[NBLUG/talk] XFree86 4.3 -- I'm trapped in an upgrade vortex!

[augie]

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Dave Sisley wrote:
> When booting, the process stalls at the BSOW.  I then press
> ctl-alt-f1 and get a text login.  I log in (as root), then enter
> 'init 3'.  If I then run 'gdm', I am returned to the BSOW.  If I
> ctl-alt-f1 back to a command line and then try 'startx', I get an
> error message.  Running 'gdm' again gives me a message that it is
> already running.  I then need to reboot if I want to reach a desktop.

it gives you an error saying you are already running gdm because you
*are* already running gdm. you just said you were two sentences above
that line.

if you logged in as a different user i don't think it would give you the
same error.

just out of curiosity, do you have a line like this in /etc/inittab :

id:5:initdefault:


> FWIW, I see that both xdm and gdm are present on the machine.  rpm
> -qa xdm returns nothing, but 'locate xdm' lists a number of files and
> directories, including what I assume is an executable
> (/usr/X11R6/bin/xdm).

i think the command you want here is rpm -qa | grep xdm . check out the
man page for rpm to see what the 'q' and 'a' switches do respectively.

> If it helps, I see that if I run startx (and it works) I am dropped
> onto the appropriate desktop.  That is, since I've logged in at the
> console, the system knows where to plunk me.  The step in this
> process that is missing is the jump to the graphical login screen.
> Have I perhaps lost some system-wide config file? (as opposed to a
> user's .whatever file?)

it may be difficult to diagnose your problem from here with out being
able to poke and prod the machine. it may be time to cut your losses and
start over. you can remove the packages with rpm -e --force <package>
again look at the rpm man page for more info on those switches.

augie.


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