gnome gdm login problems
 

i forget to restart the gdm process before i rebooted due to it taking up the majority of my cpu. So now im stuck looking at my desktop. I did manage to gain access ctrl+alt+F6 i think it was and reinstalled gnome-desktop. Thinking it would solve the problem.

etc/gdm/custom.conf still shows up blank

what linux distro are you using
Fedora
Ubuntu
Slackware
Mint
Some other ????

im on a fresh install of fedora 9
google isnt coming up with much

you don't need to restart x to reboot????
your gnome desktop works so you reinstalled it ???
why
so WHAT is wrong?

everything loads just fine but where the login prompt is suppose to be. Nuthing shows up but the desktop background and a blank panel

I think you mean the BOOT background image ? and by blank panel do you mean a white or gray rectangle with nothing on it ?

by chance do you have a ATI 3d card or a pseudo-3d ati built in chip-set
is your system a laptop with ANY pseudo-3d built in chip-set( like a "sis" chip-set )

no its the desktop panel of gnome.

poweron > kernel and modules load > boot splash loads > gets to login part and all thats is a desktop and a mouse cursor its like the login panel is invisble

its a dell poweredge 2500
ati rage

to me it looks like i have to go in and edit the gdm configs by hand for it to work again

well if you are on the desktop then YOU ALREADY logged in
that is the boot splash .
WHAT version of Linux are you using
Fedora
Ubuntu
Slackware
WHAT is it ???

some destros like fedora 9 just got support for the NEW xorg/X11 from ATI
not all ATI cards are supported so if you are on fedora 9 you might need to downgrade xorg/X11 to the fedora 8 one.