Linux boot loader & GUI

[gfunkmartin]

I just installed Mandrake 8.1 using the defaults, and when the setups program created the boot loader (not sure which one) it automatically set Mandrake 8.1 as the default OS instead of Win 2k (which I would prefer). How can I make Windows 2K the default OS in the boot loader again?

Also, for some reason the GUI never installed...any suggestions?

I'm semi-familiar w/ Linux, but mostly newb

Any help is appreciated

Jason

[Praetorian]

Hi, you should be able to select Win2k from the boot menu and load from there. Also, with the GUI if its not coming up type startx at the command line after you're logged in. Find the Mandrake Control Center and change that so GUI boots up on start up. ;)

[gfunkmartin]

I can select Win2k from the boot menu, and I can load Win 2k perfectly, I just want to make it the default selection so if I don't press anything, Windows will automatically load (now if I don't press anything, Mandrake automatically loads)

[Frenzy]

I believe mandrake is the same way as redhat but I'm not 100% sure. But for Red Hat I just go into the Kontrol panel, then into the LILO, there you can select which OS you want for your default.

Hope this helps.

[gfunkmartin]

OK...I think I need to reinstall the GUI

How can I do that from the cd in the command line?

[acid_burn~187]

hmm... I havn't had much experience with mandrake, I use Debian for all my systems. However I'm pretty sure it uses LILO as the boot loader. If so, you can edit this file:

/etc/lilo.conf

there will be an entry for every OS installed on your system. One for linux, and one for windows. They will each have a label to identify them.
ex:
label=linux or label=windows

Use nano or pico to edit lilo.conf. You will notice that just before the OS entries, there is a line like:
default=linux

Change the default= to the same name as the label for your windows entry. Exit and run:
lilo
as root and reboot.
done!

Good luck.

~Paul

[mpc2]

Don't reinstall, everything is fine. Linux is the default choice on an installation of Mandrake and LILO is your boot loader, but you can easily change the default OS. Click on the Mandrake control center on your desktop. After supplying your root password the Mandrdake Control Center will open up. Choose the menu option that says "Boot", then select the menu option of "Boot Config". Click on the box that says "Configure" When another dialog box pops up select the button that says "OK". Then select the OS you want to be default (Windows) , and then click the "Modify" bar. When the dialog box pops up , select the button that says "default". Next time you reboot, Windows will be the default.

[gfunkmartin]

I wasn't planning on reinstalling the entire distro, just XFree86.

I got Windows 2000 to be the default OS fine thanks to acid_burn~187, and now I just have to install XFree86 and GNome.

When I did the install, setup simply didn't do the setup for X...I don't think it ever even installed it for me :(

[mpc2]

In the future , if you ever get totallly screwed up in Mandrake, an easy way to fix it is to boot to the CD and choose the "update" option , and it will repair your installation. That way you won't have to reconfigure a lot of things.

[gfunkmartin]

cool. I'll have to try that.