Mandrake Linux 8.1! Help please!

[-chaos-]

Hi, i just installed Mandrake 8.1 WITH Windows ME. I have a 40 GIG hard drive, not partitioned. When installing, Linux said that it would resize the partition of windows or somthing.
When i got to the screen where it asks you what proggz you want installed with Linux, I Discover that i only have 284 MB's to install linux! I dont know why, becuase i have over 30 GiGs left on my hard drive. Other than a few little problems, Linux seems great! (i am posing from linux :)

So i just want to reinstall Linux with everthing i want and keep windows (so other people can use the computer).
I also have another question. Why is it tha, i cannot browse the contents of my hard drive when in the file manager or whatever? I can just see my home directory or somthing.
I am also confused as to how to get ICQ. I went to various downlaod locations, and found many different ones, and dont know which one to get. Anyway, i picked one, but dont know how to start it! IM sorry if these are dumb questions, but i never used Linux before, and am use to windows ;)

My computer's speakers dont have volume control on them, and i usually control the volume from my Multimedia Keyboard, or the sound options in windows (the little speaker on the systray). How can I ajust the sound in Linux?

Is it better to be logged on as root or as a normal user, if i am the only one using Linux? When i did log in as root, it told me it was dangerous, and i could damage my machine easily, i also saw a lack of desktop icons and the panel icons (is that what its called? the task bar in windows... heh)

Thank you in advance to anyone who can help me with some of these problems :)

[Dark Ninja]

I'll answer your questions in order:


1.) I'm not sure about this hard drive problem. I have a 60 gig HD and I am running Mandrake 8.1 and Windows ME, and neither one had problems with my drive. So, can't help you there. Sorry.

2.) You can browse the contents of your hard drive with Linux. It is actually somewhat similar to Windows Explorer if you are using KDE. If you want to access your Windows ME files from Linux, it is probably under /mnt/win_* where * = the drive letter. (EX: /mnt/win_c for your C drive) and then just go from there. (EX: Windows Desktop = /mnt/win_c/windows/Desktop/ )

However, the other way around - Windows CANNOT access Linux files. Windows is kind of dumb like that.

3.) ICQ actually comes with Mandrake. Check around on the CDs to find it.

4.) It's a program called Sound Mixer. It's under /MULTIMEDIA/SOUND on the KDE 'Start' Menu. (Or...what would be the start menu in Windows.)

5.) CREATE A SEPERATE ACCOUNT! Do not use root unless you have to. This is also why you did not see any icons on your desktop. Mandrake disables this so you don't hurt yourself. (You should have also noticed that the background was red.) If you want to use root while under a normal user, the program will either prompt you for your root password if it needs it, or you can enter from the console:

su

and you will then be prompted for your root password. It is VERY dangerous to run as root all the time though.

Hope that helped. (Try to look up stuff though. By just exploring your system, you could have found some of those answers on your own.)


Dark Ninja