New Instalation Doesn't Initialize KDE

Freedom Seeker · 02-11-2006, 10:05 PM

I just installed Slackware 10.2 (full install option). After using LILO to boot the bare.i nousb kernel, the text notification screen fills up and I am prompted with the following after the kernel boots, hotplug scans everything, etc.

Welcome to Linux 2.4.31 (tty1)

Slackware login: root
Password: root password
Linux 2.4.31.
Last login: Sat Feb 11 21:13:45 -006 2006 on tty1
You have mail.

If this is timesharing, give me my share right now.
It's not time yet.

root@Slackware:~#

I want to run the KDE desktop automatically like its supposed to

, just like everybody else's installation guide's says happen. Again, I used the install everything option. The only fancy thing I specified was to pass the nousb argument to the kernel in LILO's setup. The first time I saw the text prompt listed above, I typed in root when it prompted me to, expecting the KDE desktop to appear. How do I get the KDE desktop to appear automatically? Is this a standard instalation prompt?

Installation notes:
Slackware Partition: 12 GB JFS - hda3
Linux Swap: 756MB - hda1
I made a linux boot disk from the slackware instalation onto floppy (it presents me with the same text prompt)
I have LILO on a floppy (configured for windows and linux)
I used to CD's burnt from ISO's with good MD5 checksums.
I have a Knoppix 4.0.2 CD if that would be useful.

MMYoung · 02-11-2006, 10:19 PM

First off, you need to create a user. It's not a good practice to try and run X as root. Not saying you can't do it, just saying it ain't a good practice.

After you create a new user, you will need to edit the /etc/inittab file and change the following line:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:3:initdefault:

It needs to read:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:4:initdefault:

This will start a KDM/XDM session so you can log in "graphically".

BTW, the text login is the default login for Slackware.

HTH,
MMYoung

Jeebizz · 02-11-2006, 10:20 PM

If you prefer to automatically have Slackware start an xwindows session, edit your /etc/inittab , and change

Code:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:3:initdefault:

to

Code:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:4:initdefault:

Then edit /etc/rc.d/rc.4 and choose what you want to startup as a login manager, GDM, KDM, or XDM, by uncommenting the lines that execute said login manager. Now, I am assuming that also you have created a user with adduser before choosing to go into an XWindows session. Also, if KDE does not startup, but a different window manager, simply run xwmconfig (not as root, but as the user you created) and choose KDE... Anyways, I hope this helps.

[EDIT]

Looks like I've been beaten to it.

320mb · 02-11-2006, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freedom Seeker

I want to run the KDE desktop automatically like its supposed to

did you configure the X-server yet??

Code:

xorgconfig

then "startx" will get you into the GUI.........
then as root you need to setup the "login manager"........your using Slackware now, not fedora OR mandrake........Slack lets you customize Everything yourself so you make it perform the way YOU want it to........more than likely you need to Read the "Slackware Essentials Book"!!

Freedom Seeker · 02-11-2006, 10:25 PM

Given I am still a newbie and have only used minimal text interfaces in linux, what codes (in detail) should I run to create a new user? Also, would it be easier to use Knoppix to change the /etc/inittab file? Is there any documentation I can reference to on that? Thanks.

Jeebizz · 02-11-2006, 10:34 PM

To create a new user, simply run adduser , and to edit files such as the inittab, you can use pico or vi. I myself use pico, since it is easy to work with.

Also, the man command is your friend too. Try typing

Code:

man inittab

To see what comes up.

MMYoung · 02-11-2006, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freedom Seeker

Given I am still a newbie and have only used minimal text interfaces in linux, what codes (in detail) should I run to create a new user? Also, would it be easier to use Knoppix to change the /etc/inittab file? Is there any documentation I can reference to on that? Thanks.

To create a user log in as root and type in:

adduser

It will prompt you for all the other stuff. One thing you might want to look into is group permissions. At a MINIMUM, I would suggest adding the user to users, cdrom and audio groups. I also like being a memeber of the sys, disk, floppy and wheel groups as well. Make sure you don't put any spaces between the groups and seperate with a comma. Personally I lile /bin/bash for my shell, but others don't. It's all up to you.

As far as editing the /etc/inittab file you can us vi, but since you said you don't have much CL experience, you might try pico. Again as root:

pico /etc/inittab

Just delete the 3, put the 4 in it's place and press Ctrl x to exit, answer y to save the file and then just press enter to end.

[EDIT]Jeebizz beat me this time

[/EDIT]

HTH,
MMYoung

Freedom Seeker · 02-12-2006, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 320mb

........more than likely you need to Read the "Slackware Essentials Book"!!

What year did slackware release it's second edition? I'm interested in purchasing it (Ebay).

I found it:
-1st Edition - 2000
-2nd Edition - 2005

Woodsman · 02-12-2006, 07:10 PM

As a new user, consider visiting this link:

A Slackware Desktop Enhancement Guide

I hope this helps.

soulestream · 02-12-2006, 07:16 PM

Quote:

I want to run the KDE desktop automatically like its supposed to

Everyone mentioned how to fix this, but I would like to point out. KDE isnt supposed to run automatically on slackware. Level 3 is default.

soule

MMYoung · 02-12-2006, 07:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulestream

Everyone mentioned how to fix this, but I would like to point out. KDE isnt supposed to run automatically on slackware. Level 3 is default.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMYoung

BTW, the text login is the default login for Slackware.

In my first reply to the OP

.

Later,
MMYoung

soulestream · 02-12-2006, 08:07 PM

missed it

soule

Freedom Seeker · 02-12-2006, 09:16 PM

As Jeebizz and MMYoung said, i changed the default runlevel to 4 after creating a user. When I rebooted, the system hung and the last thing on the was "Starting up X11 session manager..." and below was a solid cursor box which was non-responsive. The keyboard was also unresponsive. Ctrl+Alt+Del was the only function I knew the system responded to. Afterwards I used Knoppix to modify /etc/rc.d/rc.4 since slackware was now useless. (I added the extra echos for debugging and swapped the order of KDE and GNOME.)

Code:

# Try to use KDE's kdm session manager:
if [ -x /opt/kde/bin/kdm ]; then
   echo "try KDE" 
   exec /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
   echo "try KDE"
fi

# Not there?  OK, try to use GNOME's gdm session manager:
if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
   echo "try GNOME" 
   exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
   echo "try GNOME" 

# If all you have is XDM, I guess it will have to do:
if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
  echo "try XDM" 
  exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon
  echo "try XDM" 
fi

When I rebooted form linux (still in level 4), The system hung up and the screen showed:

Starting up X11 session manager...
try KDE

I rechecked /etc/rc.d/rc.4 and /etc/inittab/ . I have not yet run xorgconfig. What should I do? Below is the code for the two files. (I reset them to installation defaults) Thankyou for helping.

/etc/rc.d/rc.4

Code:

#! /bin/sh
#
# rc.4        This file is executed by init(8) when the system is being
#        initialized for run level 4 (XDM)
#
# Version:    @(#)/etc/rc.d/rc.4    2.00    02/17/93
#
# Author:    Fred N. van Kempen, <waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org>
# At least 47% rewritten by:  Patrick J. Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
echo "Starting up X11 session manager..."

# Try to use KDE's kdm session manager:
if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
  echo "try GNOME" 
  exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
  echo "try GNOME" 
fi

# Not there?  OK, try to use GNOME's gdm session manager:
if [ -x /opt/kde/bin/kdm ]; then
  echo "try KDE" 
  exec /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
  echo "try KDE" 
fi

# If all you have is XDM, I guess it will have to do:
if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
  echo "try XDM" 
  exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon
  echo "try XDM" 
fi

# error
echo
echo "Hey, you don't have KDM, GDM, or XDM.  Can't use runlevel 4 without"
echo "one of those installed."
sleep 30

# All done.

/etc/inittab

Code:

#! /bin/sh
#
# rc.4        This file is executed by init(8) when the system is being
#        initialized for run level 4 (XDM)
#
# Version:    @(#)/etc/rc.d/rc.4    2.00    02/17/93
#
# Author:    Fred N. van Kempen, <waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org>
# At least 47% rewritten by:  Patrick J. Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
echo "Starting up X11 session manager..."

# Try to use KDE's kdm session manager:
if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
  echo "try GNOME" 
  exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
  echo "try GNOME" 
fi

# Not there?  OK, try to use GNOME's gdm session manager:
if [ -x /opt/kde/bin/kdm ]; then
  echo "try KDE" 
  exec /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
  echo "try KDE" 
fi

# If all you have is XDM, I guess it will have to do:
if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
  echo "try XDM" 
  exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon
  echo "try XDM" 
fi

# error
echo
echo "Hey, you don't have KDM, GDM, or XDM.  Can't use runlevel 4 without"
echo "one of those installed."
sleep 30

# All done.

MMYoung · 02-13-2006, 06:27 AM

Why did you do that? You need to change your /etc/rc.d/rc.4 back to the original. You did make a backup of it didn't you? If not here is /etc/rc.d/rc.4:

Code:

#! /bin/sh
#
# rc.4		This file is executed by init(8) when the system is being
#		initialized for run level 4 (XDM)
#
# Version:	@(#)/etc/rc.d/rc.4	2.00	02/17/93
#
# Author:	Fred N. van Kempen, <waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org>
# At least 47% rewritten by:  Patrick J. Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
echo "Starting up X11 session manager..."

# Try to use GNOME's gdm session manager:
if [ -x /usr/sbin/gdm ]; then
  exec /usr/sbin/gdm -nodaemon
fi
if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
  exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
fi

# Not there?  OK, try to use KDE's kdm session manager:
if [ -x /opt/kde/bin/kdm ]; then
  exec /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
fi

# If all you have is XDM, I guess it will have to do:
if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
  exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon
fi

# error
echo
echo "Hey, you don't have KDM, GDM, or XDM.  Can't use runlevel 4 without"
echo "one of those installed."
sleep 30

# All done.

Next do the same for your /etc/inittab as it is ALL WRONG! If you didn't make a backup of it before your hackery, here it is:

Code:

#
# inittab	This file describes how the INIT process should set up
#		the system in a certain run-level.
#
# Version:	@(#)inittab		2.04	17/05/93	MvS
#                                       2.10    02/10/95        PV
#                                       3.00    02/06/1999      PV
#                                       4.00    04/10/2002      PV
#
# Author:	Miquel van Smoorenburg, <miquels@drinkel.nl.mugnet.org>
# Modified by:	Patrick J. Volkerding, <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# These are the default runlevels in Slackware:
#   0 = halt
#   1 = single user mode
#   2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
#   3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel)
#   4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers)
#   5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3)
#   6 = reboot

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:3:initdefault:

# System initialization (runs when system boots).
si:S:sysinit:/etc/rc.d/rc.S

# Script to run when going single user (runlevel 1).
su:1S:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.K

# Script to run when going multi user.
rc:2345:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.M

# What to do at the "Three Finger Salute".
ca::ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t5 -r now

# Runlevel 0 halts the system.
l0:0:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.0

# Runlevel 6 reboots the system.
l6:6:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.6

# What to do when power fails.
pf::powerfail:/sbin/genpowerfail start

# If power is back, cancel the running shutdown.
pg::powerokwait:/sbin/genpowerfail stop

# These are the standard console login getties in multiuser mode:
c1:1235:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty1 linux
c2:1235:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty2 linux
c3:1235:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty3 linux
c4:1235:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty4 linux
c5:1235:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty5 linux
c6:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty6 linux

# Local serial lines:
#s1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100
#s2:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -L ttyS1 9600 vt100

# Dialup lines:
#d1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -mt60 38400,19200,9600,2400,1200 ttyS0 vt100
#d2:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -mt60 38400,19200,9600,2400,1200 ttyS1 vt100

# Runlevel 4 used to be for an X window only system, until we discovered
# that it throws init into a loop that keeps your load avg at least 1 all 
# the time. Thus, there is now one getty opened on tty6. Hopefully no one
# will notice. ;^)
# It might not be bad to have one text console anyway, in case something 
# happens to X.
x1:4:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.4

# End of /etc/inittab

Now restart your PC to the default Slackware text prompt. Log in as root and type in:

Code:

xwmconfig

Select whichever DE/WM you want to start when Slackware starts.

Next type in:

Code:

xorgsetup

This will autodetect your hardware and write a new /etc/X11/xorg.conf file that's "little better" than the standard one installed by default. Log out as root and log in as the user you created and type in:

Code:

startx

This should start up whichever DE/WM you selected when you used the xwmconfig command above. If it doesn't you've got "bigger fish to fry" as we say down here. If it does you can change your /etc/inittab so that your PC starts X when Slackware starts.

Now then X started when you typed in startx so you want to set X to start when you start Slackware. Log out of X, log out as user and then log back in as root. The ONLY file that needs to be changed for that to happen is /etc/inittab, and the ONLY line that needs to be changed in /etc/inittab is THIS LINE ONLY:

Code:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:3:initdefault:

Change it to read:

Code:

# Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6)
id:4:initdefault:

HTH,
MMYoung

Freedom Seeker · 02-13-2006, 11:29 AM

Thank alot! I finally got the KDE desktop to start up in Slackware.
After the installation, all I needed to do was adduser, xorgconf (make sure to make a backup of xorg.conf before your modify it), startx, and after it worked to change the default runlevel in the inittab file (see above.)
Thankyou so much for helping. Also, I realized the Slackware Essentials (2nd Ed.) book is essential to running Slackware. Once again, thankyou all.