problem logging in as main user

[Guest]

When I try to log in to KDE using my main user account, I get my KDE wallpaper with a console window in the top left, and nothing else. typing starkde causes KDE to start, but it then immediately kicks me back to the login screen. By booting in recovery mode and running startx I was able to get into KDE; I made a second user account, with which I can log into KDE using the normal method, but I still can't log in using my main account. Any ideas?

[aysiu]

Re: problem logging in as main user

While it may be possible to track down what configuration file is messed up in /home/mainuser, I think your best bet is to ditch your main user account and just use the second user account.

Boot into recovery mode.

Then type

adduser seconduser admin

seconduser should be the second user you've already made "with which [you] can log into KDE using the normal method." This command will add the second user to the admin group in order to perform administrative (sudo) tasks.

usermod -l mainuser backupuser

This will change the username of the main user to something else.

usermod -l seconduser mainuser

This will change the username of the second user to the main user's original username.

reboot

Then log in as the second user. Press Alt-F2. Type

kdesu konqueror

Retrieve all the personal files (documents, picture, music, whatever) from /home/backupuser and copy them to /home/mainuser. When you're done, type this command into the terminal:

sudo chown -R mainuser:mainuser /home/mainuser

This will make sure the new main user (the one that used to be the old user) has ownership of all the personal files. Finally, go to KMenu > System > Users and Groups (or whatever it's called...

kdesu kuser

may be the command) and make sure your new user is in all the other appropriate groups (to play audio, etc.).

[Guest]

Re: problem logging in as main user

I'm slightly reluctant to do that. Further fiddling has revealed that if, from the login screen, I select console login and log in using my main user account, running startx causes KDE to run perfectly. Does that give any clue as to what might be wrong?