This is my fault, so I won't blame Linux this time

I was changing the permissions on a user folder, and I ran this command as root
"chmod -x foldername" and it closed all the mozilla windows, and explorer windows. I figured I shoudl restart. When I went to the menu, it didn't give any option to restart, only to logout, so I did that. The screen flickered a few times then went to the command like login screen....when I try to run startx, it gives an error about no screens.

I tried using the backup config file, but still no go. I ran this: "XFree86 -configure" and auto configured everything, but when I ran it it went to a black screen with a white mousehair in the middle that I can move around....is that a good sign?

I use this box for servers, and I'm decently proficent with the command line, but I'd at least like X to work

Part of the reason is because I need to "Deactivate" and reactivate my network adapter everytime I startup, and I don't know how to do that through the command line....See the thread here is you have any suggestions about that http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...hreadid=121726

Thanks for the help

Hmm...update. I read the log for the newly created Config file I just ran, and this line caught my eye:

"(WW) fonts.dir not found (or not valid)"

Were my fonts somehow deleted?

maybe I am missing somthing, but why not change back the permissions on the folder. Isn't that what cause the problem?

Well, I ommited some details because I accidentially quitted out of IE while I was writing my original post (which was looooong) and I was too pissed to write about it again....anyway, I originally wanted the folder to have write permissions, but chmod +w didn't work so I tried chmod +x to see if any permissions could be changed, and that worked. I figured I should change it back to what it was, so I guessed that chmod -x does the opposite of +x.

So, since I already ran -x, it would be back to what it was, right? I'm a month old fyi

can you startx as root

Nope, that doesn't work either.

well, i fear in order to help we need more info on what dir you restricted access. was it ROOT's home?
However chmod -x on a folder doesn't make much sense: at least use
chmod 700 folder
to give owner full rights.

btw, i was once stuck for 3h 'cause i was editing the wrong XFConfig:
try X 2> /tmp/X.output
and carefully examine the output file (in particular: which config is it using?)

It was just the home directory of a new user I created for ftp access. It was just empty, but I wanted to give write access to my user. I tried "chmod +w "foldername"" but that didn't seem to work. I just tried "chmod +e "foldername"" as a test if I could change the permissions of the folder at all, and it worked, and the folder was now apparently "executable". I figured I should undo what I just did, and assumed chmod -x "foldername" would reverse the process

About chmod 700, or 755, etc, is there a list somewhere what level of access all the different numbers are?

Thanks

Yes- here.

Basically, for "chmod xyz":

x= permisisons for the file/directory user/owner
y= permisisons for the file/directory group
z= permisisons for everyone

Each of the values for x, y, and z are additive, in that they are the sum of the following numeric equivalents for read, write, and execute (r-w-x):

read (r)= 4
write (w)= 2
execute (x)= 1

So obviously, the numeric representation of the permissions for the user, group, or everyone can at max be "7"; indicating full rwx permissions (4+2+1).

rw- permissions for all would be 666

rwx permisisons for owner, but only r-w perms for others in the group (and everyone else) would be 766

rwx permissions for owner, but only rx for all others would be 755

etc.
etc.

Thanks a lot man, that helps a lot.

Cool, glad I could help.