I've just wiped and clean installed gentoo linux 2.6.10 kernel, framebuffer stuff, xorg, kde-base 3.3.2 and xfce as well as binaries for mozilla firefox. I've had previous versions of 2.6.9 plus xfree86, all kde 3.3, firefox on this Asus 7255DVD (Advent UK) laptop. All reasonably okay.

Click on browse for a file (backgrounds) in Desktop Configuration causes KDE to spin its wheels forever. Likewise Theme Manager. Likewise opening Konqueror. Kate opens but I can't browse for a file; wheels spinning forever. Firefox spins and dies. (I did get a new profile dialog when I opened two).

This isn't a kde problem (I don't think) because the same thing happens in xfce. (Although, they do share a lot of stuff).

But most other stuff works; just can't browse the file system. I can open Konsole and configure the panel, for instance.

Anybody have even an idea of where to start looking or ideas about how to describe this problem would be great.

TIA.

PS Nothing of note in /var/log/messages - some artwiz fonts refs dropped in xorg.0.log

Turns out to be a serious KDE problem - really sloppy stuff. The other was a simple Firefox build problem after all and not both parts of the same monster. xfce does use the same stuff running Konqueror. Created a new user and konqueror opens okay, so I've rebuild kde-base and not configure it that way ever again. Rebuilt firefox and although there are still missing dependencies I am using it right now.