linux help

Ok i downloaded the latest debian distro and i installed it on my computer… but… its not working.. like its all uhh.. dos? like i have to use linux commands to move around and its not showing the actual OS no folders… no windows… no taskbar… lol can ne one help?

sudo dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg

Type that into the shell. When it asks you for your driver informatin for your video card: select vga. If that doesn't work then try vesa

but befiore ANY of that, just try typing startx or xinit. If that doesn;'t work then try the above

ok thnx man, and another thing… lol this is kinda gay but my parents r running windows 98… lol and there computer does the same thing… can ne one help me help them?? :D

you mean that your windows 98 only boots into DOS?

uhh, yea i think.. it opens in dos and all i can do is use dos commands… it was running normally and then they unplugged it and moved it and then it didnt start normally..

again its not my os of choice its there computer ;)

Just one more question and I can probobly tell you how to fix it Is there a windows 98 splashscreen displayed before it goes to DOS or does it just go strait to it?

Oh, and did the linux thing work?

Neo_Chalchus wrote: Just one more question and I can probobly tell you how to fix it Is there a windows 98 splashscreen displayed before it goes to DOS or does it just go strait to it?

Oh, and did the linux thing work?

lol it goes straight to dos i think… and idk i havent been home yet to try the linux thing yet…

First, Try to boot to safe mode. If this works then use the dos commands to do this: C:/Windows> edit msdos.sys look for the line that says "gui" next to it is either a one or a zero. If it is a zero, change it to a 1…if already a one, then leave it, If you had to change it to a one, then reboot and it should be fixed

Second thing to try if 1 doesn't work out or is already on one in dos (nota command prompt…dos) type

scanreg /restore

chances are ONE of these will fix it…if not then come back and I'll give you more advanced stuff ti try.

lol idk how to boot into safe mode with windows 98 i tried F8, delete, esc and none worked lol i tried just using those commands in the thing that came up… i got to the edit msdos.sys and it was blank… i went through the ssytem opening .txt files looking for GUI and couldnt find it… lol soo…. i'm open to ne thing :-D

and on the debian… that didnt work either like i can log in… it says: Name Login:

and i type my username: bob passowrd: *********** and then i'm logged in.. but its still in 'dos' or w/e its callled… lol i tried the commands u suggested and it said they were not recognized.. lol so pllllllzz someone help me with this :D

sry for the double post (i'm deciding to go with ubuntu) but is there ne way to install it w/o using the live cd feature… cuz everytime i try to load it it freezes right when it loads the pointer… lol sooo i just want to install it righ away

and does ne one kno how to fix the windows 98 problem?

thnx :D