Okay, I''ve got Mandrake 9.2 installed on my PC (via Virtual PC). I did this so I could start porting my games over to Linux. I''m not a Linux n00b (having used Slackwave 2.x on my 486, and these days RedHat 7.2 on my server), but I do admit I know next to nothing about KDE. Most of my experience is with headless (no monitor/keyboard) Linux servers. Well, anyway, since Mandrake appearently doesn''t install GCC by default (a bummer for someone wanting to compile their games...), I used the Mandrake Configuration dealie to add the "C Development" package to the OS. Afterwards, however, my KDE install is...borked. It''s missing a good portion of the links from under the My Applications and toolbars. Not all, however. It''s almost as if KDE''s config was partially blown away by something I did. I can''t even start Konsole and go check out what''s going on. (Yes, I know about the other virtual terminals, but I''m trying to get my games working under X, and I''d like that environment intact.) Now, my question is -- how the hell do I restore KDE without having to re-install the OS from scratch? In Slackwave, it''s just a matter of reinstalling the software packages, overwriting what''s currently there. Does Mandrake have any kind of Windows XP-like "repair reinstall?" Is it just a matter of removing the KDE RPMs and then re-adding them through some kind of text config? --- - 2D/Pixel Artist - 3D Artist - Game Programmer - Ulfr Fenris [[ Gaping Wolf Software ]] [[ GameGenesis Forums ]]

If you are not running KDE as root... (You''re not right?)

And actually, even if you are, but slightly more dangerous, the config files for KDE are all in your user account. The first thing I would try, since you don''t really have any custom config to speak of, would be to delete all the ".kde" type files. Next time KDE starts, it should re-create them all, hopefully with the right data.

You should actually be able to move or delete all of the files in your account without any serious consequences, other than funky default configurations...

A word of warning though, I have never done this under mandrake, but I''m assuming that it''s going to be about the same as any other kde install. I also have not used KDE in a while, and there may be another, less radical solution.

One other thing that might be worth trying is a live CD distro like Knoppix.

Knoppix runs from the CD, and includes a whole host of dev tools including KDevelop, and a host of other things. It''s really quite beautiful, and might do for development.

It does run using frame buffers though, so any specific video acceleration is not going to be available, but Frozen bubble runs decently enough on my 900mhz machine.

Just a thought.

-- Aaron


| HollowWorks.com |

I''m running Mandrake as "joe user" would -- default options, right out of the box. So, it runs KDE as a user.

Good idea on the ~ configs. I''ll zap those and see if that makes a difference. I''m ASSUMING that Mandrake just uses regular KDE with pretty standard configs.

Hell, if it doesn''t work I can always create a copy of the virtual HD and try some more radical solutions.

My goal is that once I get something basic working, I will try my game with a few more distros, so I''ll keep Knoppix in mind.

---
- 2D/Pixel Artist - 3D Artist - Game Programmer - Ulfr Fenris
[[ Gaping Wolf Software ]] [[ GameGenesis Forums ]]

Before you try deleting any possibly important configuration files, you may want to just try creating a new user and seeing whether that does work.

Zorx (a Puzzle Bobble clone)
Discontinuity (an animation system for POV-Ray)

I believe the simplest way to fix this problem is to run "menudrake" and click save. If the problem keeps happening do online upgrades and the above process and it should stop.