Can't startx
 

I'm running a cleanish install of a recent Slackware 9 ISO and on issuing the startx command X is unable to start. The prodominant error appears to be:

gnome-session: error while loading shared libraries: libxml2.so.2: cannot open shared object file: no such file or directory

I can post the rest of the messages I receive if needed if soemone could let me know how I do this :newbie: Thanks for any help

Did you install everything?

No I didn't, evidently I'm guessing. Most of the default programs were installed, I just didn't deselect anything that I didn't understand the description of during install.

Meaning there's a libxml .tgz you need to get. :) Mine's libxml2-2.5.7-i686-1dl, but that was upgraded. I think the original is libxml2-2.5.4-i386-1.tgz and will be on your disk or a mirror in the /l directory.

Hi Zeebro,

I know what you mean about not installing anything you didn't understand the description of, and when I was using M$ software I wanted it as clean as possible. However I found over the course of many installations that its a lot easier to install everything. You can install things a lot more cleanly in Slackware & GNU/Linux than in 'closed-source' software. Unless you are stuck for HD space, install everything, then if you want to do some cleaning up, only remove programs that you understand the description of and don't need :-) Thats just IMHO of course...

Yeah man too right. That's one of the things I love about the linux world, you can actually install what you want to install on YOUR machine (on the subject http://www.kuznetsov.uklinux.net/gal...uxperience.php). Thing is I'm trying to get the box secure and I'm following a guide which instructs you to install only the base linux and networking package. I also want X though so it's proving a nightmare considering I'm a n00b. I'll get there though, it's all welcomed knowledge. Also, thanks for replying both of you 8D

Zeebro,

I totally know where you are coming from about the security angle. However, its unlikely that you will be able to make it totally secure until you know a bit more about your system. If security is your main concern, I would advise installing a full slackware, then doing the following:-

Make sure you turn off any unecessary services such as ftp, http, sendmail, etc. You can see what is loaded at the console by using 'top'. To stop ftp services you will need to comment out the ftp line in /etc/inetd.conf, and while you are there, comment out the 'finger' line. To stop sendmail and the htpp (apache web server), comment out the relevant lines in /etc/rc.d/rc.S (I think its rc.S, I am at work now...) [Shows what I know. Sendmail and apache are run from /etc/rc.d/rc.M of course!]. Then go to /etc/hosts.allow and enter ALL: localhost and in /etc/hosts.deny add ALL: ALL. This is pretty elementary security, but is easy to do and shouldn't inflict with much if you are just running a desktop. When you want to create some firewall rules, you are on your own, I'm still digesting the man pages ;-) You could also pop over to www.slackware.com and look at the security advisories and update any relevant packages.

Finally I have a book from SAMS publishing called Maximum Linux Security. I got it for £9.99 over here (I am assuming you are from the US?) in a discount book store and its well worth the money and includes some security software on a CD. Hope that helps,

munkeh

Thanks for the advice, it's appreciated. This guide is pretty good like, it deals with elementry stuff and I'm slowly getting through it. It seems to account for deeper stuff, potential vunerabilities etc and I ain't got to the hardcore bits yet but I know it goes onto building a firewall and like, good stuff to know for the future. Thing is the box will be a dedicated FTP so I wanna get really locked down to put my mind at ease and learn some of the score with linux security. It's a great doc anyways, you can get it from:

www.giac.org/practical/Seth_DeVries_GCUX.doc

Also I'm from UK not US. It would be nice to get a copy of that book, books are always better than the screen :). Take care man

Anytime d00d. Just Books is where I got it from. If you go to Slashdot and search the security section there will be a lot of interesting links too :) Keep on slackin'!

munkeh

P.S. I would be tempted to write to the author of the paper and aske him what he thought of distributing content for GNU/Linux in Microsoft Word .doc format. Firstly it flies in the face of everything we believe in AND its bad security practice as macros can be spread through MS Word documents. RTF would have been better.

Good point mate, kinda defeatist really. Maybe it's been passed down the line and someone else has converted it, he does seem to know what he's on about. Thanks again for the info, I'll lok into that book when my bank account allows me to do so :)