Linux is the kernel. Fedora is a distribution that uses the Linux kernel.
It is the desktop and development offshoot of Red Hat.

You have two options. You can reset the password. Or you can re-install
Fedora or any other OS that you want. You can set your own user name and
password. That may be the easier solution in the end. However, if there are
files to retrieve then you will want to reset the password. Currently you
do not know which version of Fedora. It comes out with a new release twice
a year and old releases are retired after a while. If it is an older
computer then it may have an outdated version and you may not be able add
software packages.

To Reset Password See:
fedoraproject.org/.../How_to_reset_a_root_password\
e

Basically you have to change the boot mode to single mode and then boot
from the grub bootloader (which is just a keypress - b) at which point it
will stop at a commandline where you can type the commands given to change
the password to whatever you like.

To start fresh go to distrowatch.com and download an iso image which can
either burn to a CD/DVD or use unetbootin to make a bootable usb key. You
will need another computer for that or go through the reset password on the
Dell.

root is the super user of the system, there for you need to be
in what is called single user state and if you look at the web site
Roy sent you about 4 bullet items down it mentions getting to the single
user state.
In order to change the root password you will need to enter the command:

passwd root

Just like that, the system will ask you for the new password, enter what
you want the new password to be. That is the same as the admin
password.

To get a new distribution you will need to have a CD burner which you
may have on this used Laptop in order to burn a new image which you will
be able to download from the Fedora site. If you have a CD burner you
then need to use an image burner to create a new "live CD" which you can
boot from and load onto the PC.

This can be a real fun time ahead leaning this new system.

Good Luck and come back with more questions when you have them.

I messed around with it for several hours but I have no idea what I'm doing.

1) Holding down the ControlKey after a restart/boot I get a line that says:
Fedora (2.6.33.3-85.fc13.i686)

2) I also clicked on the little computer icon on the desktop and in
Help>About> it says: Nautilus 2.30.1 copyright1999-2009. Not sure whether
the Nautilus thing means anything do to with a version, or if it's entirely
different.

As far as 1) holding down the ControlKey or ESC while it is rebooting the
results are the same. I get the Fedora thing under 1) above and then there
is several options below (which I've had no luck with, but have messed with
them to no avail). They are:

- Use the up and dwn arrow keys to select entry.

- Press enter to boot the selected OS

- "e" to edit the commands before booting. It gives me a bunch of info that
I am clueless to and below that:
root(hd0,0)
kernel /vm linuz ... and on and on

- "a" to modify the kernel arguments before booting. Which gives me:


I also typed in the 2 versions of passwd as previously stated and hit Enter
and nada.

I'm not sure what you are saying about the CD burning. I am totally lost
with all those options on the website the 2nd link, in Roy's, email takes
me to. A huge confusing website that leaves my head spinning.

I appreciate y'all taking the time with this. I'm out of my league no doubt.

I'll mess with it some more. If I trash it, I'll just pitch the thing.

It looks like it is running Fedora 13 which its old enough to retire it. I
think that you should seriously consider starting fresh.

If you need data from it then you can likely retrieve it from a live CD of
a new distro. The distro will handle everything if you do not care about
data. It will format and use the whole drive installing a new distribution
of your choice.

Fedora is one of my favorite distros, but it is not for newbies.

I would suggest that you try something simpler such as Linux Mint or
PCLinuxOS.

You can also opt for one of the *buntus. My favorites are Kubuntu or
Xubuntu. You will find them both similar to Windows in appearance. The
first one has more features, but uses more resources.

If you want something entirely different try Ubuntu, the big daddy of the
*buntus.

Technology is a terrible thing to waste, some senior or kid could use it and
even without a hard disk, thanks to Linux Live CDs.

Clearly you are using a computer at the moment so you will be able to
download Ubuntu from their web site on it and create bootable CD which
you then put in this Dell with the ancient Fedora on it. Next step is
to restart the Dell and select the CD drive to boot from if it doesn't
do this automatically - usually pressing the [F12] during boot on a
Dell brings up a screen to select the boot device.

Let the Ubuntu CD boot up and you'll be given a choice of installing
or trying out Ubuntu without changing anything. To erase Fedora
totally ( it's clearly not working anyway ) choose 'install' and when
asked also select the 'take over the whole drive' option.

This will remove Fedora totally and install a nice clean and up to
date Ubuntu instead, so you can forget about the Fedora password or
anything to do with how this Dell has been set up previously.

Only thing you'll need to do when Ubuntu is loaded is to plug into a
router using an ethernet cable then get all the updates for Ubuntu,
which should bring the wireless card to life.

To get Ubuntu go to www.ubuntu.com but on older hardware such as this
perhaps it would be better getting a lighter version such as Linux
Mint or PCLinuxOS or even Puppy Linux...

http://linuxmint.com/

http://www.pclinuxos.com/?page_id=10 ( note: several desktop versions
here )

http://puppylinux.org/main/Long-Term-Supported%20WaryPuppy.htm

All you have to lose is a CD or two and a bit of time - one of the
above should prove to work for you :-)

BM> I'm not sure what you are saying about the CD burning.

I am downloading (I think) from www.ubuntu.com, but I'm not sure I'm
getting the proper version of ubuntu. Like Barry says, burning a piece of
plastic is not a big deal.

I did not see a laptop version on that www.ubuntu.com page, it says PC
version - I assume that will work in a laptop. I wasn't sure if I need the
32 or 64 bit version. I opted for the 32 bit since the laptop is an older
one.

The laptop has a CD tray and I am assuming that it will burn a CD. This is
the first time I've put a CD into the tray. Hope it works.

Anyway, I just wanted to let y'all know I'm still fussing with it and
haven't given up. As long as it boots up I'll keep fussing with it and
come back with questions or feedback. I sincerely appreciate your support.

Couple of points:

32bit is correct if you aren't sure, and an older system is more
likely to be 32bit anyway.

The download is an ISO file and needs to be burned in a special way to
create a bootable CD. Double click on the ISO file and see what
happens. This needs to be done on the PC you downloaded the ISO file
onto, and you can test if it's been done correctly by ejecting the CD
and then closing the tray again - you should get the Ubuntu loader
screen offering something called a WUBI install, this is a way of dual
booting a Windows PC with Ubuntu. If all you get is the ISO file in an
explorer window then it's just been copied to the CD.

Stick with it and I'm sure you'll get there :-)

Ubuntu comes with a lot of very good software, like a complete office
suite, CD/DVD/Blu-ray burning software etc. If you don't need them just
ignore them for now as the whole bundle is a amazingly compact, compared to
that other operating system.

When you get familiar with the Ubuntu package managers (muon, synaptic) you
will be able to remove them but most people don't bother.

Can someone tell me where to find the wireless hookup? I looked for a
network manager but that must not be the correct terminology; I'm looking
where I can enter my router ID. I didn't see it in the network or internet
folders.

Sorry, I'm a Kubuntu user so details of Ubuntu are beyond me. Probably in
network manager or similar.

I saw on www.distrowatch.com that FullCircle Newsletter has an article covering
networking, scroll down the page on left side. When you click on the link it
will launch the document viewer, that also reads pdf files.

I found WI-FI easier to set up on Mint Linux, but for testing I used Puppy
Linux. Maybe I learn something when I finish reading the article.