New Ubuntu Install rejects Log-in / Password

[Tchize]

Brian Carling a écrit :
> Well guys I got nowhere with this.
> It has been my secoind and final excursion into 
> Linux. Hours of time wasted again.
>   
That's the main reason i removed windows, hours of time wasted restoring
the system every 3 months :)
> My computer time HAS To be used for actually DOING something 
> other than tryting to persuade the operating system to start running.
>
> Linux folks are very impressive with a lot of cryptic term,inology 
> and they usually seem to want to impress others with how much 
> they know rather thamn really helping thenm to get it going.
>   
Not true, imho. But it happens we sometime go too technical without
noticing ourself. That's not to impress people. If i wanted to impress
people i would go technical on windows, there at least there i have a
lot of public to look at me in awe like fried fish :), too much windows
user around me. Trying to fix a computer problem, whatever it is, using
email without being sometimes technical is like trying to fix a defect
in a car without speaking of engine, injection, embedded electronic,
valves and cooling liquids.
> So I am going to quit and sadly have to go back to XP.
>
> I am a computer user, not a rocket scientist, so Linux 
> appears to not be for me (again!)
>   
As a point, my mother is not a rocket scientist and she use linux. True,
she did not install linux by herself, but she is even unable to install
windows by herself. Ubuntu install CD have been made to be as easy as
possible to install without sacrifying to the need of some people to
install on very particular configuration (very useful configurations you
can't even get under windows by the way), but unfortunately, it's
impossible, as a volontary organisation, to test on every hardware on
the market. Commercial distribution of linux are probably more tested
and even have support lines.
> Lats time it was the fact that Linux had no drivers for 
> my network card, and never will.  This time the thing will 
> not even let me log in using the password I picked during 
> install so the hard drive is locked out permanently.
> What a huge waste of time.
>
>   
Let me answer in plain english, though i am not an english man.

1) for your card driver, the usual answer. Either buy a network card
which is supported by linux, either buy blindly the first network card
you find in store and play with the technical aspect of installing it.
Most network card drivers under linux are made using retro engineering
on the chips because manufacturer don't want to release the specs or
provide themself a linux driver. It's a fact most manufacter only
release drivers for latest windows version, leaving behind older windows
version, linux, mac os and other OSes. A comprehensive list of supported
network card can be found at http://www.linux-drivers.org/network.html
and you will notice it's possible to download proprietary linux drivers
for 3com based, intel based and nforce based network cards. If your card
is wireless, this site can be useful to you http://linux-wless.passys.nl/
2) for your password problem, judging from the fact you are stuck in a
console instead of a graphical environment asking you to log in, i
suppose something went wrong during the installation (yeah i know you
guessed it). There are technical ways to resolve it, however you don't
want us to go technical and i understand it. So i'll go the simple non
technical way. As there was a problem with installation, i would suggest to
*check that the content of your install CD is the same as the CD image
you downloaded (your burning tool should allow you to do it)
*If there is a new release of the CD, (current is Ubuntu 6.06.) download it
*If you were using the latest CD and there was no burning error (which
is most of the time reason for installation problems), download the
alternative install CD (personally i prefer it, because it's faster than
the graphical installation CD and is more stable)
*When you have configured your keyboard, check twice the configuration
is correct (no error between azerty/qwerty)

I can't suggest more detailed solutions. My bet is that there was an
error in the CD you burned, and this error interrupted the install
process, leaving your system half installed. This would explain password
problem and the fact you are in a login console instead of a login screen.

For the knoppix CD, most linux rescue disk can help you recover a lost
password, but it need technical knowledge (at least a bit of technical
understanding of commands chroot and mount).
>> What can I do if my New Ubuntu Install rejects the
>> Log-in / Password?
>>
>> I am literally stuck with a command prompt.
>> Can I start over again somehow?
>>
>> Can I use a Knoppix CD?
>>
>> Most Linux users get FAR too technical explaining things.
>> I would prefer a simple answer in relatively plain English 
>> please.
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> ubuntu-users mailing list
>> ubuntu-users at lists.ubuntu.com
>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-users
>>
>>     
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