I was trying to change the kde splash screen. It worked for a couple times, But then i logged out and went to log back in to show my brother and it just showed the mandrake backgound (the background of the login screen that has a mandrake logo on the bottom right corner) for 3 or 4 seconds and then returned to the login screen. After trying to log in a couple times i restarted and it booted into the non-GUI mode. When i try to start kde it says, the X windows system could not be started.

So now I can't figure out how to get my stuff off before i reinstall mandrake or fix it (if possible)

I don't think you're in such bad shape as you think.

How did you go about changing your splash screen? Via console or in KDE?

when you boot into the console (not into KDE) and type 'startx', what does it exactly say? It usually would say more than just that the X Server cannot start. It should tell you the problem.

I changed it in kde. I also was trying to install some mouse pointers in a console, not sure if that's what did it. when i type "startx" it says command not found. I couldn't type the first 2 or three lines fast enough but when i type "startkde" this is what it said:


/usr/bin/test-windows-key: line 5: xmodmap:command not found
/usr/bin/test-windows-key: line 6: xmodmap:command not found
Startkde: Starting up...

(magicdev:3548) Gdk-WARNING **: locale not supported by Xlib

(magicdev:3548) Gdk-WARNING **: can not set local modifiers

(magicdev:3548) Gdk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
ksplash: cannot connect to X server
kdeinit: Aporting. $DISPLAY is not set.
Warning: connect() failed: : No such file or directory
The following installation problem was detected
while trying to start KDE:

Could not find ‘iccauth’ in path.

KDE is unable to start.
ksmserver: cannot connect to X server
startkde: Shutting down...
Warning: connect() failed: : No such file or directory
Error: Can’t contact kdeinit!
startkde: Running shutdown scripts...
startkde: Done.