Something else to try is to BOOT from the CD _ONLY_ if possible...if you are booting from a floppy...it may have install info listed in the Kernal. Just trying to help...:) Jaguar Alan Shoemaker <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > Karen....Axalon is doing a good job here so I won't interfere, but you > need to know this so you'll let go of it as a reason that you must not > be getting a clean install. The following is from the Q&A section of > the GAIM home page: > > Q. Where the heck is my buddy list stored? It gets erased sometimes. > > A. Currently, your buddy list is stored on AOL's servers. Zilding is > considering an option of storing buddy lists locally and will more than > likely implement something fairly soon. > > Alan > > > "Karen M. Heiby" wrote: > > > > Hi, answers to the questions follow within the text: > > > > On Sun, 31 Oct 1999, you wrote: > > > On Sun, 31 Oct 1999, Karen M. Heiby wrote: > > > > > > > I would like to know how to cleanly uninstall Linux. I'm having peculiar > > > > problems that I think can only be fixed with a clean install. > > > > > > > > Here's what I've tried *several times over* but still does not work: > > > > > > > > 1.) Deleting the Linux partition from Windows > > > > a.) (In Windows 98) filling up my hard drive with junk--totally, then > > > > deleting the junk (just to make sure anything of Linux that might still > > > > be there is overwritten) > > > > b.) scandisk (Windows 98) and defrag (Windows 98) > > > > > > > > or > > > > > > > > c.) formatting the entire hard drive (with DOS "fdisk") and reinstalling > > > > Windows 98, repartitioning it for Linux (Partition Magic) and then > > > > reinstalling Linux > > > > > > > > 2.) Going into Linux as root, going to /, and typing the rm -fr /* command, > > > > which > > > > a.) gets stuck even if I wait a couple hours, I don't see anything > > > > happening. > > > > > > > > 3.) Going into runlevel 3 as root, going to /, and deleting each directory > > > > individually with "rm -fr nameofdirectory" > > > > a.) (However: I can't delete /proc > > > > b.) and I can't delete /lib) > > > > > > > > then, > > > > > > > > c.) I boot to DOS with a disk and using "fdisk \mbr" to delete LILO > > > > d.) I reinstall Linux > > > > > Ok first off, if you allow it to format the drive during install it's > > > gone, not sorta gone but gone, it would cost big money to retieve even a > > > small piece... > > > > I tell it to format my Linux native partition but I swear it's keeping stuff. > > > > > > All three methods fail to get rid of my problems. For ex., KDE freezes when I > > > > use KFM to browse the /mnt directory. No other file managers (Gnome, KDE file > > > > manager, or any terminal) freeze, and it is not a permissions problem. It's > > > > just KFM/KDE! When I click the /dev directory in KFM and look at its > > > > permissions properties, the text (User, Group, Other) is grayed out but the > > > > checkboxes are nonfunctional but the proper permissions are assigned. Same goes > > > > for everything else in /dev. I can use chmod or any other file manager to > > > > modify permissions and have done so. > > > > > /etc/rc.d/init.d/amd status > > > says what? If automount is trying to mount something it can't it's gonna > > > take awhile to time out. > > > gmc has a feature (pretty sure this is in KFM also) that will > > > show "the size" of the directories, if this is on and you have a recent > > > harddrive (eg, BIG) it's going to take awhile > > > > It isn't trying to mount anything, I unmounted everything I could before I > > issued the command. > > > > > Do the gears spin, does the mouse (or anything "freeze"), which viewmode.. > > > html, long, text..? > > > > The "gears" spin just a little at first. It freezes with a black screen, shows > > the terminal a couple times, then just black screen again for about a couple of > > hours with just a blip or so of hard drive activity every couple minutes. I > > mean a blip, like a fraction of a second. > > > > > Are you root when trying to change /dev/* file permissions? > > > > Yes, I am root. I *can* change the permissions in everything *but* KFM. > > > > > > GAIM (AOL Instant Messenger clone) is retaining my contact list, when that > > > > should never happen if it were a clean install. This is not a problem, per se, > > > > but just an indicator that I still have old information from previous > > > > installations haunting which are likely the cause of my persistent > > > > problems. > > > > > Knowing AOL they don't trust you to keep track of your Buddies, so they > > > store it on the server.. > > > > No, this can't be the case. I also have Windows 98 and every time I reinstall > > AOL IM, I have to re-add buddies. > > > > > > Gnome's "Settings" on the panel is kaput. I can click Gnome Control Center and > > > > get it running, but if I click anything else on the Panel under > > > > Settings, (Multimedia, Peripherals, etc. ) nothing happens. That's just a > > > > minor annoyance since I can use these from Gnome Control Center anyway, but > > > > annoying nonetheless. > > > > > Any output on the terminal you started Xwindows on? > > > > No output, just nothing happens. > > > > > > During installation, I am never asked certain questions that I vaguely remember > > > > being asked the very first time I installed Linux, such as how much RAM do I > > > > have, etc. It seems to install as if it knows or thinks it's installing on top > > > > of another installation of itself. > > > > > You were in expert mode, or it was an older version that didn't detect > > > your video card so it had to ask. > > > > No, I installed it the first time in regular mode; since then I have been using > > expert mode. I have always been using the same version of Mandrake (6.1 which > > I got on October 4). > > > > > > What gets me is that after I tried Route #1(above), by filling up my hard drive, > > > > I should have written over anything hard drive clusters that had Linux in them > > > > at one time, right? Even the boot record was re-made with a new LILO. How come > > > > old Linux glitches are still haunting me? Why is my GAIM contact list still > > > > intact when it shouldn't be? > > > > > I dunno wish all my personal stuff came back after a format, save me lots > > > of time ;) > > > > Well, that would be nice, too, but the thing is my /home directories are > > totally cleanly installed (DOH!!) It's like Murphy's Law or something!! ;-) > > > > > > I really want to cleanly install Linux to solve some of my problems and give me > > > > peace of mind and solid footing for more learning, but I have a problem doing > > > > so when I know this machine isn't as pure as I'd like it to be. That is, when > > > > something goes wrong, how do I know whether I'm doing something wrong or if > > > > it's just a bad installation? That's tough on a newbie. Any ideas would be > > > > helpful. > > > > > Just let it format the partitions for you (as you normaly do?), the piece > > > of mind your looking for (status output of the format cmd?) is located on > > > tty5 (alt-F5) > > > > Thanks for trying to help. I'm not trying to sound contrary or argumentative, > > I'm only explaining more of my problem! ;-) I appreciate your help. > > > > Karen ____________________________________________________________________ Get your own FREE, personal Netscape WebMail account today at http://webmail.netscape.com.
