3 questions

[lagagnon]

Thanks, got it to update. I would say, why not automatic, but will refrain.

But you didn't refrain did you? The VL Lite version is just that - it uses a lightweight faster window manager that does not do auto menu updating. If you want that you will have to install KDE, xfce or Gnome desktop environments, which then defeat the purpose of VL Lite, whic is to provide a desktop environment that is fast and does not take a lot of system resources as the latter three DE's would.

can I run wine with my lite machine?

Yes, but check that the Windows software you want to run under Wine will function properly. Wine only works for about 60-70% of MS Windows applications. Check out the Wine database here:
http://appdb.winehq.org/

I am guessing vm ware, with 2 os switching takes a ton of ram and a purchase of the vm ware.

I don't think that machine you have will run a virtual machine very efficiently.

[GrannyGeek]

Forget virtual machines on that computer. It's too slow and doesn't have enough RAM. Virtual machines need enough RAM for the operating system in the vm plus the computer needs enough RAM for its own operating system, plus more for a cushion.

I installed VL6 Light on my old laptop, which is now my only laptop because my dual-core Turion 64 is fatally ill. I must say I'm *very* impressed by IceWM. It's a lightweight window manager, lighter than XFce and *much* lighter than KDE or Gnome. Yet it is very customizable. However, IceWM doesn't give up its secrets easily.<g> You customize by editing files in the /.icewm directory in your home directory. You can find documentation on the IceWM Web site and it's well worth downloading to your own computer and going over it to see what's available and how to edit to get it. Go to www.icewm.org and scroll down to Documentation.

If you think there is too much in the "Start" menu or you don't like how it's arranged or the titles of programs, you can change the menus to your liking by editing their files in ~/.icewm. They would be menu-office, menu-system, menu-graphics, and so forth. I suggest either making a copy of the original file before you make changes or commenting out lines in the original before you make a copy of the line and change it. If you comment out a program like this:
# prog
it won't appear in the menus but you can make it appear again simply by removing the #.

Rather than continuing to blather,<g> I'll just say IceWM is an amazing window manager given its lightness on the system.
--GrannyGeek

[degarb]

I really appreciate the help. 

I will need to try  "smbfs" instead of "cifs". No luck yet with sharing/getting.

Also, gsplatted wine.  Got into menu, but when I click it from menu nothing happens.   I though maybe that loads some api, and the win exes might work.   So I went to windows partition and clicking some exe files, and still nothing.     Maybe I need to install something else or need a good test windows exe to see if working in theory.

[nightflier]

Yes, try running an installer using wine. Best thing is to run it in a terminal, as in:
wine install-file.exe
that way you can see if there are any error messages.

What OS is on the computer that you are trying to connect to via file sharing?

[lagagnon]

Also, gsplatted wine.  Got into menu, but when I click it from menu nothing happens.   

http://wiki.winehq.org/FAQ

[degarb]

Thanks everyone, very happy with vector help here.    It will be a few days before wife will let me touch the linux machine again.   

I did post a simple question in Puppy linux (trying to get notebook with wireless belkin card to work) ,  but no one seems to reply with useful answers, unlike here.

I think I will download the live cd of vector that poster made,  and try to get that belkin wireless card to work (unable to in Knoppix, even trying the nsdiwrapper thing.)

[sledgehammer]

At least you have a wife.  More than I can say.  Two or three girlfriends does not equal a good wife.

John