'Root login failed' and 'machine slow' and 'brain hurts'

[David Switzer]

Hi all,
I'm definitely newbie to Linux (or anything non-Windows) but I just want to
help give a collective middle finger to M$.
 I first tried (and a laughably feeble attempt) FreeBSD... Just too big a
jump for my windowwashed brain. Although I did get the OS installed and
running, I felt like a dog who had just caught that damn firetruck, "oh
$h!t, now what?" But instead of take the time to learn Unix languages, I
admit I feebly gave up after a few hours of drooling and grunting (neither
of which were very effective by the way for anyone thinking of trying this
strategy!).
 I happened upon RedHat while perusing my options and learned of its
wondrous ways. And thus seeking free OS since RedHat is no longer free-free,
I happily happened onto the Fedora project. As happenstance would have it,
ignorance has followed me just like how partial IE startup code is embedded
in Windows startup (er...I mean like flies on $h!t) and I know not the
answer to 2 riddles:
 I installed Fedora Core 3 for i386 by ISO last night at 1:30am to 5am from
start of download to functioning graphical desktop.
I installed onto a Compaq Presario laptop with x86-based 381 MHz AMD
processor 13 GB hard drive with 2.9 GB storage leftover after install.
 (((1st question))) I had 13 GB hard drive, it used to be partitioned into
two 6.5 GB hard drives :C and :D when I had windows on it. Now when I put
Fedora Core on it, it only recognizes "hda2 with 6.087 MB as the physical
volume" Did Fedora not re-format the hard drive so I would have one big 13
GB hard drive again?, and if so, how do I fix that?
 (((2nd question))) I had installed more RAM post-factory ?? MB, did Fedora
not recognize the extra memory automatically? And if so, how do I fix it?
 Does the answer to the first question most probably have to do with why the
beautiful Fedora Core is running so slow with everything? I'm not just
complaining about a few paltry seconds. I definitely have a setting or two
wrong b/c there's no way all of you pros out there would be happy with
trying to type on an OpenOffice text doc and having to wait 30 seconds for
each letter to appear after you type it. I mean, it takes minimum of 4
minutes just to open OpenOffice suite. Many functions/apps I run, whether
it's on desktop or in an application window take several minutes to perform
and I can hear the processor or whatever just humming along like it's
working overtime.
 Thank you immensely for your time and patience with a newbie,
Dave
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