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localhost login and other mysteries


Guest Merlin
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Hi folks,

I hope you can help. I'm really new with Mandriva so if you can help please explain it really slowly (duh!!)

I've just installed Mandriva 2006 RC6 on a duel boot drive. Went through the usual stages of setting an admin password, user name and password and security password. "Successful installation" message comes up fine afterwards. But when I reboot the problems begin...

Although I've requested auto login without requesting username, up comes a "localhost login" request. Any attempts with username, admin name, or anything else, with or without startx, or startx on its own, just result in another "localhost login" request. I can't get through to kde whatever I try. Could this be a gliche with this version of Mandriva? And how can I get round it???

One other point that might be related. Many thanks for your "Installation walkthrough of Mandriva Linux 2006", but my installation didn't give such a graphical display for each option during the installation. For example, the "select packages" feature just appeared as a simple drop-down box, not the display shown on your walkthrough. Could this have been a hardware limitation? I have a 500mz processor, 256kb, and 40 gb hard :cry: drive, but also a very old graphics card (Matrox MGA Millenium, though it provides high colour). Could this be causing a problem? Or have I just got a lousy beta version of Mandriva?

Many thanks for any help!

 

[moved from Installing Mandriva by spinynorman]

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When you went through the installation process, did you set a password for "root"?

 

Did you also set up a username and password when prompted as well?

 

If so, these are the credentials you would use to log in. If you didn't, then you need one. You can log in as root, but it's not recommended at all.

 

You can press CTRL-ALT-F1 at the GUI screen, and it will then give you a prompt to login, but again, you still need to use a username/password created at startup.

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Yes I set up the "root" password, also a username and password too. Not sure what you mean by the GUI screen? I just get a command-line screen when it boots up and goes directly to "localhost login" prompt.

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Ah, OK, so your graphical interface isn't working.

 

If you set up more than one username in addition to root, then the auto-login option isn't enabled.

 

What you can try is enter your username, and password at the prompt you get. This will log you in, and then type "startx".

 

Report back with what you get.

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Bad news I'm afraid. All attempts at logging in with username, password, and startx, either singly or in combination, come to naught. Whatever I type in you just come back with the localost login prompt, grrr! Double-checked all username etc for spelling and all written in lowercase so no problems there. Also I've tried loading Mandriva with and without a root password, you still get the login prompt even if you specify just one user and request automatic login. Any other ideas?

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Looks or sounds like the display has not been set up..

 

when you type root and the password at the login prompt it gives you a new Shell line?

[root@localhost ~]$

 

or something like that?

 

Now we need to find out why your display is not running.. It could be something simple or hard..

 

Type

X

 

Press enter..

 

Do you see a whole lot of info on the screen..

 

Does it say any errors? That you can see..

 

It may say someting like display not found?

 

Then throw you back the prompt..

 

Type

MCC

 

Press enter

 

This will allow you to configure your display.. Try the defaults... to start with..

 

You can test the config as well in the MCC (Mandriva Control )

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Thanks for the ideas but nope, still no luck. Nothing works with the normal Linux login prompt. I've tried the "failsafe" option which logs you in as a single user (at least I've got that now I guess!), but it doesn't recognise "X" or startx. Also tried mcc which brings up a basic text list of options, the display recorded there appears fine and nothing else appears any use.

 

I've tried a few other options today. Using "startkde" with failsafe brings up a big load of error messages saying it can't find kde files (kde loaded) and cannot access X-server and a problem with display (messages in that order). I've tried reloading it all with no root password and just one user but no luck. I've got a copy of Knoppix 4 which works fine so maybe the display should be no problem? I've also tried loading Linux onto a second spare hard drive and the same problem occurs, so no problem with the hard drive.

 

The other thing is that the installation routine only displays in text mode, even when you specify any of the graphics modes. It all makes me rather suspicious that I've been sold a dud beta copy, or could there still be another reason for all this??

 

Many thanks for your input folks, any other ideas?

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OK, since you can run MCC your able to log into the machine at the console.

 

When you run mcc and configure the graphics, have you tried just using a generic vesa card, and see if you can then run startx after that?

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OK, since you can run MCC your able to log into the machine at the console.

 

When you run mcc and configure the graphics, have you tried just using a generic vesa card, and see if you can then run startx after that?

 

Not got one to hand unfortunately! Looks like it might be a good idea to invest in one though. I see from the other forums that I'm not the only one with possible display problems, maybe Mandriva is still not very compatable with some hardware? Also having version 2006 RC2, I see at least two more versions have since come out, but others are still having problems with the final 2006 version? Its a bit annoying getting a distro and you don't even know if it'll work. Maybe another type of Linux would be better (ok I know its a forum for Mandriva!) :wall:

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Also having version 2006 RC2, I see at least two more versions have since come out, but others are still having problems with the final 2006 version? Its a bit annoying getting a distro and you don't even know if it'll work.

Merlin - RCs (release candidates) are issued for testing purposes, and are not supported by Mandriva or this board. These versions are released through the Cooker project, which has its own forum here, where testers can compare notes.

 

If you are new to Linux, you should use an official, final version. This is more likely to work, and you'll get more support for any problems. :)

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I wonder if you have the nvidia card, ati card problem that some folks have come up against (I did with one of my systems). As was suggested try to use the vesa driver (you'l also want to use only 256 colors). What card are you using and did any errors come up during installation, i.e. some packages that wouldn't install)?

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OK, since you can run MCC your able to log into the machine at the console.

 

When you run mcc and configure the graphics, have you tried just using a generic vesa card, and see if you can then run startx after that?

 

Not got one to hand unfortunately! Looks like it might be a good idea to invest in one though.

 

 

I wonder if you have the nvidia card, ati card problem that some folks have come up against (I did with one of my systems). As was suggested try to use the vesa driver (you'l also want to use only 256 colors).

 

Sorry, I did a typo. I did mean use a generic vesa driver. For some reason I typed card. Doh! Try running mcc and choose the vesa driver. It's basic, but you should get a GUI.

 

As spiny says, RC versions are pre-release and unstable because they are in the middle of development. Official versions are best, you'll have more luck with these. I never bother with RC versions, I wait for the official release. I prefer stability :P

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Merlin - RCs (release candidates) are issued for testing purposes, and are not supported by Mandriva or this board. These versions are released through the Cooker project, which has its own forum here, where testers can compare notes.

 

If you are new to Linux, you should use an official, final version.  This is more likely to work, and you'll get more support for any problems.  :)

Many thanx spiny norman, I was wondering if this was the case! I hadn't realised it was just a test version, it was just the one supplied by Linux Iso. I'll scramble off and get the final version pronto! :thumbs:

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As spiny says, RC versions are pre-release and unstable because they are in the middle of development.  Official versions are best, you'll have more luck with these.  I never bother with RC versions, I wait for the official release.  I prefer stability :P

Ditto ian and other folks as for spiny! Many thanx, I suspected I'd been landed with a test version... Grrrr, here's my message to Linux Iso: :furious3: OK I'm off to get the final version, will let you all know if it works! You're a great conf, hope I can help when I'm more "expert". :thumbs:

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