Newbie installing Mandrake 8.2 on thinkpad 380z

[Shedboy]

Linux newbie......

I have just received the 2 Mandrake 8.2 CDs and wanted to install them on my old laptop, a Thinkpad 380z.

The install goes OK until X Configuration when I can never get it to test OK. I have got through some problems changing various options and selecting a NeoMagic laptop video card. But now I get the error "could not open default font (fixed)".

I know this error has been dealt with on other posts dealing with installing X Windows, but I haven't been able to get past the Mandrake install yet. :(

Another unrelated (I think) error I get is when select the Alcatel Speedtouch USB Modem it fails to find the rpm even though it is on the CD and is in the selected packages to install list. :confused:

Any kind persons with Mandrake installation experience? I am not used to rebuilding kernels etc but do have some sysadmin experience of other platforms so I can do some stuff.

Please Help!!

[MlotPolska]

i don't have any personal experience with linux on a laptop but hopefully this article will help
http://www.techtv.com/screensavers/linux/story/0,24330,3394320,00.html
good luck :)

[Shedboy]

Thanks for the link, it was not one I had tried before and has some help on other areas and not this specific problem.

I've tried searching for pages like this and gone through the linux-taptop FAQs but no problems like mine have I found.

The page you pointed to was for RH 7.2, which I have installed in the past succesfully.

Would it be an idea for me to install RedHat on one partition and then install Mandrake on another and use the X configuration from RH? Can I do that, ie map the startx command to run the programs from the RH partition?

(To those who are wondering why I am installing Mandrake if I can already run RH, well I was after easy support the USB modem mentioned above, which is packaged with mandrake, and I'm too simple to rebuild kernels at this stage, cowards way out I suppose)

[Shedboy]

OK, I've installed RedHat in one partition, and mandrake in the other. But I'm having problems in seeing the the different partitions, how do you mount these so you can see them?

Sounds like a very late night question that......

[Shedboy]

It's OK they have mounted, just me, not thinking straight.

[Shedboy]

Got KDE running from my mandrake boot now.....just to work this USB modem out.....any reason why the Mandrake install fails?