Next step to take to install Redhat

[msa969]

I am using Win98 on my PC. I want to install Redhat version 8 as well as keep my current installation of Win98.

So far I have formated the HD using Partition Magic creating a logical partition with enabled unix file swap.

What is the next stage to take to do the installation of redhat? I have tried to insert the CD-ROM into the cd-rom player to see if it reads it, but it does not.

What can I do?

[pave_spectre]

When you say it doesnt read it do you mean that you cant browse through the CD in windows or that it wont boot off the CD?

[msa969]

I have realised that you don't actually need to partition the HD. When you put the CD-ROM into the cd-rom and change the BIOS so it boots from CD-ROM it gives the option when following the "prompt".

However I think I had a problem when the installation was taking place, this happened during reading my graphics card for the monitor (i.e. on of the later stages of installation) any way i made a cold shut down and when rebooted I came to a prompt:

Redhat Linux release 7.2
Kernal 2.4.7-10. on 1686
localhost login:

Note during the installation I asked for a "graphical" interface and I have tried various login and password combination but each time it failed.

Is the installation corrupt?
What can I do???
Shall I do a new installation?

[pave_spectre]

To see if a graphical interface will work at all, login at the text prompt provided as root just to be certain, and the try typing in startx or startkde or startgnome .

If none of those three commands works, then its likely there were problems with the installation of the graphical components.

[d03boy]

Using the login name: root
and leaving the password blank might work, works with slack

Joe

[msa969]

I have done a new installation of Redhat 7.2.
I remember specifally that I did not create an account, the only password I created was a mandatory one for root (note without it I was not able to go to the next stage)

However I am still unable to log in.

This time I get a dialogue box

It has the following headings:

session language system Todays-Date
welcome to localhost.localdomain

login:
password:

What shall I do?

[d03boy]

Using root as the name, and the password you chose as the password doesn't work? Thats very odd

[pave_spectre]

At the login: prompt you should type root and then at the password: prompt you should type the password you were required to provide during installation.

If that doesnt work then you will probably need to reinstall.

[msa969]

The root with the password works fine. However I am still receiving problems.

Note I have requested Gnome desktop.
When it loads the OS it gives me the follwoing error/warning.

Desk Guide Alert
Gnome Desktop Guide (Pager)
You are not running a Gnome compliant window manager. Gnome support by the window manager is strongly recommended for proper Desk operation.

I have used Redhat 7.2 and the desktop is not the same as the one I have used previously. A lot of the features are not there. Please help.

[pave_spectre]

I suggest trying kde just to check but it sounds like some important components went missing during the installation. My next move would be to restart installation and carefully check each module selected for installation, but that can take a couple of hours to do properly.

Also, depending on what hardware you are using you may want to go for a more recent version of Red Hat. I find version 8 to be quite usable and easy to install.

[Paleo Pete]

I know I'm bringing back a post a few days old, but I agreee with what pave_spectre advised and thought I might add some comments. Sounds a lot like important components didn't get installed and it's time to start over, especially with the reboot before it finished.

I would try for a more recent version as well. I'm not familiar with Red Hat but have installed Mandrake 8.1 several times, 9 a couple of times and SUSE 8.1 a couple of times. It always takes a couple of hours and some tedious browsing through available applications. I would think Red Hat would be about the same in that regard, check the applications list over closely while installing.

DO NOT let it automatically log on the Administrator (root) account...I don't use auto logon at all, I have to manually log onto my user account at start up.

What video card are you using? If I had a problem of that nature I would seriously think about switching to a different card. Some hardware just isn't well supported by Linux, and from what I understand the nVidia drivers aren't highly supported natively, and have to be installed separately afterward.

I'm using an older Matrox Millenium 2X card and it works great, 8MB card I think. I'm not heavily into games, and it handles everything on Mandrake 8.1 or 9 just fine.