I have a great running install of Mandriva 2007 with KDE on my machine and because of this I now have time to question or investigate unknowns to me about Linux.
1. During the initial startup, a configuration file is running trying to set my hardware up, What file is this ? It sees and tries to fix several exceptions but it finishes and then hands over the startup to Mandriva 2007 which reports "OK" on all configuration items, what file is this ? Also, the Mandriva 2007 startup says " Press the I key for interactive startup" but this doesn't work for me. I get all "OK"s on the Mandriva startup so I really have no problem, just curious how Linux is working.
Thanks !
Scott Nash

OK, here's the scoop with linux startups:

Unix and Linux, as they boot, enter different "runlevels" as they boot. Each level is a different set of executed applications. A quick google search for "linux runlevels" and "/etc/init.d" will pretty much answer anything you need to know about configuring runlevels.

Also, I've also noticed with the "Press the 'I' key for interactive setup", that it's acting like it's disabled for Mandriva 2007.

Hope this answers any questions.

Thanks indienick !
I'll do the search on Google to study up on the subject and I'll look but not touch my /etc/init.d file to just get an idea what's going on.
Scott Nash

No problem.
Let me know how it goes.

EDIT: Pretty much, /etc/init.d is a symbolic link to a bunch of different directories than contain startup scripts that are run as your PC is booting. I believe there are about 5 different folders, and the scripts in each folder are executed at different "run levels."

But, like I said, for most distros, /etc/init.d is an amalgamated folder of the 5 or so other folders that contain the boot scripts.

Here's a practically indespensable site; I'm not a beginner, I'm not a guru, either, but I still rely on this site for 75% of my Linux information.
http://www.linux.ie/newusers/beginners-linux-guide/.

Thanks for the link, I've bookmarked it and will start reading soon.
BTW, I did look at the /etc/init.d file and it has a lot of varibles in the script, I'll continue to just look until I learn more so I won't break anything.
Many years ago I was known as Dr. Dos because I always used DR DOS to correct from the command line so many people's early Windows problems. With Linux it's like a savored deja vu.
Scott Nash

To summarise how Linux boots: The bootloader loads the kernel into memory and then the init program is the first one to be run. /etc/rc.sysinit is the file that is used by init to start your system on Mandriva and other Redhat derived distros (on Debian its /etc/init.d/rc.S). Other files (located in /etc/init.d) are used to start system services depending on the runlevel that the system is going into. The services being started or stopped at each runlevel are determined by the symlinks to the files in /etc/init.d which are located in /etc/rcX.d (X being a runlevel between 0 and 6).

Thanks Reddazz!
I'm looking at all these files, trying to follow the script, the varibles,the run levels and the symlinks make it difficult for me.
I'm learning slowly with help from you pros. I really want to learn Linux. My only professional experience with UNIX has been setting up X Windows programs on client Windows boxes that needed to exchange data on UNIX servers and a vast number of communication apps between Windows client to UNIX servers (usually Oracle). Shell scripts were as deep as I got.
Thanks everyone for your help !
Scott Nash

While I definitely wouldn't call myself a pro, you are very welcome.

rute linux guide
linux newbie admin guide
I started with the two references above (googleable)

see as well wiki section of LQ
mandriva doc
howtos (on the distro) or at tldp
or search LQ bookmarks