I'm having a bit of a problem with the Kstart menu. I am running Suse 9.1 Pro and I only have the option to Log Out or Lock Screen. Every couple (inconsistently) of logins I will have the option to switch users.

I like to have Root open and a regular user account (so I can't screw too much up yet still install and run programs on a whim with full permissions). I have lately been forced to the SUse boot up/shut down screen and have had to command the system to shut down rather than it automatically shutting down, most often leading to me closing the current GUI session I was in. I have been logging in as root and user issuing the 'init 5' command or 'startx' from the boot up screen.

I can rarely get to the actual user sign in page. I have shut off auto-login as well from the account manager.

Anyone know why this is inconsistent? Anyone know where and how to activate (permanently) the "Switch Sessions" command to show up in my KStart menu? Is it because I am issuing the init 5 command? Any help would be appreciated.

-Spicy O.

You can install and run programs as a regular user.

That is what the su command is for, and the su command is why the root login is hidden under most or all graphical login managers (you don't need to log in as root, you should use su instead, and so logging in as root is strongly discouraged).

In a terminal, type su. You will receive a password prompt: type the root password (carefully-- it won't be echoed to the screen, even with stars).
Hit enter, and (assuming the user is a member of the wheel group, and that you have typed the password correctly), your prompt will change from whatever $ to whatever #.

That # indicates root access in that terminal. Any command you then run from it will be executed as if root had asked for it. That means you can open a text editor and edit root-writeable files, open a file manager and manage root-writeable only folders, or run rpm (although why you'd want to do this from a terminal when YAST/YOU asks you for the root password when you run it and is the preferred method for installing programs, I don't know). And of course KDE will let you do all this from the Main Menu as well-- try Konsole (Super User Mode), or File Manager (Super User Mode) and you can pretty much do any root operation as well (since from the file manager you can right-click any root-editable file and open it with Kate or KEdit or whatever, and just edit it, because the super user opened the file for editing).

So I'm really not sure why you'd need a root login from KDM, and I don't think you need it, actually-- especially since KDM lets you go to a console login anyway, where you could also login as root if you really needed to-- but since SuSE uses KDE by default (thus, you're probably using KDM), if you really want to adjust KDM to show root as a login, go to the KDE Control Center, browse to the Login Manager configuration (I don't use KDE that much, so I don't know where it is exactly--just that it's there), chose "Administrative Mode", and unhide the root login. How to do this should be self-evident if you read the dialog; it's just a matter of unchecking a checkbox, ultimately.

But you really have no need to log in as root except in an emergency (such as that your user login does not work at all, or the system won't boot), and in such an emergency, you probably won't have access to KDM anyway, and even if you do, it's just as easy to login from a console as root and type startx if it comes to that. Not that running X as root is recommended either, but if the problem is that your user login is borked, sometimes that's easier to work with when trying to fix it.

Hope this helps.

My main concern about not having a GUI based root login was that I am denied accesses to files and folders: "You don't have enough permission to access/modify this file" being my primary concern. I'm more comfortable working and modifying, something as simple as an icon when it's physically in front of me, rather than depending on command line to do it for me as I can't keep up with it a lot of the time.
That's All.

-Spicy

So, if you're using KDE, then just use the File Manager (Super User Mode). It's buried there in the Kicker somewhere (try System=>More Programs for now, until you use the KMenu Editor to move it somewhere more useful, or, once you have used it, it should appear in your "Most/Recently used programs" list at the top of the menu).

Really, it's terribly unwise to log in as root for anything other than an emergency where you have no choice.

So how do I go about changing desktop environments (ie GNOME, Blackbox, ICE... etc. - just going from memory can't remember the others)?

I used to change the session type from the login screen and prefer not to command line it everytime someone else wants to use a different account on this computer.

Do you use a login manager? KDM (again, assuming you're using KDE) will give you that dropdown menu so you can change sessions, as will GDM, and probably even XDM (but I've never used that, and so don't know for sure).

Naturally, these WMs/DEs must be installed to put an entry in /etc/X11/Sessions, where KDM or GDM can read the list of available sessions.

It's not quite clear what your setup is atm.

Assuming that our definition of a login manager is the same ( I don't know what KDM is besides what it stands for). If we are talking about the screen that come up after boot up with a box that includes the user's names, prompts for a password and you can enter your session type from a dropdown menu, then that is what I have been considering the login manager.

If this is the case, my whole problem is that I can not get to this screen. The initial problem I was having of switching users between the root and a regular user was that this screen ONLY occassionally pops up- and the option to get to this screen - by selecting the 'switch user' from the Kstart menu isn't present with any consistency. It'll be there one login, but not the next.

So there is the real problem, hopefully revealed in it's fullest... if this is something you have all ready addressed and I'm just being dumb, please let me know. \

Thanks for the time,
Spicy

Yes, our definition is the same. It's rightfully called the display manager (KDM stands for "KDE Display Manager", GDM stands for "GNOME Display Manager", and XDM stands for "X Display Manager"), but I've been calling it the login manager, as 1) that's essentially what it does as far as the user is concerned (manages user logins), and 2) people understand what I'm talking about better.

So we are talking about the same thing.

Now, my next question is then: on those occasions where the login manager (or display manager) does not appear, what does happen? Are you logged in directly to KDE, no questions asked, or are you dropped to a console login?

If the former, go to the KDE Control Center (I think) and find the Boot or Login section, and turn off "autologin user at startup". This should allow KDM to appear normally to ask you who you want to log in as, and allow you the choice of desktop environments.

If the latter, there's a fair chance of something wrong with your X installation, which is causing it not to start properly (but not all the time, apparently). One of the functions of the display manager (and likely the reason it's called that), is to start the X server (because it needs the X server to run itself, being an X program). Do you notice any other problems with the X server other than this?

In that case, we would need the details of your X server setup (which X are you using-- XFree86 or X.org; what video card do you have; what drivers does it use; what kind of mouse and keyboard do you have -- meaning USB or PS/2), and you should have a look at /var/log/X(something).0.log to see what the errors consist of, so we could start to narrow this down.

Alternatively, there may be something wrong with KDM itself. You might try reinstalling it from YAST/YOU (you might have to reinstall the entire KDE base package to do this). Do you notice any other problems with KDE other than this?

I'm fearing the worst right now and thinking that I have to reinstall the Xserver as after several reboots, the KDM screen no longer seems to exist. When I log out or boot up I am required to login in console mode. There was nothing in the Login Manger that would suggest auto-login.

What else could XFree86 affect?

So I have XFree86, I have an ATI Radeon 9600 (what drivers it uses, I do not know), I have a standard PS/2 mouse (2 buttons plus a wheel- optical- MIcrosoft), and a Microsoft (standard ASCII) keyboard. This is what I looked at when I opened /var/log/... :

(II) Module glx: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 Server Extension, version 0.2
(II) Loading sub module "GLcore"
(II) LoadModule: "GLcore"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/extensions/libGLcore.a
(II) Module GLcore: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 Server Extension, version 0.2
(II) Loading extension GLX
(II) LoadModule: "v4l"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/linux/v4l_drv.o
(II) Module v4l: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 0.0.1
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.7
(II) LoadModule: "radeon"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/radeon_drv.o
(II) Module radeon: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 4.0.1
Module class: XFree86 Video Driver
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.7
(II) LoadModule: "ati"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/ati_drv.o
(II) Module ati: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 6.5.6
Module class: XFree86 Video Driver
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.7
(II) LoadModule: "mouse"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/input/mouse_drv.o
(II) Module mouse: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 1.0.0
Module class: XFree86 XInput Driver
ABI class: XFree86 XInput driver, version 0.4
(II) v4l driver for Video4Linux
(II) ATI: ATI driver (version 6.5.6) for chipsets: ati, ativga
(II) R128: Driver for ATI Rage 128 chipsets:
ATI Rage 128 Mobility M3 LE (PCI), ATI Rage 128 Mobility M3 LF (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Mobility M4 MF (AGP), ATI Rage 128 Mobility M4 ML (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro GL PA (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro GL PB (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro GL PC (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro GL PD (PCI),
ATI Rage 128 Pro GL PE (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro GL PF (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PG (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PH (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PI (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PJ (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PK (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PL (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PM (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PN (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PO (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PP (PCI),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PQ (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PR (PCI),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PS (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PT (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PU (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PV (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PW (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro VR PX (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 GL RE (PCI), ATI Rage 128 GL RF (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 RG (AGP), ATI Rage 128 VR RK (PCI),
ATI Rage 128 VR RL (AGP), ATI Rage 128 4X SE (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 4X SF (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 4X SG (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 4X SH (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 4X SK (PCI/AGP),
ATI Rage 128 4X SL (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 4X SM (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 4X SN (PCI/AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro ULTRA TF (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro ULTRA TL (AGP), ATI Rage 128 Pro ULTRA TR (AGP),
ATI Rage 128 Pro ULTRA TS (AGP?), ATI Rage 128 Pro ULTRA TT (AGP?),
ATI Rage 128 Pro ULTRA TU (AGP?)
(II) RADEON: Driver for ATI Radeon chipsets: ATI Radeon QD (AGP),
ATI Radeon QE (AGP), ATI Radeon QF (AGP), ATI Radeon QG (AGP),
ATI Radeon VE/7000 QY (AGP/PCI), ATI Radeon VE/7000 QZ (AGP/PCI),
ATI Radeon Mobility M7 LW (AGP),
ATI Mobility FireGL 7800 M7 LX (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility M6 LY (AGP), ATI Radeon Mobility M6 LZ (AGP),
ATI Radeon IGP320 (A3) 4136, ATI Radeon IGP320M (U1) 4336,
ATI Radeon IGP330/340/350 (A4) 4137,
ATI Radeon IGP330M/340M/350M (U2) 4337,
ATI Radeon 7000 IGP (A4+) 4237, ATI Radeon Mobility 7000 IGP 4437,
ATI FireGL 8700/8800 QH (AGP), ATI Radeon 8500 QL (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9100 QM (AGP), ATI Radeon 8500 AIW BB (AGP),
ATI Radeon 8500 AIW BC (AGP), ATI Radeon 7500 QW (AGP/PCI),
ATI Radeon 7500 QX (AGP/PCI), ATI Radeon 9000/PRO If (AGP/PCI),
ATI Radeon 9000 Ig (AGP/PCI), ATI FireGL Mobility 9000 (M9) Ld (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 (M9) Lf (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9000 (M9) Lg (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9100 IGP (A5) 5834,
ATI Radeon Mobility 9100 IGP (U3) 5835,
ATI Radeon 9200PRO 5960 (AGP), ATI Radeon 9200 5961 (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9200 5962 (AGP), ATI Radeon 9200SE 5964 (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9200 (M9+) 5C61 (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9200 (M9+) 5C63 (AGP), ATI Radeon 9500 AD (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9500 AE (AGP), ATI Radeon 9600TX AF (AGP),
ATI FireGL Z1 AG (AGP), ATI Radeon 9700 Pro ND (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9700/9500Pro NE (AGP), ATI Radeon 9700 NF (AGP),
ATI FireGL X1 NG (AGP), ATI Radeon 9600 AP (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9600SE AQ (AGP), ATI Radeon 9600XT AR (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9600 AS (AGP), ATI FireGL T2 AT (AGP),
ATI FireGL RV360 AV (AGP), ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 (M10) NP (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 (M10) NQ (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 (M11) NR (AGP),
ATI Radeon Mobility 9600 (M10) NS (AGP),
ATI FireGL Mobility T2 (M10) NT (AGP),
ATI FireGL Mobility T2 (M11) NV (AGP), ATI Radeon 9800SE AH (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9800 AI (AGP), ATI Radeon 9800 AJ (AGP),
ATI FireGL X2 AK (AGP), ATI Radeon 9800PRO NH (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9800 NI (AGP), ATI FireGL X2 NK (AGP),
ATI Radeon 9800XT NJ (AGP)
(II) Primary Device is: PCI 02:00:0
(WW) RADEON: No matching Device section for instance (BusID PCI:2:0:1) found
(--) Chipset ATI Radeon 9600 AP (AGP) found
(II) resource ranges after xf86ClaimFixedResources() call:
[0] -1 0 0xffe00000 - 0xffffffff (0x200000) MX[B](B)
[1] -1 0 0x00100000 - 0x3fffffff (0x3ff00000) MX[B]E(B)
[2] -1 0 0x000f0000 - 0x000fffff (0x10000) MX[B]
[3] -1 0 0x000c0000 - 0x000effff (0x30000) MX[B]
[4] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x0009ffff (0xa0000) MX[B]
[5] -1 0 0xff8ffc00 - 0xff8ffc7f (0x80) MX[B]
[6] -1 0 0xf8000000 - 0xf7ffffff (0x0) MX[B]O
[7] -1 0 0xff9e0000 - 0xff9effff (0x10000) MX[B](B)
[8] -1 0 0xd0000000 - 0xdfffffff (0x10000000) MX[B](B)
[9] -1 0 0xff9c0000 - 0xff9dffff (0x20000) MX[B](B)
[10] -1 0 0xff9f0000 - 0xff9fffff (0x10000) MX[B](B)
[11] -1 0 0xe0000000 - 0xefffffff (0x10000000) MX[B](B)
[12] -1 0 0x0000ffff - 0x0000ffff (0x1) IX[B]
[13] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x000000ff (0x100) IX[B]
[14] -1 0 0x0000cc00 - 0x0000cc7f (0x80) IX[B]
[15] -1 0 0x0000cff0 - 0x0000cff7 (0x8) IX[B]
[16] -1 0 0x0000cf80 - 0x0000cf9f (0x20) IX[B]
[17] -1 0 0x0000efa0 - 0x0000efaf (0x10) IX[B]
[18] -1 0 0x0000ef80 - 0x0000ef9f (0x20) IX[B]
[19] -1 0 0x0000ffa0 - 0x0000ffaf (0x10) IX[B]
[20] -1 0 0x0000d800 - 0x0000d8ff (0x100) IX[B](B)
(II) Loading sub module "radeon"
(II) LoadModule: "radeon"
(II) Reloading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/drivers/radeon_drv.o
(II) resource ranges after probing:
[0] -1 0 0xffe00000 - 0xffffffff (0x200000) MX[B](B)
[1] -1 0 0x00100000 - 0x3fffffff (0x3ff00000) MX[B]E(B)
[2] -1 0 0x000f0000 - 0x000fffff (0x10000) MX[B]
[3] -1 0 0x000c0000 - 0x000effff (0x30000) MX[B]
[4] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x0009ffff (0xa0000) MX[B]
[5] -1 0 0xff8ffc00 - 0xff8ffc7f (0x80) MX[B]
[6] -1 0 0xf8000000 - 0xf7ffffff (0x0) MX[B]O
[7] -1 0 0xff9e0000 - 0xff9effff (0x10000) MX[B](B)
[8] -1 0 0xd0000000 - 0xdfffffff (0x10000000) MX[B](B)
[9] -1 0 0xff9c0000 - 0xff9dffff (0x20000) MX[B](B)
[10] -1 0 0xff9f0000 - 0xff9fffff (0x10000) MX[B](B)
[11] -1 0 0xe0000000 - 0xefffffff (0x10000000) MX[B](B)
[12] 0 0 0x000a0000 - 0x000affff (0x10000) MS[B]
[13] 0 0 0x000b0000 - 0x000b7fff (0x8000) MS[B]
[14] 0 0 0x000b8000 - 0x000bffff (0x8000) MS[B]
[15] -1 0 0x0000ffff - 0x0000ffff (0x1) IX[B]
[16] -1 0 0x00000000 - 0x000000ff (0x100) IX[B]
[17] -1 0 0x0000cc00 - 0x0000cc7f (0x80) IX[B]
[18] -1 0 0x0000cff0 - 0x0000cff7 (0x8) IX[B]
[19] -1 0 0x0000cf80 - 0x0000cf9f (0x20) IX[B]
[20] -1 0 0x0000efa0 - 0x0000efaf (0x10) IX[B]
[21] -1 0 0x0000ef80 - 0x0000ef9f (0x20) IX[B]
[22] -1 0 0x0000ffa0 - 0x0000ffaf (0x10) IX[B]
[23] -1 0 0x0000d800 - 0x0000d8ff (0x100) IX[B](B)
[24] 0 0 0x000003b0 - 0x000003bb (0xc) IS[B]
[25] 0 0 0x000003c0 - 0x000003df (0x20) IS[B]
(II) Setting vga for screen 0.
(II) RADEON(0): MMIO registers at 0xff9f0000
(II) Loading sub module "vgahw"
(II) LoadModule: "vgahw"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/libvgahw.a
(II) Module vgahw: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 0.1.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.7
(II) RADEON(0): vgaHWGetIOBase: hwp->IOBase is 0x03d0, hwp->PIOOffset is 0x0000
(II) RADEON(0): PCI bus 2 card 0 func 0
(**) RADEON(0): Depth 24, (--) framebuffer bpp 32
(II) RADEON(0): Pixel depth = 24 bits stored in 4 bytes (32 bpp pixmaps)
(==) RADEON(0): Default visual is TrueColor
(==) RADEON(0): RGB weight 888
(II) RADEON(0): Using 8 bits per RGB (8 bit DAC)
(II) Loading sub module "int10"
(II) LoadModule: "int10"
(II) Loading /usr/X11R6/lib/modules/linux/libint10.a
(II) Module int10: vendor="The XFree86 Project"
compiled for 4.3.99.902, module version = 1.0.0
ABI class: XFree86 Video Driver, version 0.7
(II) RADEON(0): initializing int10
(II) RADEON(0): Primary V_BIOS segment is: 0xc000
(--) RADEON(0): Chipset: "ATI Radeon 9600 AP (AGP)" (ChipID = 0x4150)
(--) RADEON(0): Linear framebuffer at 0xe0000000
(--) RADEON(0): BIOS at 0xff9c0000
(--) RADEON(0): VideoRAM: 131072 kByte (128 bit DDR SDRAM)
(II) RADEON(0): AGP card detected

I'm tempted to just try to reinstall KDM through YAST rather than try to sort through all of this. Should I reboot my comp with the installation disks in? it wouldn't make sense to reinstall KDM while operating under in KDE right? Or should I be doing this through root?

No, you should
1) open /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 with a console based text editor (I'm going to bet that you have nano, so the command would be -- when logged in as root-- nano -w /etc/X11/XF86Config-4), and change the section that refers to

to read
The kernel-based Radeon drivers do not work with the 9600, but the generic VESA drivers should give you a 2D display that would enable KDM to run. You won't have 3D hardware acceleration, though, until you

2) Go to YOU and install the ati-kernel and the proprietary ATI binary drivers. You can also get the binary drivers from the ATI site, and install the kernel source for your currently running kernel to compile the drivers against, but since you have SuSE Pro, these drivers should be on the CD/DVD, and (while I'm not that familiar with SuSE, iirc) I believe that there is also a specially-compiled kernel designed to work with the drivers, which (if true) would also be on the CDs/DVD.

In either case, reinstalling X or KDM at this moment does not appear necessary. That may not hold true for long, but you have a slight reprieve while we try something a bit less stressful.

Ok-

I went into YAST and repaired as much as I could. I ran the "Repair File System" option, where it scanned my disk for corrupted files and it returned with an error: " Reisner file system of /dev/hdb2 is corrupted." I chose to repair it. I don't know if this did anything. But when I had to log in through console (after start up) , I logged in as root, entered my password, and rather than running the 'startx' command, I ran "init 5" which somehow has managed to send me to KDM- where all of my users are, and all of the different environments are still available. Once logged into the regular desktop, the "Switch User" option is in the KMenu.

Should I take this and assume this to be normal now? Everything still appears to work fine.

Also, I tried your last suggestion (nano -w... ) my console keeps returning it with: "command not found" I also don't believe I have the XF86Config-4 file, but I do just have XF86Config.

I'm not too sure that I should play with the ATI because it was auto-detected with my initial setup. I did however have resolution problems which I have since corrected (misunderstanding between my monitor and the graphics card). And if you have heard word on the streets, ATI doesn't necessarily have the best driver installation package with their graphics card.

Think I should just leave it?

-Spicy

You might want to install nano when you get a chance-- it's quite useful at times like this to have a console-based text editor available. Or at least one you can use, unless you have beforehand printed out a cheatsheet for vi, which is almost certainly installed.

Now that X is working, of course, you can edit /etc/X11/XF86Config with a GUI text editor if you so choose.

Have you looked at my sig? I don't need to listen to the word on the street, I've been using ATI binary drivers for my AIW 9800SE through 5 versions (3.2.8, 3.7.0, 3.7.6, 3.9.0, and 3.11.1). I'm quite familiar with the difficulties of ATI driver install under some distributions-- sadly, SuSE remains of note as the only distro I used where I could not install the ATI drivers successfully (I installed them fine under Mandrake, Slackware, Debian and Gentoo).

There's quite a good HOW-TO at ATI Radeon Linux How-To, but maybe you don't need 3D hardware acceleration (OpenGL) for anything. In which case, if 2D seems to be working fine, then you can leave it alone if you want. It's your machine, your labor, your choice.