X-Server won't start
 

My RedHat 9 machine recently froze up on me and so I had to restart it. Now, the X-server won't start.

The black (textual) login screen pops up like usual at first, but this is when the GUI usually starts up as you normally log in through the X-windows. After a few seconds, it exits the black login screen and a blank screen appears. The login screen flashes ever 30 seconds or so.

What can I do to fix this?

type, as root, "redhat-config-xfree86", or something of that sort (can't remember the exact comand, but type "redhat-config-<tab>", it should auto-complete the name). That will help you to reconfigure your X-server.

Good luck!

I've had the same thing happen to me. I have an nvidia card and needed to re-run the nvidia installation as root. If that is your type of card also, you may need to do this. Also, you may need to press a sequence such as <ctrl><alt><f2> to get to a seperate virtual console to be able to login.

Please bear with me for being a newbie) but where do I type this command? I am able to get into the GRUB console by selecting the 'c' option but how can I get to a terminal?

Thanks for helping. I don't have nvidia. The only thing I can think of that might have caused this is that I was installing something and I may have run out of space on the partition.

What is the best way to open a terminal so I can try to fix this?

Hi!

Let your Linux boot all the way. I believe it tries to start the Xserver automatically and then fails right? Let it fail, then press "ctrl + alt + F3". It will bring you to a login console. Login as "root", then type your root password and run the command I've suggested you. It could be slightly wrong, haven't use RH9.0 for a loooong time, but use tab completion to find the correct command.

Good luck!

I have tried "ctrl + alt + f3" and f2 and all the others, but nothing happens. I still get a login screen which disappears after about 5 seconds no matter what. I am stuck in this state, unless I perform a hard restart.

help!

It sounds to me like init is respawning the gdm/kdm login program. You will probably need to boot up into the rescue system, and edit the /etc/fstab file so that the line that reads:
# The default runlevel is defined here
id:5:initdefault:

instead reads
# The default runlevel is defined here
id:3:initdefault:

It will probably be the first uncommented line in the file.
This will change the default runlevel to the networked, multiuser mode rather than the networked, multiuser, GUI mode.

Then save the file, and reboot into the system. Log in as root and run the setup command that Megaman X mentioned in his post above.