When you reboot your computer after completing your Mandrake Linux installation, you will first see a menu containing three or more items. This is called the “bootloader menu”. It allows you to boot your GNU/Linux system, or any other operating systems you might have already installed, as well as some special options.
The number of items and their names can vary depending on your particular configuration. The one we are interested in, at the moment, is obviously the one named linux, which will start your Mandrake Linux system. It is the default item if you have not manually configured it differently. All you need to do is to wait a few seconds –– you will see a countdown at the bottom of the screen –– or press Enter, and Mandrake Linux will start loading. You can select a different item by using the cursor keys on your keyboard and pressing the Enter key.