There are some similar questions to this, but none of the answers quite work.

I'm running RH7.2 (yes, I know it's old and there are better and more up-to-date versions, but I need this version for some legacy support). It needs to run on an IBM M-series. Initial problems with display (Intel 845 chipset) and network driver.

The solution to get it working was to upgrade the kernel and install XFree86. Now have kernel 2.4.29 and XFree86 4.4. Also fixed network, but that's irrelevant. It worked - I now have a working display and network, but I'm stuck with TWM.

I chose to run KDE. If I run to level 5, then I get the KDE login on the TWM display manager including a box for the Console log. If I login I get twm.

If I login as root to level 3 and fix ~/.xinitrc to exec startkde and do a startx, then I get KDE.

What I want is for the default at level 5 to run kdm and get kde when I login for all users.

I've tried editing /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc to take out twm, but this file doesn't seem to run. /etc/sysconfig.desktop contains DESKTOP="KDE".

So, what files should run from level 3 to level 5 that start X and cause twm to run as the display manager? What do I edit to remove twm at startup? Is there some protection that's wrong that stops some file running and it defaults to twm?