Problems after upgrading from Fedora 7 to Fedora 9
 

Recently I upgraded my Compaq Armada E500 laptop running Fedora 7 to Fedora 9.
I can no longer find the "enable automatic login" feature, and when I try to minimise any window, it just disappears and can't be recovered.
I've failed to find an answer to either of these problems on Google, nor on Linux Forums, although I've read somewhere that Fedora 9 can be problematic on older machines, which I guess mine is.

If you are using kde, then rename the .kde* folder. If you want any of your earlier application settings, restore selectively.

If you follow the package manager, then upgrades may be safe.

F9 seems to insist on using the GNOME display manager, and that display manager, I believe, no longer supports automatic logon.

<edit>
Oops! :confused: You can get Fedora 9 to use KDM instead of GDM as your display manager! :D
Just create a file /etc/sysconfig/desktop like this:and you'll be using KDM the next time you boot.

If you're running KDM, the settings in the "Login Manager" in the "Advanced" tab of the "System Settings" dialog can be used to set up an automatic logon or, a safer alternative, I think, to default to a specific user and focus on the "Password" line.

The reason I thought that this wouldn't work is that the the /usr/bin/kdm executable was missing until I upgraded to KDE 4.1 from the updates-testing repository.
</edit>

I would note, however, that having an auto logon feature enabled on a laptop is an "open door" if the laptop is stolen or, hopefully, just "lost." (Would you believe that some people are so foolish that they autologon to "root" on a laptop? Sheesh!)

That being said, I think that you could set up /etc/rc.d/rc.local to automatically do a login at the end of the boot process. Note that that is a supposition - I've never tried it.

As to your other problem, check your task-bar at the top of the screen if you're using GNOME. (Yes, I know that's obvious, but some users are so fixated on the Windows defaults that they only look at the bottom of the screen.)

Did you try the <TAB> and <SHIFT-TAB> keys? By default, they should "walk" you through all your running applications and let you select any one, even a minimized (or invisible) one.

Thanks to Amani and PTrenholme for your replies.
I am using Gnome (by default)and will check the upper taskbar as you suggest.
I've already checked the lower one because when trying to minimise a window I get a series of rectangular frames disappearing into the lower right hand corner of the screen.
I've noticed that when I shut down, I sometimes see small minimised windows in the upper left hand corner which disappear too quickly to check.
My laptop is quite old and never leaves the house, and I'm the only user, though I never login as root unless I need to.
I've read somewhere that Fed 9 isn't happy with older hardware, and I'm wondering if this could be the problem or part thereof. My laptop must be nearly 10 years old!
norm