When I load up mandrake I go straight to a terminal, when I type startx I get: xauth: error in locking authority file /root /.Xauthority - 4 times execve failed for /etc/X11/X (errno 2) giving up. xinit: No such file or directory Unable to connect to x server xinit: no such process. server error and it goes back to command, I have run xf86config a few times with low end settings and same error... Any suggestions? Thanks Dave

don't know what you did when you installed. i have mdk 9.1 and its a piece of cake to setup. did you select the xserver setup when you installed? i think you should reinstall and be careful with your selections at the very start of your installation, should definitely select the x server, kde or gnome,etc.

Try running startx as a user instead of root.

Ok thanks a bunch, I just decided to reinstall it again and for some odd reason it worked...Now one more question, i still boot to the terminal which is fine b/c i do some work there...but when i want to go to a desktop, i type startx(i have allready done all the setting up) i get just a blank blue screen with a mouse ptr...is there something i have to do with startx to load it properly or to get my desktop back? Thanks david

Sounds like you are starting X but not a window manager. Instead of startx, as root try either kdm, gdm or xdm. (KDE, Gnome or X Display Manager). This should bring up a graphical logon screen from where you can choose to run KDE, Gnome etc. Your last choice is usually set as default, so startx next time round should work. Failing that, try "startkde" instead.

thanks 3Dave that did the trick man... and thanks to everone with suggestions on fixing my initial problem...now off to learning linux... Thanks, David