AMD 64 - Clean install problems - seeking divine intervention

[Zaerc]

Good, a few pointers though.  You should never remove "ro" from the line in menu.lst.  And it's better to install lmce first, then fix the drivers.  Also important: do not update kubuntu.

[ldiener]

Thanks Zaerc.  I really appreciate the pointers.  I'll install LMCE 7.10 i386/32bit to match the Kubuntu desktop and then work on the drivers for sound and video as you suggest.

Two follow-up questions if I may:

• I ran a search and learned that the "ro" in the menu.lst file stands for "Read Only".  What is it exactly that is being set to Read Only?  It follows the kernal "name" so is it the kernal image?  Is this a safety measure so that critical system files don't get overwritten?  I'm just trying to understand what it is I'm doing when I change this kind of stuff.
  
• I had read about not trying to run LMCE 7.10 on top of later versions of Kubuntu so I figured there was a tight connection.  But when you say "do not update kubuntu",  are you referring to updating to the next point version using another install disk or something else?  In other words, can I assume it's OK to update application packages as long as I don't upgrade to, say kubuntu 8.04 and thus to a different kernal?  Where's the line when it comes to system drivers/apps that show an "upgrade available" in the application manager?

Thanks,

Larry

[Zaerc]

The "ro" tells the kernel to initially mount the root file system read-only, so it can be checked for defects if necessary.

I mean don't update anything unless you have to, unfortunately the system is very fragile.  So you'll have to be very careful, any upgrade or even the installing of some packages can break it, and then you get to keep both pieces.   Usually only a reinstall can fix it, with the possibility that you have to start all over again.