Recently,i'm studying around X server and client. when i was logining on and typing "init 3" on gnome-terminal in order to terminate x server.

my purpose is x server starting through the command "xinit" only.and xterm to be first client for x server may be terminal.i'try typing "a bunch of commands" on tty1 (Ctrl + ALT + F1) to get through my testing .

when a short command "xinit" of those without any agruments was executing, xterm was just staying instantly and disappearing soon. others i try commands,alway coming up with errors:

Xterm Xt error: can't open display :%s
Xterm: Display is not set

how could i get through my testing?

if i am understanding this right:
you want a fail-safe session with only xterm.

You can:
1. just choose the session as fail-safe session

OR

you can change /etc/inittab and set default runlevel as 3
and then issue these commands in a console prompt

# X :0 &
# export DISPLAY=:0.0
# xterm

warning: This will give you just a xterm - not even a window manger and so u cannot move the xterm app anywhere.
most lightweight window manager (wm) is AFAIK twm
run twm from the xterm in the X window session

When i was executing those above commands up to "xterm" on runlevel 3, then showing "X" located center at screen drawed black.

oh
sorry !
after executing the X :0 command
you have to press Ctrl + Alt + F1 to go back to one of the console screens

Hi,You are welcome.i have done all those commands over instead of you said that i don't press "Ctrl + Alt + F1".still show the cursor "X" located center at screen drawed black.

it is seem that "xterm "do not connect X server. WHY? thank you!

can you check it xlogo works ?
instead of xterm, just run xlogo
you must get a small white area with a big 'X' in that white space.
this is basic check if the X libraries are properly installed
it this works then we can find out why xterm does not work.

Yes,it can't work exactly,just give me an error prompt:

#xlogo
Error:can't open display

I display card dirvers is non-open nvidia, and 3D accelarated program wrok right!

does't it have to authorize something about X server?i don't know how to do.but i'm in root identity!

it says cant't open display
so the DISPLAY environment variable is not set !
somehow it is getting unset or over-ridden in your profile files

usually it must say
can't open display <followed by the string of the DISPLAY variable>

just execute these commands to check

# DISPLAY=:0.0 xlogo

this must set the display and also run it ! cannot get reset

thank you for replies,without your help,i won't done this problem over finally。the problem out of the origin is mine in chinese environment.in order to get through my testing,I switch to english(USA) language environment,then my testing is right!

last one question:

how do i modify something instead of switching language environment and rebooting system?