help with linux

i just installed linux mandrake 2.8 like 4 times last night thinking the way i installed it makes the problem but i still have the same problem. when i start up it says you can press 'I' for an interactive start up but that never works and when it starts a non-interactive startup i typed in my user name and password even though it looks like it logged me in it just stayed there and doesn't do anything. am i doing something wrong? do i have to enter another command?