x wont start
 

when logging as root and starting X it loads ang goes through the motions, but then the screen goes blank and then i get back to the terminal screen with the "waiting for x server to shut down" line. im logged in as a normal user and it works fine for some reason :(

any ideas?

read the log file: /var/log/XFree86.0.log, it might give a hint.
Can you start kdm as root?
Then try to login as root or normal_user and see where that gets you.

This page is an interesting read: file:///usr/X11R6/lib/X11/doc/html/xinit.1.html

HTH

ran kdm and now im in... dunno y this works and startx dosnt.

just another quick question. how do i run kdm from bootup? so that when i boot into linux, kdm comes up instad of a terminal screen?

Edit '/etc/initab' and set default runlevel to 4.

---------
# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:4:initdefault:
---------

or add a line to the end of rc.local:
/opt/kde/bin/kdm

BTW, to get back to command line without killing x, use key combo
ctrl-alt-F1, then ctrl-F7 to get back into x.

<begin preaching>
you really shouldn't need to go into x as root, with su, sudo, xhost
and whatnot, you'll avoid trouble if you avoid being root user
as much as possible.
<end preaching>