Since i install slackware (2 weeks ago), i've been booting init 3 and starting xwindows with startx, right! and i install vmware fine. But what is bizarre is that when i change the /etc/inittab file and defaulted to boot with init 4, i lot of the programs i've installed, after initializing x windows with startx, including vmare do not work. But if i change my inittab file to init3 it works. Isn't that bizarre?
Anybody knows how to fix this issue?

Thanks before hand.......

Run level 4 isn't defined in UNIX. Try using run level 5 to start X automatically when the system starts.

Thanks. However, runlevel 5 in slackware is the same as runlevel 3.

Well, sort of, but technically, runlevel 4 is defined: as user-definable.

In Slackware, runlevel 4 is defined as GUI mode, which in Sys V systems is runlevel 5.

Although you can change inittab to boot into a different runlevel, you can modify this on-the-fly at boot by manually editing the boot manager options. I'm unsure about Lilo, but with GRUB, press Esc and then edit the boot option by adding init=4. This method saves having to always edit inittab when wanting to boot to another runlevel.

A better option is to create additional boot options in the boot loader. Then inittab never has to be edited as both runlevels are available at boot time. The idea is explained here:

Configuring Slackware for a GUI and a Command Line Startup

When you boot into runlevel 3, your graphical environment is defined by xinitrc. Either the system default, which is located at /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc or user defined, which is located at ~/.xinitrc. To create a user-defined ~/.xinitrc, run xwmconfig from the command line.

When you boot into runlevel 4, you have to specify which graphical environment you want. Otherwise the login manager will use a default selection. If you select a GUI that is different from what you selected in runlevel 3, then you more than likely will not see the same programs being available as you did with runlevel 3. Be sure to choose the same graphical environment in both runlevels.

With that said, you described "initializing with startx." Startx is a shell script that is not run at any runlevel. Startx is run manually from the command line. In Slackware, booting into runlevel 4 uses /etc/rc.d/rc.4.

In inittab, verify at the bottom of the file that /etc/rc.d/rc.4 is listed.

Then verify that /etc/rc.d/rc.4 is executable (chmod +x).

If you study /etc/rc.d/rc.4 you'll notice the script looks for three display managers: GDM, KDM, and XDM. One of those programs must be installed for rc.4 to successfully start booting into runlevel 4.

The stock Slackware does not include Gnome, therefore GDM is unlikely to be installed. If you installed KDE, then KDM should be installed. You might have to perform some configurations on the KDM login manager. The configuration file is located at /etc/kde/kdm/kdmrc. Usually you do not need to manually edit the file. Instead, boot into runlevel 3. While in KDE, open the KDE Control Center. Select the System Administration option, then select Login Manager. If necessary, select the Administrator Mode button at the bottom and enter root's password to obtain access. Save your changes and then reboot into runlevel 4.

If you do not have KDM installed, then you should at least have XDM installed. The configuration files for XDM are installed in /etc/X11/xdm.