clean install

[maritmanelleke]

Okay, here is my problem:
My daughter has got a pc from a friend. It had Kubuntu installed, and when we got the pc, I have changed the password, so that my daughter could log in as her self. Now, we cannot use the cdrom and the floppy drive anymore. Only root can activate them, it says when I try to use them.
After a lot of poosibilities I got the suggestion to make a clean install. But .. LOL how do I do that without an internetconnection on that pc, without cdrom or floppy drive and without root password? Does anyone know what we can try now? I hope so, because I do not like this anymore. Just thought about installing a very old version of Windows, 98, but without a cdrom this would not work to.
Help us please!

Marit, We definitely need your help......

[jtek74]

Re: clean install

Well if the cd rom is not physically bad you can boot of a linux cd. The last couple versions of Ubuntu/Kubuntu have all been live cd's. You can configure you bios to boot from the cd rom and once the linux desktop loads you can select install. During the install process you can repartition your hardrive and format it.
To get the linux live cd you need another computer with internet connection and a cd burner.
Hope this helps.
Jtek

[maritmanelleke]

Re: clean install

Okay, I succeeded in downloading and writing to a cd. However, it worked until 15 %, then it said: unable to read cd, reboot.
Well, and then it all started again, and again, just until I gave the pc the prompt not to boot from cd. What could I do next? I do already have three cd's now here, who all do not work correctly, because of course I thought it would have been my fault.

Thank you for your help.
Greetings, Marit.

[halw]

Re: clean install

The cd needs to be burned at a low rate, I use 4x. Lots of people have problems when burning a maximum speed.

[The Liquidator]

Re: clean install

Hi

Are you still able to boot to kubuntu or have your aborted attempts destroyed the installation?

Reason I ask is that I wonder (although don't know) whether simply changing the password is actually enough. Taking literally what you said you did, I think the identity of the main user will still remain the same and if your daughter logs in as herself it may be that she only has (at best) guest privileges. I would expect that of any operating system that has true multi-user functionality.

If the system still works and you can remember the user name of the main user, try logging in as that person. Is the CD etc accessible? If it is, going into system settings/user management and properly adding your daughter as a user of the system might just solve the issue.

Ian

[maritmanelleke]

Re: clean install

I am luckily still able to log in to Kubuntu, it just reboots. The main problem is, that the password which my neighbour gives me as her password is not recongnized as the root password. So I am not able to log in as supervisor or as root. This is why I cannot make a new account for my daughter, because then we have to log on as supervisor.
The cd is working, but just until the 15 %, maybe I should order the shipit cd and wait for about 6 to 10 weeks. Might be a possibility.
Also I will try to make one more cd (the 4th) on a low rate. Is worth trying.

I will try, you will hear from me again....

Marit.

[Stafke]

Re: clean install

If the system still works and you can remember the user name of the main user, try logging in as that person. Is the CD etc accessible? If it is, going into system settings/user management and properly adding your daughter as a user of the system might just solve the issue.

And if you don't remember, can't you ask the friend who offered the PC to change passwords/give her su-access? Would save you an installation and perhaps a couple of CD's

[The Liquidator]

Re: clean install

If you can boot into kubuntu then perhaps all is not lost. I agree that if you are able to get hold of the original password that may well save a lot of messing about.

As far as your disk is concerned, I would be very surprised if 3 successive downloads and burns are dodgy. My guess is that your hardware is conflicting with something that the system is trying to do, and that you are installing in GUI mode and as a result you are not seeing any error messages.

My further guess is that you are working with the desktop version of the CD which, if I remember correctly, does not have a text mode. If you install in text mode you will see any error messages that result and (if my experience is anything to go by) You may well require the alternate CD (available from the same sources) which has a text mode option.

Ian

[maritmanelleke]

Re: clean install

well, to ask my friend, she doesnot know much from a pc, a password changing would be to much for her. I know her password, but that one doesn't work on root. I know now how to log in as root, but justr have to learn how to change the rights for my daughter, so that she can do more then just type. And with her, I can make more changes then
It would save me a lot of time if I knew how to, but I am such a fool concerning Kubuntu. I know much more about windows

Greetings from Marit.

[Pendragon]

Re: clean install

Try this if you can get to the desktop OK.

Click the K button and click 'System Settings' in the 'System settings' window click the 'User Management' icon.
In the User Management window click the button [Administrator Mode] at the bottom right of the screen.
Type in your password when asked (if you started with your daughters login then use her password) and click [OK].
In the list of user accounts click to highlight her Login Name and click the [Modify] button.
On the 'Details' tab you should see a line 'Secondary Groups', click the [Select] button and add and remove groups as required. Close to save the changes.
I don't know if you then need to log out and back in again to trigger the changes or if they work straight away. Never had reason to try.

Hope that may help a little?

[maritmanelleke]

Re: clean install

This is just what is not working, I do not have the root password, so logging in as administrator is impossible. Unfortunately, because that is where I can change things as users who can mount and unmount the floppydrive and cd rom drive.
Just that is the main problem

Marit.

[maritmanelleke]

Re: clean install

Nobody knows? Well, I will try a slow burned cd, and wish me luck

[flash_gordon]

Re: clean install

Just wondering if it worked with the slow burned CD?

[maritmanelleke]

Re: clean install

I am still waiting on a cd that someone is to send me soon. But I will let you know if it worked as soon as I know wether it works or not.

Marit.