by the system.

In short I'm stuck with a reset switch warm boot. I tried using the boot disk I made and "upgrading" the installation but that produced 1 almost where I was able to click on and begin to open the tools folder (maybe the wrong term in Linux, I'm new, LOL) but as the folder painted, everything froze again.

I would suspect a graphics problem but Linux recognized and installed everything correctly with one exception, it wants to use enhanced SVGA instead of my Samsung, don't know why, and it wants to use 1024 x 768 instead of 800 x 600, again I don't know why.

1st, suggestions anyone?

2nd, is there any way to get to a configuration setup screen BEFORE the gui opens or without having to use expert during a complete upgrade process which I did 4 times last night? That's a really long process.

Thanks

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"Don't know where I'm goin but there's no sense being late"

[Messiah 4 Linux]

I tried installing the downloaded Mandrake 8.2 version 8 times and never could get a ps2 or usb mouse to work. I tried logitech and ms mouses.

Must be broken. Nothing unusual with Mandrake. They seem to rush to get a distro out every 6 months.

[griffinspc]

Thanks, I was hoping that it was solvable (is that a word) without tearing it down again but this gives me a good reason to see if a patch is forthcoming. I'll check the Mandrake site(s).

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"Don't know where I'm goin but there's no sense being late"

[downtime]

The install, setup, etc went fine for me, but kde and gnome pooped. I had only the first cd, so I tried icewm, it worked great the first three times. Then I booted to kde, it worked, configured the taskbar, well, that's where it all broke down. All I did was configure the taskbar, in kde, and icewm wouldn't even work after. Actually, I think I could get used to icewm, it has some features I really like. Gonna try again with all three disks soon. Why don't you try icewm and see if you can get any further.

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Please help us help you by posting which linux distribution, version, and desktop manager you use. Have a good one.

[griffinspc]

I am lucky enough to have a working T-1 connection at work and downloaded all 3 disks.

On one of the subsequent "upgrades" I had it install icewm but it didn't give me the option (unless I missed something) of having it load at startup. KDE loaded. I assumed I would have to change in the control center but can't get it open since it freezes before that.

Would you know if I have to upgrade again and uninstall KDE first if that even presents itself as an option??

So far I'm not impressed with Linux. I fdisked and formatted the drive and did a clean install of Win98 and a clean install of Linux. The 98 went smooth and as usual finished in about 40 minutes on that processor and memory. The Linux took what seemed like hours and bypassed items I was sure would be presented for my preferences in expert mode.

Yes, even though I hadn't used Linux before I thought I had the knowledge to use the expert mode. I was right it wasn't rocket science.

I should mention that a long long time ago in a galaxy..... I installed Linux 5.2 before there were any GUI's and got through that but never went anywhere with it since it had no decent packages and everything took forever.

I hope you have better luck. Maybe I need to back off for a while before I curse and end it's misery. Installing that beast, even in upgrade mode without adding a thing, is like watching my hair fall out.

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"Don't know where I'm goin but there's no sense being late"

[downtime]

Tell you what, try mandrake 8.1. I use it every day, it's really a great gui on top of linux. I'll try 8.2 again, I hate that they rush things. Yes, I'm eager for the next distro, but I don't know what % of workable installs they need to release a new distro. I had trouble with 8.1 the first install or two, maybe that's the price of free dlds. But 8.1 is solid as a rock for me right now, god, I wish I could say the same for 2k on my hdd recording machine. And now I have a total upgrade, actually a new release at the library I manage the systems at, to switch all the machines to. A fresh install upgrade that has a suggested min os of 2k, and all the machines are ME, with the exception of the server, which is nt4. MS creates their own market, don't they.

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Please help us help you by posting which linux distribution, version, and desktop manager you use. Have a good one.

[griffinspc]

You are so right.

Do you think I can over-write 8.2 with 8.1 or just uninstall 8.2, reformat and install 8.1?

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"Don't know where I'm goin but there's no sense being late"

[downtime]

You could probably overwrite it, if not, maybe you can delete and recreate the partitions with the custom install.

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Please help us help you by posting which linux distribution, version, and desktop manager you use. Have a good one.

[Messiah 4 Linux]

Ok, tried to get mouse to work in Mdk 8.2 last night.

Nope, just won't work. Installed all available bug fixes.

However, Mandrake 8.0 works just fine with ps2 and usb mouse.

M4L

[glussier]

I have been using Mandrake 8.2 for the past 2 weeks and no problem whatsoever. I normally use a logitech Trackman marble whell USB, and it works perfectly under Mandrake. When I read your post this morning, I devided to try different mouse configurations. So, I tried the Trackman marble plugged onto the ps2 port and it worked flawlessly. I later tried a Microsoft Intellimouse and a Logitech cordless mouse, both on the ps/2 and usb ports and I had no problem at all.

Try booting Mandrake into safe mode, you will be given the chance to reconfigure your hardware (mouse) and will be given the choice to boot into the graphic environment or text mode. Choose text until you sort out your problems.

BTW, When you install a new distro, you should always select runlevel 3 (texmode) instead of 5 (graphic environment). You can always decide to go into graphic mode by typing startx on a command line. Once you are satisfied that everything is working to your liking then it may be time to change the runlevel.

[downtime]

Hi, G! Hope you're well. Still playing sax?

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Please help us help you by posting which linux distribution, version, and desktop manager you use. Have a good one.

[glussier]

Hi Downtime, I'm doing great. How have you been? I have not been playing sax for a long time, no spare time available.

[griffinspc]

Hi guys. I've been out of town for 3 days and was just checking in. I hate when a poster doesn't follow through so I just wanted to let you know I'll try all the suggestions as soon as I get comfortable with my pc's again. Thanks for the suggestions.

Computer withdrawal you know

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"Don't know where I'm goin but there's no sense being late"