OOPS.. lost my desktop

I am new to Linux [in all its forms] been trying to get daughters Aspire one up,running,and programed as required so far:-

i have managed to fix the wireless so it works [has been going fine for the last few days]

Today i started to change the defalt for the browser from firefox to Opera, downloaded tested opera and all is fine, went back in and uninstalled firefox [whilst doing this it threw around 20 updates at me,so i said install]

now i have NO desktop [wether or not its something to do with the updates or i have inavertantly unticked a wrong box i dont know] but

I also do not have the comand prompt [Alt f2] all i have is the search box..

do any of you have any bright ideas of how to fix the thing or a quick way to restore factory settings [and i will have to start again]

Thanks
wizard

ps Mods could not find this problem elswhere but please move if nesasary

 

On original linpus machines firefox 2 is integrated into the rest of the system and cannot be removed hence you have hosed your system. There is by no means a simple solution for a beginner and so I would suggest downloading an iso of a small linux distro (or one that is easy for newbies eg Linux Mint) onto a usb stick using Unetbootin and installing a new O.S. P.M me on this subject if you need or please search the forums as there is plenty of info around.
Luck to ya

 

thanks for that... you have confirmed my worse thoughts..... I have been trying to download the latest version of Linpus but am giving up.. on a 6mb connection so far it has downloaded just over 200kb in around 4 hrs.. i have mint 10 32bit on dvd and tried to back load it to a 4gb pen drive but failed at that as well, next job to beg.borrow or steal a usb dvd drive from one of the lads at work next week, good job my others all run ok [2 linux and 1 windros]

once again many thanks for you input
Wizard

 

And you may find that the latest version of Linpus doesn't work. I've got a copy of the version used on the ZG5 posted at http://katieskitchen.cjb.net//aa1 if you really want it

 

Thanks D.R.

but as i may have the aspire off my daughter [for travelling as the laptop takes most of my hand luggage allowance] i may as well put a more up to date distro on it, so a couple of questions...

1} will a different distro have any effect on the power-save mode?

2} which distro would you recommend, [I was going to use MINT 10 as that is what is running on my other machines,]


these may seem simple questions [but only if you know the answers and i don't]

many thanks for any assistance

wizard

 

Not sure how the different distros work wrt power saving, but I sincerely doubt there's much difference among the major pre-compiled distros. SInce you're already using Mint 10, I'd go with it.

 

many thanks for the input folks especially Darryl who walked me through a few things, problem is now solved by installing MINT 7

brian