Date: Thu, 19 Dec 1996 13:24:52 -0700 (MST) From: Softweyr LLC <softweyr@xmission.com> To: cbooth@onyx.interactive.net (Christopher J. Booth) Cc: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Stuck in xdm-Land Message-ID: <199612192024.NAA08581@xmission.xmission.com> In-Reply-To: <aede171f000210044325@[208.192.234.127]> from "Christopher J. Booth" at Dec 18, 96 10:00:18 pm
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> But now I can't get rid of it. The xdm login comes up at boot, and it won't
> let me log in as root. I hadn't set up my alter-ego users as permitted to
> run as su. Control-alt-delete just causes xdm to restart, and I can't
> interrupt. Likewise control-c. And it is living on alt-F1 through alt-F2.
> As the man in the Fiat yelled to the man in the sports car racing down the
> highway, "How do I get this thing our of second gear?"
I've seen two other responses, both helpful about stopping xdm, but not
how to get you using xdm. To summarize:
o Ctrl-Alt-F1 will get you to the "F1" console. You can login as root
there and fix things.
o Run xdm from /etc/rc.local rather than /etc/ttys.
Now, on to how to *use* xdm:
When xdm starts a session for a user, it looks in the user's home
directory for an executable .xsession file, which will setup the X
client programs to run. If it doesn't find one, it uses it's default,
which starts an xterm, twm, and a few other bits. The default is
stored somewhere in the xdm configuration directory:
/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xdm
Go find the default xsession file (sorry, I don't remember its name).
Look at it. Look at your current X startup file, whatever that might
be, and merge in your settings for window manager, etc. chmod +x your
shiny new .xsession file. Logout and log back in. Presto chango,
it works!
If it doesn't work; i.e. if you get thrown right back out to Xdm, login
as root and look at the .xsession-errors file in the user's home
directory. Fix the problem it's whining about, remove the file (so you
won't get confused the next time it pukes) and login again.
Suggestion: leave the 'root' login alone. It may be ugly, but it
works.
--
"Where am I, and what am I doing in this handbasket?"
Wes Peters Softweyr LLC
http://www.xmission.com/~softweyr softweyr@xmission.com
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