Graphical boot problem!

[magic-chef]

I have made quite a mess for myself! I originally had Ubuntu but, wanted to try Kubuntu. I followed the directions and used aptitude to install the kde-desktop package. After the download an installation routine began that asked if I wanted KDE to be the default....I clicked on yes. When I tried to use the red Icon on the launch bar to switch users it told me I did not have gdm installed. So I installed the gdm from the command line. This did not solve the problem either. I was supposed to get the installation screen but, did not. I rebooted the computer from the command prompt. When the computer restarted it was in command line mode. I logged in and typed startX, then startx, and nothing happened in either case...i was informed that /usr/bin/startX did not exist.

This is where I am now....HELP!!!

[toad]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

OK, seems like you have to get KDM to run properly. On the command line, try

sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start

If it doesn't know about kdm, do

sudo apt-get install kdm

During the install process it will ask you whether you want to use kdm or gdm as a default - select kdm.

If you find that kdm is already installed but not properly configured I _think_ the command is

sudo dpkg-reconfigure kdm

Now do another sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start and off you go

[dibl]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

I originally had Ubuntu but, wanted to try Kubuntu. I followed the directions and used aptitude to install the kde-desktop package.

OK, this is where you went wrong. Try this:

sudo apt-get install kubuntu-desktop

That should bring in KDM and all the KDE packages that come with Kubuntu.

[toad]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

Ah, dibl to the rescue - cheers. Follow his directions as they are easier.

I wonder which directions you followed to botch it up?

[magic-chef]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

OK, seems like you have to get KDM to run properly. On the command line, try

sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start

If it doesn't know about kdm, do

sudo apt-get install kdm

During the install process it will ask you whether you want to use kdm or gdm as a default - select kdm.

If you find that kdm is already installed but not properly configured I _think_ the command is

sudo dpkg-reconfigure kdm

Now do another sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start and off you go

thanks toad! Your instructions worked fine. Now, how do I have this happen automatically on reboot? Also, can I set it up so I have a choice between the ubuntu desktop and the kubuntu desktop?

[dibl]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

Also, can I set it up so I have a choice between the ubuntu desktop and the kubuntu desktop?

You should have a choice on the GUI login screen -- there's a little icon to the right of your password entry -- looks like a little piece of lined paper or something. At the time you fill in your password, click it and then choose "Session" and it should offer you the choice of Gnome or KDE.

[magic-chef]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

I get a command prompt at boot up. It does not start in the graphical mode. How can I fix this?

[dibl]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

Hmmm. This could get complicated, depending on what all is inhibiting the GUI.

For starters, if you are booting to the CLI, log in with your normal user name and password, then issue this command:

sudo /etc/init.d/kdm start

What happens?

[magic-chef]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

KDM starts up. I want it to do this automatically if I need to reboot.

[Snowhog]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

This almost sounds like a /boot/grub/menu.lst setting problem. If, when the started, you had booted into single user mode (Recovery) and you have the GRUB option to remember last boot set, this might explain your problem.

[toad]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

OK, first check whether Snowhog's nose is twitching in the right direction. If not, do what dibl suggested in his first post and take it from there.

If it still does not work as it should, I can only think of looking at your /etc/inittab file. Right at the beginning it tells you your default runlevel. The first five lines should contain something like this (from my inittab on Debian Etch)

# The default runlevel.
id:2:initdefault:

Here the default runlevel is 2. Your mileage may vary - let's say it is x. Now go to /etc/rcx.d/ directory and check whether there is an entry for kdm and report back.

Best post the relevant bits of info straight from your system so we can be sure to eliminate typos etc.

[kubicle]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

If it still does not work as it should, I can only think of looking at your /etc/inittab file.

There's no /etc/inittab file in *buntus, it's been 'obsoleted' by upstart (one of those things where debian≠*buntu )

Anyway, I agree with your suspicions that there are no startup links for kdm in /etc/rcX.d directories and kdm doesn't start.

sudo update-rc.d kdm defaults

should do the trick. (you can run it with the -n option to see what it does before making changes)

sudo update-rc.d -n kdm defaults

post back if you get error messages

[toad]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

cool stuff, kubicle!!! Learn something new every day

And I never heard of the update-rc.d command either, got to look into that - very nice!

[magic-chef]

Re: Graphical boot problem!

Thanks to all!

I finally got the setup working well again. The last step was reconfiguring kde and the graphical login loads automatically.