Hi all,

I am running Redhat 9 (kernel 2.4.20-8 / i686) on an Intel P4, with grub configured to do a dual boot (Win XP and Redhat).

I was unable to start X-windows about a week ago, and (apparently) needed to upgrade the glibc rpms. I tried to do so but the package install failed - I used rpm -Fvh on those.

Since then, when I boot Linux, it gets as far as "Starting xfs: " and then it permanently hangs. (xfs is the X font server). The best I can do is <ctr><alt><del> it and reboot from the install CD to have a temporary working Linux system mounted on a temporary file location.

I have read that if there is not enough space in /tmp or possibly /var then that can cause xfs to be unable to start, so I ensured that I had enough space in those places.

I also read that xfs is unecessary with this version of Redhat, that the True Type fonts are embedded in X-windows and that the trade off of not having the fonts called from a server (internal, in my case) is slight performance reductions.

Can anyone shed some light on how to fix this hanging Redhat 9 system? It would be much appreciated!

Note that I have two suggested workarounds, (which may or may not work), neither of which are a solution in a sense:

1. Remove xfs from the init startup.

2. Re-install all the XFree86 rpms from my CD's.

Justin.

Howzit

If booting with grub when prompt to enter on linux kernel press the e on the keyboard to edit your grub config on the line that pionts to the linux kernel put an s in front then enter. This takes into single user mode once you have entered the s press b on the keyboard to boot this will take u to a prompt. edit /etc/inittab file and change this line id:5:initdefault: from a 5 to a 3 save file and reboot.

When you boot now it should take you to a prompt once again run this cmd to configure X redhat-config-xfree86. Once configured type startx to run X if it worked then ctrl-alt-bkspace to close X edit inittab file back to 5 then reboot.

If still hangs boot into single user mode and mount cd install xfs and X rpms from RH cd

Chow

Thanks mate!

So simple really, and yet I overlooked it.

When I took up your suggestion, fsck ran and found heaps of corrupted inodes. When fsck finished, I had a fully funtioning system again, with X-windows.

However, my problems have now gotten much worse.

Yesterday, I logged on to Gnome, and was unable to start Mozilla. So I ran "Mozilla %u" from the terminal, and got the error msg "Segmentation fault". So, I rebooted, and then I got "Id "x" respawning too fast. Disabled for 5 minutes." I waited 5 minutes and the same msg came up again, so I <ctrl><alt><del> the system, and edited grub to boot into Single user mode. That is when I got the message "Kernel panic. No init".

Can anyone suggest to me what to do? Is all of this indicative of a hardware fault, or do I need to become Redhat certified in order to use Redhat? (note that I never log in to my system as root, I always su my way there if needed, and I have done nothing to alter the system in any way. It just seems to self destruct of its own accord..!)


Justin

Howzit

do u get the grub menu when u boot your machine. if yes then press e to edit your prompt place a s at the end of that line press enter then b to boot. this will take u to a bash shell edit the /etc/grub.conf and place it back to the way it was u might of change something that u should have not.

If u unable to remmeber what u changed then follow these steps:

1.place boot cd and boot
2. at the prompt type linux rescue
3. mount /mnt/cdrom
4. cd (to whaere the rpms are)
5. rpm -Fvh grub-Package-version
6. grub-install

this will repair your grub and then u may boot into RH

chow