Prob running live CD, not able to get the desktop !

[Davi23]

Hi, I'm a total newbie venturing into the exciting world of linux .
I downloaded Knoppix 6.4.4 and burnt it on to a CD. But when I boot off the CD, I dont get the proper desktop and instead I'm shown a typical black screen with command interface.

Can someone kindly tell me how to boot properly so that I can view the desktop and not the command interface ?

Thanks in advance

[Harry Kuhman]

...... and instead I'm shown a typical black screen with command interface.

Can someone kindly tell me how to boot properly so that I can view the desktop and not the command interface ?

Welcome. In the future you might want to give more detailed information than just the vague command prompt reference. However, my guess with limited information is that you used Nero and selected an option to make the disc bootable (using Nero is fine but don't take that option).

All of the information for proper burning and booting should be covered in the Downloading FAQ, which can be found by following the Documentation link near the top of this page.

[Forester]

Can someone kindly tell me how to boot properly so that I can view the desktop and not the command interface ?

Hi Davi32 and welcome to Linux and the Knoppix forums.

Could you have a look at the Release Notes on http://knopper.net/knoppix/knoppix64-en.html. There are three screen shots in a row on this page. Your command prompt, is that with the first or the second screen shot ?

If it is with the first screen shot ('Vitruvian' penguin), then Harry's suggestion of a bad CD is probably correct.

If it is with the second screen shot Harry may still be correct but your problem might be the one described lower down in the Release Notes. In which case, as soon as the first screen shot appears, type the letter k. Now type in the rest of:

knoppix nomodeset xmodule=nv

and press return.

Good luck. Do let us know which worked for you.

[Davi23]

Thanks a lot Harry and Forestor for your timely replies..

Yeah .. I did use Nero, but did not tick "make this disc bootable"... manually, I just double clicked on the iso image, and it opened in nero CD ROM burner . This way, I could run other linux os in "Live CD" mode, like puppy, ubuntu and pclinuxOS..

Regarding the screen shots,
Yes.. I did see the 1st screen shot, and that led to something else, like a number of options, lined one below the other such as help , multimedia, notes, etc.
For the info, I did not see the last screenshot, which is what I was looking for
So shall I try burning it again in Nero careful about that "make this disc bootable" option turned off ?
Pardon me, if I'm not specific, cos, I really dont know the exact terms used to describe the different screens.

[Harry Kuhman]

Glad to hear you are not taking the option in Nero to "make the disk bootable". People who do and then let Nero add a default OS to the disc end up running DR-DOS (thus the prompt).

Not sure about clicking on an ISO to burn it, I've never let Nero own the ISO extension (usually that belongs to IsoBuster, or on some systems even VLC). It might work, but to be safe I suggest using the "burn image" menu option. Nero has moved it in different versions, but look under the "recorder" menu item. And use the full real Nero, not that quick start nonsense for dummies. And read the FAQ, things like checking the md5 checksum and burning slow are really important. If you still have problems, play around with that command prompt and see if it is Linux or something else. If it is Linux then I expect you are seeing the boot options and the boot info (including one or more penguins), but I really can't tell from just the mention of a command prompt what you are doing.

[applefox]

I am not sure whether you are put in to a non-gui mode in other words Console. If so, try the command "startx" (without the quotes). If that does not work, try the command "xinit" (Also with out the quotes).