Mandrake Install

[Confused]

Downloaded Mandrake 9.0. Trying to install to blank drive. Set BIOS to boot from CD-ROM but on boot up it gives me a invalid system disk when reading CD-ROM.

I displayed CD and it has; Mandrake 90-C D1-inst.i586.iso

I thought this was bootable.
Need help.
Chas

[doctorgonzo]

You burned the ISO file itself to the CD. An ISO file has to be burned using the CD-writing software in a special way; it can't just be dragged and dropped onto the CD. Depending on the software, there should be some easy way to open the ISO file and burn the image onto the CD.

[jackjones]

Don't feel bad Confused I have made the same mistake myself, I think many have. If you are using Nero. You have to use the function, Burn Image,

[crow]

If you look thru the help section that came with your brand of burner or use google to find that imfo for your particular brand. They all seem to have a diffrent routine to follw.
But once you pick up that routine it's very easy.
-
Len

[Confused]

I re-burnt CD using Nero and selecting Bootable data disk as option. It had me put a start up disk in drive A and then proceeded to burn a CD. When I boot up now with that CD it goes to a "A" prompt. I'm sure that it is asking for a command to start loading but I don't know what to enter.

Or am I all wet and need something else.
Chas

PS
There is a member here on the forums whose signature is; If your digital clock is flashing 00:00:00, then you are not ready for Linux

I now know what that sig. means. Windows has spoiled me.

[doctorgonzo]

It sounds like something is still wrong. To make the CD, there should be an option in Nero called Burn Image as jackjones said. Since I don't use Nero, I don't know where it is, but it should be under File or something simple like that. Then you just select the .ISO file you downloaded, and tell Nero to burn it. No need to select the bootable CD option; that option is meant for booting in DOS, which you don't want. An ISO file is simply a ghost of a CD: if the original CD is bootable, then the CD created with the ISO file is bootable too.

[jackjones]

When using Nero just exit the wizard and press burn image under File.

[Confused]

Big thanks Jack. I don't fully understand the burning process. I selected the same file the way you suggested that I did with the Wizard. But with your way Mandrake is loading.

I'm at the point where it is offering package group selection. Only thing automatically checked were; Office workstation, Internet station, KDE workstation and Gnome workstation.

I was thinking of adding; Game station, Multimedia station, Network computer (client), Configuration, Console tools, Documentation, Mail/groupware/mews

I was leaving out; Development, LSB, WEB/FTP, Database, Firewall/router, DNS/NIS, Network computter server, Other graphical desktops.

Any thing I should add or leave out. This will be a PC that will eventually access the internet along with two other PC's running WIN98 and XP thru a router.

Again a big thanks.
Chas

PS
Maybe I should learn a little more about finer points of burning before attempting Mandrake.

[jackjones]

It's great that you got it working. I think you should add all the things you were thinking of adding and leave out the things you mentioned under "I was leaving out......". Just play around with the programs and have fun.

[doctorgonzo]

The packages you have selected are fine for now. If you need to add any later, it is a pretty simple process. They have taken all of us spoiled Windoze people into consideration, luckily for us!

[Confused]

Thanks for replies. I think the question have only just begun. But for now I seem to be working. It asked if I wanted to apply updates. It appears to have gone on the net and is offering a large selections of updates to install.

Thanks for help
Chas

[MaXimum SMOKE]

Generally Mandrake's updater works pretty well. The open source community checks itself pretty well for bugs and other problems. You can usually view what 'problem' each update is for.

[Confused]

Thanks. I'm trying to get mail to work now. I can send mail but haven't been able to receive mail. I'm not getting any errors, so I'm not sure that it is even trying to log on to receive mail.
Chas

[MaXimum SMOKE]

If you use kde's KMAIL, it sets up pretty easy, and all the usual options are available. It also has a 'bounce' feature, that is sometimes useful, depending upon how unwanted email gets routed to you. Most of the time, I've found that the 'pre-filled' options are wrong as the program assumes that this is a server on your own network, etc, but are easily corrected, for regular POP3 use with an ISP.

[Confused]

Thanks Smoke. I got it working. I finally deleted entry I had for receiving mail and added it back in. Working now. I'm just using the browser that came with mandrake and find it slow. I was thinking about downloading Mozilla or Opera. What are your thoughts?
Chas

[doctorgonzo]

Mandrake 9.0 should come with Mozilla; mine did. But if not, that's the one I would use.

[MaXimum SMOKE]

Actually, I kind of like Opera. The re-size for text is pretty fast and I think the overall handling of the browser is pretty good. There will probably always be critics of the 'not mainstream' browsers, but I think Opera, Konqueror and Mozilla all have their strong points. Opera seems to have a little more to offer for the Windows edition crowd, however in overall features. (Mail client comes to mind..) I guess, they are currently working on a new Beta format browser engine...

[LiGhTBoY]

Mozilla here... IHMO it is easier to set up than anything else ( + it has that ctrl + + feature that I find extremely useful =P)

[jglen490]

Mozilla is a great browser. It should be on your install CDs, which you can check via the Software Manager (AKA rpmdrake). You can also download the most recent, stable version from mozilla.org which is 1.2.1 I believe. Besides that mozilla is free !