Re: [Vectorlinux-devel] [vector-develope] VL6.0-SOHO-A1-21.iso

[Paul M. <pa...@wa...>]

Just installed A1.21. I'm using my own Grub install, so I didn't see 
that problem, though I notice that my Windows partition is not showing 
up in the options for the boot loader.

Install was pretty good. The problems with lag and strange screen 
updates that I was seeing are pretty well gone. However, I did hit a 
couple of other problems with the install.

First (niggle rather than serious). I would prefer to see the old option 
of importing existing user records. Found it a bit confusing when it 
told me it had 'created' the user I used.

Second, it would be nice to have a prompt to eject the first CD. On this 
machine at least, the installer simply sat until I ejected the first CD 
and inserted the second. It would be nice to either have it ejected when 
necessary, or prompt the user to eject and insert the second CD.

Third, when the install completed, the Reboot button was greyed out. I 
had to push 'back', at which point the reboot button became active and I 
was able to select it.

Forth, I made the mistake of minimising the installer while the install 
was in progress. When I brought it back up, it was essentially blank, 
except for the 'development team' scrolling list. A bit off-putting. It 
did come back when then next stage of the install started, but a means 
to refresh the display would be useful.

After install, I had the same video problems I've been having with all 
the other alphas. After the login prompt, the screen goes white, then 
goes grey, and I'm left with a mouse cursor and nothing else. The only 
way to fix it is to use CTRL-ALT-BackSpace to kill X, then select the 
'safe KDE' option. After that, the KDE desktop comes up ok. Well, sort 
of ok....

This install was to my T61 - Intel graphics, native resolution is 
1280x800. Unfortunately, all the more recent alphas have come up in 
1024x768 and not offered any higher resolution. I have to su, use init 3 
and run Vasm to fix the problem. I still can't use any of the screen 
effects, even once the correct driver is loaded and working.

I needed Vasm for another reason as well. During the first stage of the 
install, I selected a generic 104 key keyboard, UK layout. However, on 
first boot to the installed system, I have a US layout in both X and 
console.

While I can fix most of these problems, I doubt that many in the target 
user base will have the necessary expertise to do so.

I'm not a fan of Kmail, but the version with the new KDE seems to be 
badly broken. It failed to log in to my ISP to send mail (even though it 
is set up in exactly the same way as Seamonkey is set in 6.0 Standard). 
It then said the message I had entered would be left in outgoing. Only 
it wasn't. It seems to have eaten the outgoing message. I could not find 
any trace of it at all....

Its getting a lot better, but there is still a long way to go, I think....

paul