Slackware 14.1 x86_64 with XFCE 4.10.

At start up my Slack boots up to runlevel 3 and thats OK.
Whenever I need to get into X, I execute startx.
It starts XFCE (desired desktop) automatically. However I never get login screen before.

How can I change this and have a login screen before entering to XFCE ?
NOTE: I know that I can change default runlevel in /etc/inittab to 4 and then - yes - I get the login screen right away after start up. But that's not the case.

in runlevel 3 you cannot execute startx at all if you don't login in a console session first, and that most probably happens above between "OK." and "Whenever".

maybe I'm missing the real question, but if you are already in an open session it doesn't make sense to login again.

do you mean that in runlevel 3 you don't get a login prompt? in this case can it be you customized your /etc/inittab?

I think that's normal if you're already logged in and run startx. If you run init 4 then xdm/kdm/gdm is started instead of xinit.

1 members found this post helpful.

Runlevel 3 logs you in at the Console only, not the X session.

Greetings
I like the caution and flexibility of redundancy so I boot to runlevel 3 and then employ KDM or GDM (XDM works but isn't quite as full-featured as either "K" or "G"). The KDM login screen has many features and can have multiple instances of the same DE/WM with differing defaults. GDM is almost as cool but is just slightly less well-organized to me and I find KDM easier to modify for a truly custom screen.

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi all,
thanks for replies.

@ponce and ReaperX7: I think you completely missed the point.
means - yes, I am logged in to CLI.
Next:
means hmm... how to explain it more simple...It means: I type startx command in CLI and that brings me to XFCE.

Anyway, @enorbet and elcore - XDM is what I was looking for, thanks
I guess it should be possible to force startx to execute xdm instead XFCE right away without login screen.

You probably want to take a look at these, I just execute rc.4 (init 4) to start the session manager from console. When you run startx, it finds startxfce4 in xinitrc and runs /usr/bin/startxfce4 (executing startx as root is not recommended btw)

You could just type kdm instead of startx.

But it will only work if you log in as root in runlevel 3...

So AFAIK no, there is now way to login at run level 3 as a regular user, then launch kdm. At least no safe way.

For the same safety reasons telinit 4 has to be run by root.

Maybe your goal is to be able to use another windows manager or desktop than the default one set up through xwconfig.

Then you could just issue, instead of startx, the relevant command. For instance that could be one of these:
startblackbox
startkde
startfluxbox
startfvwm2
startxfce4.

Or you could set up a small script that let you choose one of these, possibly through a menu displayed by the 'dialog' application.

But

login at run level 3 as a regular user, then launch kdm??????

What for?

Login for next login?

Perversion IMO :-)

I'm afraid I don't understand the need to login twice either.

I think you were missing their points. Your computer is working as intended. When you type startx, it is supposed to start up your chosen WM/DE, not launch you into a login prompt (since you're already logged in).

kdm/xdm/gdm are all designed to allow you to log in and then go to your chosen WM/DE. Since you already logged in under runlevel 3, there is no reason to display the login prompts.

Essentially, you're asking why startx doesn't do what its not supposed to do, just like asking why typing logout doesn't log you into the computer. The command startx is not designed to get you a login prompt. You'll need to look at the other options people have suggested here if you desire to go from a logged in runlevel 3 to a login prompt in runlevel 4.

@bassmadrigal - I think u also missed the point + you missed this topic is already solved.
Read more carefully.

That sounds like malice.

When asking for help please use a better tone with people and take all suggestions as they are presented and with a grain of salt. Unless you clearly put forth your intention of logging in twice, which is not what you presented, you asked why startx doesn't bring up a login screen, then answering your question accurately is problematic. Startx starts the X session only, which is what you asked about, so please hold back any complaints about our answers to YOUR question. Had you asked specifically, how can I use runlevel 3 to have root, without X running, able to login while supporting a separate X session that is not logged in? We would have told you to use kdm directly.

Ugh, Im really surprised...
Please look at my answer from 07-09-15, 10:47 (where I assume this topic is solved and that's it).

I said:
I think that this is good tone. No?

Secondly, you wrote:
I have never written its opposite:
Its really OK. I like runlevel 3 where I have CLI...
Did you also read my NOTE at first post ?

And the last thing I want to say in this thread:
I use this forum for so long time and want to say how much I appreciate all help I receive here.

ps.
I hope this topic can be closed now. If anyone wants to continue then PM please.

However one last public question, please Sir.

What puzzles me is that you marked this thread as [SOLVED] although I can't see what solution you did put in practice.

Unless you mean that you renounced to do what you initially wanted, could you please describe what you ended up doing, that you find satisfactory?

I ask because that could help others with the same need or wish as yours.