Stuck in terminal window!
 

Help --
This has to be the stupidest and most "newbie" of problems. I seem to be stuck in terminal mode. I was trying to load a package and various dependencies through a terminal window and at one point also started a second session (I think I had a terminal window open in this one also). Anyway, I wasn't sure if all my efforts to load the new program had worked, so I got the bright idea I should shut down the computer and re-start it to see if the new program showed up. I'm pretty sure I closed out the terminal window in the session I was working in before shutting down. When I re-started, I found I was in a full-sized terminal window and had to log in from that screen.
I took steps to end the terminal session and close the window ("logout," then alt + F8) but all I end up with is a blinking cursor but I still seem to be stuck in terminal mode -- the mouse seems to have no effect and I can't see the boundries of the terminal window to "x" out.
Can you help?
Thanks

I could not tell you how to fix this, but to help the people with the know-how, you should probably post the output of

You may also want to describe what you see when, at your terminal, you press CTRL+ALT+F7.

Is the terminal you describe within an x-session or simply the black and white terminal?

- Jim

Log in and type startx,then please post what happened.

I'm not sure what kind of terminal I'm stuck in, but I think once I log out of the terminal I end up in a black and white screen.

Sounds like X isn't starting.
You could try 'startx' as others have suggested earlier, but also, depending on what desktop environment you are using, you can try 'startkde' or 'gdm' (if using GNOME). What distribution are you using ? Are your video drivers OK ?

I've used the "startx" command and it launched the kde environment (which is the one I use in mandriva). However, once in kde, I have no input from my keyboard -- I do have input from the mouse. When I go to log out of kde (using the start menu command) I find the only log out option presented is "end this session," whereas under normal circumstances I can shut the computer down from within kde.
Once I end the kde session, I'm back in a terminal window. And regarding the font problem, I've noticed that when I shut down the computer as the configurations are listing on the screen there's a line saying that the X Font Server has Failed.

What should I do to get back into a kde operating environment?

Thanks.

Log in and type startx again.To restart your sytem,for now,do it from the terminal with the command shutdown -r now.If you want to shutdown your machine,from the terminal use poweroff command.When you are back in KDE post the output of /etc/X11/xorg.conf.

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the xorg.conf man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "Files"
# font server independent of the X server to render fonts.
FontPath "unix/:-1"

# minimal fonts to allow X to run without xfs
FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/misc:unscaled"
EndSection

Section "Extensions"
Option "Composite"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
#DontZap # disable <Crtl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
#DontZoom # disable <Crtl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
Load "extmod"
Load "type1"
Load "freetype"
Load "glx" # 3D layer
Load "dri" # direct rendering
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard1"
Driver "kbd"
Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
Option "XkbOptions" "compose:rwin"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse1"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "monitor1"
VendorName "Plug'n Play"
ModelName "EV700"
HorizSync 30-69
VertRefresh 50-120

# TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
# 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 50.00 768 832 846 1000 576 590 595 630

# 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
ModeLine "768x576" 63.07 768 800 960 1024 576 578 590 616
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "device1"
VendorName "Intel Corp."
BoardName "Intel 865"
Driver "i810"
Option "DPMS"
Option "May_Need_ForceBIOS" "1"
Option "XaaNoOffscreenPixmaps" "1"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "screen1"
Device "device1"
Monitor "monitor1"
DefaultColorDepth 16

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "layout1"
InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
Screen "screen1"
EndSection

Above is the output of /etc/x11/xorg.conf copied from the file in hda1 of my system. I still can't use the keyboard on that computer so I'm typing this from an old laptop (Panasonic Toughbook CF-45 with Vector Linux) I have. What's the next step I should follow?
Thanks.

Check if in the ~/.kde/share/config/kaccessrc the SlowKeys=true.If so,change it to SlowKeys=false,then restart the system and please post if the keyboard works.

Ok, I looked around to see if I could find the file you mentioned but I can't. Where should I look? Also, how do I change the file if I need to? (I've seen the term "editor" used but I've never used one -- is that what I'd use? If so, where do I find it and how do I use it?)

Files or directories that start with the . are hidden.There's an option somewhere in the konqueror settings where you can set it to show hidden directories and files.
That directory is in your home folder and you change true to false simply by deleting true and typing false and then saving the file.
Did you tried to log in as root and then startx.If not,please do it.I want to know if keyboard is working then.

from working with other distros but not mandriva a system shut down DURING A UPDATE will mostlikely leave you with a system that is FUBAR'ed ( Google FUBAR )
there is a chance you may be able to undo the update but not much of one . try uninstalling the software and dep.'s you messed up
then reinstalling ????
-------
The easiest thing is to backup onto dvd's and reinstall

I will try logging in as root and typing [B]startx[B]. I won't be able to do that until this evening because I'm not near the mandriva computer. Also, I'm having trouble getting to the internet on the laptop I was using yesterday. Are there other steps I should try when I can get to the problem computer?

Thanks.