Installing Mandrake 9.0

**eyceguy** · 03-12-2003, 06:19 PM

Hey! I might have a suggestion that could help you. Search the internet for LUG's (Linux User Groups) in your area, and find out the next time they meet. I'm at a university and every now and then the University LUG meets up and does stuff like guiding new people through the installation of Linux on a new computer. After reading this thread it seems that having a linux expert by your side might help you out tremendously. The way I was introduced to linux was at high school when my teacher said, "today we install linux." and then we sat in groups as the teacher directed us in installing linux. That helped me. So search for a LUG where your at and go to the next meeting. Good luck to ya!

**uncledon** · 03-16-2003, 01:27 AM

I'm relatively new to Linux, windows too. I have installed mandrake 8.1, 8.2 9.0 and 9.1 beta in each case after you set the bios to boot from cdrom it asks if you want to do the reccomended or expert instal. Why would anyone not knowing what they are doing want to play expert. The recommended install has worked every time without a hitch. If you anly have one hard drive then select free space on the windows partition rather than trying to be expert. (You should have defraged the drive beforehand, and backed up everything possible). If it does not recognize your mouse select the one appropriate. I have a trackball wheel mouse and the generic ps2 whell mouse works. It it does not list your printer skip that and get drivers later. It would be easier if you had downloaded the user guide and used their instructions which work. Good luck.

**2ndsign** · 03-16-2003, 02:38 AM

i have 3 operating systems on my computer for the time being.

mandrake 9,evil entity and win98se on primary slave!

thinking about buying a couple of large hard drives and putting about 20 oses on my box!!

**geoff32** · 03-17-2003, 07:55 PM

Breezed back here after another torrid weekend....at my age this IS torrid.
Had been unable to keep my cable connection longer than minutes...Im with NTL in UK and have a usb ***** modem...to cut a long story short....searched for a solution ...and found one ...I think....I had to write a script(?) and ..oh well it was all copied down.
Tried to open Mandrake and it wouldnt...wish I could remember now what the problem was ,but it got to a stage and couldnt find something while loading.Tried a floppy boot,no luck,same message,tried a repair with the CD............no joy there either...its my lack of knowledge I know...tried to re install....(dont laugh) but over wrote win98 again...its not funny.So as before................. re loaded win98 because thats where I can access help.
So another frustrating weekend on that almost vertical learning curve......at the moment only windows on my PC.But why would anybody want more than one decent OS? Is it like collecting beer mats,bus tickets,whatever?I only want to be able to do a bit in a nice OS not collect em.
Will research during the week and probably try to re install mandrake at the weekend again....wish me luck.
Geoff32

**WackyOldWiz** · 03-18-2003, 11:07 AM

I'm fascinated by this story of newbie grief. Having been there and done that Geoff ought to take the Irishman's advice to a motorist seeking directions "Well if I was you, I wouldn't start from here".

If you can boot the dreaded Windows, buy, beg, borrow or steal and install PowerQuest's Partitionmagic (preferably v8). Use it to examine (and sort out) any mess you have made of your hard drive setup. Create at least 2GB of free space starting below the 8GB boundary. Follow the instructions for iinstalling a new O/S.

When you get as far as linux, where it asks about bootloaders, choose to put LILO on the first sector of /, DO NOT INSTALL TO THE MBR.

Make sure you create a Linux bootdisk to rescue you when necessary. With a bit of care you will be able to select any installed O/S from the start up BOOTMAGIC menu.

PS. I agree with the guys from Oz, Mandrake is easier to install and less geekish to use than Red Hat. I got both from the Just-Linux site.

**geoff32** · 03-18-2003, 06:06 PM

WackyOldWiz Sir ......you read me wrong.......it's a bit like running marathons,climbing mountains,gym work,etc.(not that I would know about that) but its good fun....painful at times,disappointing at times,grueling at times,well most times actually...but I am learning lots as I go along.
Windows 98 has suffered,I have suffered,even Linux has taken a battering....but till now my hard drive is still fit and healthy....or so I believe.I have tried to fdisk and did...but have always used the partition wizard within Mandrake 9.0 ....but the good news is I am learning now how I should do it.
All together now "we shall overcome...we shall overcome.....some dayayayayaay and repeat ad infinitum"
The biggest problem for someone like myself is ones self...we think we can wing it by flicking through a few tutorials,reading what we think is important,then we come on forums like this and ask half questions and expect to get definative answers...........

Advice from one who has been through it?

Read and read and read,then try it,read again,try again,every time you will learn more ,by making mistakes,dont do anything drastic though,no hammers or flame cutters...leave your time open ended ,dont rush it.Do it for the fun,to learn,to expand your knowledge ,not as a chore,if you dont like doing it, dont do it.
Before starting this project,I had never entered BIOS,still dont know DOS,am struggling with mount points,and most of the terms used in explaination,when a question is posed by myself,but as I have said I am learning more everytime I re install,
Next time it will be OK...More over the weekend?
Well I just might do that thing ....or find something else to do....but I will do it and semi master it at least.
Thanks so much for the interest and backing offered here.
But could this be the longest running thread ever?
For now Bye Geoff32

**WackyOldWiz** · 03-20-2003, 01:00 PM

Originally posted by geoff32
WackyOldWiz Sir ......you read me wrong.......

How so Sir? In among the chat I thought I detected a request for help in installing Mandrake 9.0 in a usable state.

If you prefer digging holes, dump Mandrake and try Red Hat. It'll make your hair curl.

**geoff32** · 03-20-2003, 06:03 PM

What hair I have is curly enough you old Wiz.....
I am amazed the Thread has lasted this long and to be honest am a little embarrassed by the interest.
I am a bit long in the tooth for this really,I am learning as I go.
What I really want is to have a OS that is independent of Mr Gates.
I am very nearly computor illiterate,unless you ask the grandchildren,to them I am a geek.
But I am on the way,wish I could list my set up,but even that would be beyond me...know where the keys are.
Its a weekend hobby and I will load and understand my way around Mandrake......may even drop windows off the putor.
Updates will continue....good and bad...it may help some one somewhere.
Geoff32

**Fryguy8** · 03-20-2003, 06:24 PM

first of all, make sure you are paritioned correctly. You need At least a / partition, and a swap partition. I also recommend a /home partition, that way you can reinstall later and not lose your data. Then just put in the boot media (either floppy or CD) and reboot, and off you go

**uncledon** · 03-21-2003, 01:10 AM

Why make your own partitions? Mdk does an excellent job of doing partitions. Just use the recommended instal it will ask where you want to install. If you only have one hd select empty space on the windows partition it will creat the required partitions and insist on formating them, if you have 2 hds select entire drive and make sure it uses hdb. Subsequent reinstalls select use existing partitions and only format /. That way your data and setups are retained. I reinstall every time I really mess things up; which is often. Try it it works. Always back up data before installing if possible. Good luck

**WackyOldWiz** · 03-21-2003, 09:09 AM

When installing to a single hd that is already formatted by Windows, How do you create empty space for MDK to use?

If you DON'T know it's right, how do you progress?

**uncledon** · 03-22-2003, 01:26 AM

I don't know how Mdk does it. It probably reads the direcories in windows and finds the free space. Maybe one of the xperts knows the mechanics of it.

**WackyOldWiz** · 03-22-2003, 09:55 AM

I always thought that "free space" was any disc sectors NOT already allocated to partitions by the disk formatting process.

If Windows is installed first, unless made to do otherwise, it will grab the whole disk for itself. Does Mdk install have a way to create "free space" within a Windows partition?

**geoff32** · 03-22-2003, 08:16 PM

I have re installed again...Mandrake 9.0 that is.
I ran scandisc,then defragged,then rebooted with the mandrake disc,choose non expert this time...and away we went,
When it gets to install it asks where you want it,and the options include (not in the correct wording) in the spare space beside windows.It then asks the size that you want windows to be,and then does it all for you.No problems this time but cant connect to the internet,due to needing an ethernet card....have been here before....if you read back....apparently there is a work around,by writing a script,or something,but at the moment havent got it to hand so will try again another time....or get myself a card.
This thread may continue with more problems...watch this space.
geoff32

**Parcival** · 03-22-2003, 09:14 PM

Hi geoff32

I've been frequently checking this amazing thread, too, as I'm a complete newbie with Mandrake 9.0. Luckily I had less partitioning problems (i.e. Windows won't run anymore on my HD, but who cares?).

I think getting an ethernet card is a good idea to solve your problem. I've got a really old Realtek 10 Mbit No-Name-Taiwanese clone in my com, and the thing never gave me any problem in Mandrake, although it was cheaply made and bought. I assume as long as you get anything like a Realtek ethernet card you'll be fine.

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