I have spent some time reviewing the numerous posts that have this error. However, several of the other posts seem to be able to get a step farther than I can.

While booting, the machine produces the following error:

"INIT: ID "x" respawning too fast: disabled for 5 minutes"

Other thread posts have described being to type ctrl+c to login. However, I get hung up when I attempt to login as root:

"Penguin login: root

Audit (1266424042.740:5) user pid=2801 uid=0 auid=4294967295 msg=’PAM: authentication acct=”root” : exe=”/bin/login” (hostname=?, addr=?, termina=tty1 res=failed)’

Audit (1266424042.740:6) user pid=2801 uid=0 auid=4294967295 msg=’uid=0: exe=”/bin/login” (hostname=?, addr=?, termina=tty1 res=failed)’

Login incorrect"

From what I have read, the primary issue is with starting x and I should be able to do command line by using the ctrl+c command above. Any ideas why I am unable to login?

I also saw in other threads that I should be able to force the boot to skip x altogether and boot directly to command line. However, as a newbie, I was having trouble following. Can you point me to a good description of how to do this?

I am running Red Hat Enterprise Linux 5 and would appreciate any help you can offer! Thanks!

Respawning too fast means that something in /etc/inittab is set to respawn which means restart every time it dies and it is dying ever time it is started.

X in RHEL is started in Run Level 5. You can boot into Run Level 3 to start up with out X then can use the virtual consoles to troubleshoot why X isn't starting.

The post here tells you how to boot into Run Level 3:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...14#post1311714