Mandriva (Linux) problems, more details inside, Any help?
I installed mandriva, and my disk drive got broken shortly after. So I tried to update to the newest version and nothing works, plus it stayed at Mandriva 2009 instead of 2010. I can’t open urpmi, can’t install things from .RPM packages, can’t update, etc. etc. and graphic acceleration won’t (can’t) start, I have to run metacity from terminal and everything goes very slow. Nothing works now, what do I do?
and yes, I have tried replacing the kernel, as suggested before.
Thanks in advance.
No, no. My DVD drive broke, so I can’t put a new CD in to install Linux. It’s not the hard drive. 
Let me assure you, NOTHING works, not even booting from USB… I’m not new to Linux, I have tried USB booting, Unetbootin, etc. Not even that will work. It’s not the hard drive and I’m starting to think that the only way I can fix it is to get a new DVD drive, but that will take a long time to get for me.
Tagged with: booting from usb • dvd drive • graphic acceleration • hard drive • kernel • Linux • long time • metacity • new cd • nothing works • rpm • thanks in advance
Filed under: Mandrake
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this may or may not work, depending on the damage done,
1) at your grub boot screen, do you get an option of kernels to boot to ?
if you do, try an earlier kernel, does it work ?
if it does you can mail me and i’ll help to remove the broken one,
2) do an upgrade the proper way,
open a terminal as root and type
drakrpm-edit-media
untick and remove all the sources
exit the manager
then go here
http://easyurpmi.zarb.org/
just click the ‘add official medias’ and ‘add plf medias’ buttons, follow the instructions
3) use the command as root in a terminal
urpmi –auto-select
this will upgrade all packages
i’ve been using mandriva linux for over 5 years, the above is only general, detailed help cannot be given here,
if you wish you can mail me
if your hard drive broke…you should be backing up as much of your personal data as possible and looking into buying a new hard drive.
EDIT: forgive my miss-read
i’m used to calling that the optical drive
anyways, try opening up the case and disconnecting the optical drive.
i had an optical drive go bad once, and it caused so many issues, kernel panics and such…also as another user suggested use a tool like unetbootin to install Mandriva from a USB because if the optical drive was bad then it very well could have messed up data while you where installing.
Forget to mandriva and install pardus Linux
İts Best and easy
Download
http://www.pardus.org.tr/eng/
Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iLNngHQ_lj0&feature=related
You can reinstall using UNetbootin and a USB stick. You don’t need a CD/DVD drive.
boot form a portable hard drive or a big mem stick.