I just installed Slackware 10.2, rebooted and logged in as root. I then ran xorgconfig and xwmconfig. No problems so far. Then I created a user using adduser. Still no problems. Finally I switch to my newly created user 'jason' and try to startx and get a 'command not found' message. Same thing if I try to run xwmconfig. I even tried copying /var/X11R6/lib/xinit/xinitrc to ~/.xinitrc but still I get 'command not found' when I try to startx or xwmconfig.

I have now setup my system to boot into run level 4 and am using KDM and I can log into KDE as my user, 'jason', but when I try to log into a console as root from KDM I get a console screen with no prompt and after a minute it just takes me back to KDM.

So I wanted to change my boot up run level back to 3. I opened Konsole in KDE as 'jason' and opened /etc/inittab using vi. But vi in the KDE Konsole won't let me delete!!!!! When I press delete it just switches vi to Command mode which should only happen when I press escape. Infact, the arrows and the insert, delete, end and home keys are all witching vi into Command mode. Backspace just moves the cursor.

Shouldn't I be able to use vi in the KDE Konsole? Shouldn't I be able to run startx and xwmconfig as a user? Shouldn't I be able to log into a console from KDM?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

That is because startx is not in the PATH of jason.

/etc/inittab can only be edited by root as it is a system file. jason shouldn't be able to run xorgconfig as well as /etc/X11/xorg.conf belongs to root and is read only for others

It seems jason does has his environment variables all screwed up.

I would say: boot in a mode were you can like single mode, userdel -r jason, then recreate it like

useradd -b jason, then passwd jason imediatly to give jason a passwd.

That is a list of problems there. Think i might be able to help out with one or two.

To start off with, xwmconfig and startx.
The 'file not found' output denotes that your $PATH variable is not configured for your new user. Unfortunately, I cannot help with the correct method of setting up your $PATH variable. I know it is configured in the file '/etc/profile' but y it is not working with your new user, i am unsure. To run startx or xwmconfig as your new user, temporarily ... you can start them with the full path ie: '/usr/X11R6/bin/startx'
or manually set your $PATH variable to include /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/usr/games:/opt/www/htdig/bin:/usr/lib/java/bin:/usr/lib/java/jre/bin:/opt/kde/bin:/usr/lib/qt/bin:/usr/share/texmf/bin:.
But that is a terrible way about it, sorry.

Now, for the one I can help with
Instead of using 'vi' use 'vim' and you will see why soon. Now, from a console .. "cp /usr/share/vim/vim63/vimrc_example.vim ~/.vimrc"
This is a default set of options for vim which amongst other things will change the keyboard settings so that the arrow keys and delete and backspace key works. Read through it and muck about if ya like but there isn't that much to change.

To change from run level 4 to run level 3 at boot, using your current settings...
start a konsole and then type...
su -c "vi /etc/inittab"
enter your root password
then place your cursor over the default run level '4', press 'r' then '3' then 'wq'

Hope that helped a little