install on Dell Inspiron 8200 WinXP laptop

[debian4SPA]

I have booted, partitioned etc and not been able to get past loading software 809 of 809...i.e. there is no error message, just freezes.

I tried expert mode...same result

Can we turn on debug tracing?

thanks

[Absent Minded]

Hello and Welcome the the Debian Users Forum.
I a not sure about debuging things but it would help to know what media u you are using, what packages you selected for the software install portion and where your system is pulling them from. You could possibly do a minimal install and then install the rest of what you need from the internet if for some reason your media is bad. Have you ran the consistancy check on the disk?

[debian4SPA]

minimal install from expert mode worked fine...thanks

of course that would be too easy....now it will not take my user and pass

I assume it is asking for the normal user username and password?...I did shadow and then a normal user and then a GRUB

do I need to re-install?

thanks

[Absent Minded]

can you log-in as your root user?

[debian4SPA]

yes

I can get to debian:~#

help gets me a list of commands

passwd let me change the password

however, do not know how to enter after Ctrl+D....user and pass do not work...perhaps i only need root access?

[debian4SPA]

adduser solved issue

lenny's manual got me the apt source list

apt-get install synaptic got me synaptic

then apt-get install gnome got desktop running after restart....cool

thanks

[Absent Minded]

I apologize that I had to run off on you. We are having to make allot of trips to the hopsital of late as my gal has cancer..