Start FC10 in runlevel 3, and than MANUALLY start X - how?
 

Hi Guys

I've posted about this before (a few months ago) but no luck.

I want to start my FC10 install in runlevel 3, and then do "startx" to start X - I don't want to boot in runlevel 5 and have X started automatically each time.

The reason for this is that I do sometimes do raytracing with PovRay, and I do not want all the extra CPU cycles and RAM go to waste for running X / a GUI, while I'm not using the system or NEED to use a GUI. I want all CPU cycles and RAM to go toward the raytracing process.

Additionally, I do not want to have to reboot into runlevel 3 each time I just need a 80x25 text interface to start povray up for a maximum performance rendering session.

This approach worked fine in FC6.

However:

In FC10, booting in runlevel 3 and then doing startx does start X up - but then it goes nowhere. I have the "X" on a crosshatched background, and then the KDM login screen comes up. I type my username and password, but then everything just freezes. No KDE startup graphic is displayed, and the cursor just sits there. I can do nothing with the system, I can only press CTRL-BACKSPACE to stop X, upon which the system drops back to 80x25 text (which is what it is supposed to do...)

I. e. somewhere the manual "startx" script is missing many (hundreds?) of scripted statements to start KDE on FC10.

How can I "hook up" the FC10 "startx" so it behaves like a normal Runlevel 5 boot (i. e. correctly starts KDE)??

I know there must be a script somewhere that starts KDE up (in runlevel 5) - how can I trigger this script from inside the "startx" script??

Any replies or ideas appreciated.

Thanks!

You should add the command 'startkde' to your ~/.xinitrc file. I hope it helps.

If you try this what happens...

After you first boot directly to runlevel 5 and use a terminal as root to type "init 3", stopping X and bringing you to the console mode, can you as root type "startx", then "init 5" and return to the desktop? In short, does the command "startx" work in other circumstances?