Total system lockup with GNOME
 

Hi. I have just completed the second install of Debian on my system with exactly the same results: the system totally locks up when gnome starts up. when i got done installing Debian, i had a command line. i couldn't run gnome or x windows. my system said i didn't have x windows installed "completely". so i did apt-get install x-windows-system and rebooted. the system then told me that it couldn't start the x server, so i exited to a command line and ran dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86. after that, i rebooted and my computer immediately attempted to launch gnome, but it hung up on the log in screen. the cursor doesn't even blink. i can't crt-alt-del or backspace. i have to hard reboot, but the first thing that happens on reboot is the launch of gnome, which promptly hangs! i can't get back to the command line to edit that xf86config file, much less do i know what is causing my system to lock up like that! i can't even get a command line by using my rescue floppy - that tries to boot gnome, too! i hope one of you have some idea how to break this cycle. thanks.

i figured it out! it seems hard to believe, but i was getting a conflict with a USB mouse! it was totally locking up gnome and kde. whew!

I had that same problem with KDE, except I use a PS/2 mouse on an old motherboard, and have to use an adapter to make it fit, that might be it. Maybe.