Apps :: Newbie: Installation problem with MyDSL

hi, i used myDSL to install both abiword and amsn, the download box opens, no errors are displayed, then the icons appear on the desktop. so far, so good. But when I try to launch abiword I see the abiword boot picture during a millisecond, and then nothing: no screen nothing whatsoever. With amsn , I really get nothing.

(maybe important: when I reboot both installations are gone)
hardware: running dsl from a 128 mb usb stick, 512 mb ram, amd 2000+, usb 1.0 (2.0 disabled=dsl boot fails)

okay, just found part of the problem: amsn was looking for language file langfr. I renamed the standard langen to langfr and it worked; However I think this is also the problem for abiword: so question is how do I make DSL look for english language files?

The problem probably came up because I am using an Be-fr keyboard and tried several keyboard layouts. So how do I change back to English language as default whithout loosing my keyboard layout?

BTW does anybody know which layout matches exactly my keyboard? (azerty with euro sign on the e, and at for emails on 2) also num lock doesnt work

original here.