problem logging in

FrenetiC · 08-16-2006, 07:42 PM

i recently installed Linux on a new harddrive, and after finishing the installation, it asked to login.. so i put 'root' as my login, and the password i set when i installed it.. after that, i THINK i'm supposed to type 'startx'? i've never used Linux before though.. anyway, i typed that in, and it says(among other things) "Fatal server error: no screen found"

any idea how to fix this? i really need this computer running when school starts on monday

Tinkster · 08-16-2006, 07:54 PM

Hi,

What distro did you install? No screen found means that X isn't configured
properly. And while you're still fresh and young to the Linux community:
never, EVER run your box as root. Create a separate user for every day
tasks, and save your root account for when you really need it.

Btw, the thread title is misleading: you ARE logged in, you're just
not using X.

Cheers,
Tink

FrenetiC · 08-16-2006, 07:56 PM

hey thanks,
yea i heard that about root, but i honestly dunno what else to do, as i said i'm very new to linux and wasn't sure of any other command to use, since i don't recall giving it a login id to use with the password.
as for the distro, it's Red Hat Linux 9, if that's what you were asking for

Tinkster · 08-16-2006, 08:07 PM

Quote:

it's Red Hat Linux 9, if that's what you were asking for

It is indeed. Try running XConfigurator ( I think that's their command-line tool
to set-up X) ... how new/recent is the hardware? Chances are that -since RH9 is
quite ancient- it may actually not be able to handle your graphics card.

As for root: try
adduser and/or useradd (read their man-pages) to create a normal user account
for yourself, preferably with a different password than roots.

Cheers,
Tink

FrenetiC · 08-16-2006, 08:26 PM

i successfully created a new user, thank you

so have that.. but the other one didn't work, it says "-bash: xconfigurator: command not found"
and so it still won't let me go any further than that

Tinkster · 08-16-2006, 08:45 PM

Try with capital X and/or c Linux is case-sensitive.

Cheers,
Tink

FrenetiC · 08-16-2006, 08:49 PM

tried 'Xconfigurator', 'xConfigurator', 'xconfigurator', and 'XConfigurator', and all of em gave me the same 'command not found' response

jojotx0 · 08-16-2006, 08:50 PM

I believe using "redhat-config-xfree86" while in text mode, (no X session running) will run the X Configuration program console version (instead of the graphical setup program)

FrenetiC · 08-16-2006, 08:54 PM

i did that, and then 'startx', and it worked.. thank you very very much!!!

Tinkster · 08-16-2006, 08:56 PM

Heh ... glad all is well, and I'm by no means a DeadRat expert ;}

Cheers,
Tink