[AuckLUG] GDM problems ,but wait ,theres more :-)

[Ronald Johns]

> Hi Ronald,
>
> Rescue-boots are usually rather primitive environments with the
> necessary tools for correcting various things to get systems started.
> That does not include X11!!
>
> So the claim is correct as the /etc/passwd file in a rescue boot usually
> only has root and a few other users - and f.ex not gdm.
>
> If you want to start X after rescue-boot, you have to chroot to your
> real root and try it out - or if you want to boot normaly but without X,
> the set the initdefault in /etc/inittab to 3 (5=gdm/xdm login).
>
> /etc/gdm is normally a directory for systemwide settings for gdm.
> Linux gives you a bunch of different options when it comes to X managers
> (gdm,xdm,xfce4.....) and /etc/X11/prefdm is often used as wrapper for
> that pupose - and that is controlled through /etc/inittab with the line:
>
> x:5:respawn:/etc/X11/prefdm -nodaemon
>
> If your problem is to get X started, you might have a Xorg configuration
> problem.
> In /etc/X11 you'll find xorg.conf. And before doing ANYthing with it,
> take a copy!!
>
> You can have Xorg create a default configuration for you:
>
> $ Xorg -configure
>
> This creates the file xorg.conf.new, which you can test using:
> X -config ./xorg.conf.new
> (provided you're in standard textmode - ie. runlevel 3).
>
> If your problem is that you've lost your password to you box, then
> that's another issue - and far more simple to solve than X11
> configuration. ;-)
>
> Cheers
> /Stig
>
>

>
>
Thanks for help thus far.
After several stabs at it finally got a xwindow up but terminal cannot
launch child processes.(Hence no command line)
Desk top lists ramfs (with dinky sim card icon)m & 'sombody's home' icon.
(Thats what it says ??.)
Then brings up an error message thus...

Power Manager
This program cannot start until you start the dbus system service.(Cannot
start even if I knew how , no command line.

Cannot find DVD Writer (even though I got to here by booting with rescue
disk) and therefore cannot save any files to disk.

All System>Administration apps from Authentication to Users and Groups
come up with an 'Unknown error'

My head hurts.
Please ,any more suggestions ?
Thanks
Ron