[UCLA-LUG] gnome startup

[Matt Helsley]

On Thu, 3 Feb 2000, KIRSCH,BRADLEY L wrote:
> I tried to run xfs as root and the screen scrolled down one line, and the
> output "warning!" appeared, and the system froze (ie never got any other
> output nor another command line). After waiting about five mins to make
> sure it was frozen, I ctrl-alt-del to restart, and command line mode pops
> up again.  So I tried the tip offered by another user to delete the
> lockfile in the /tmp directory, but after logging back in there was no
> /tmp directory under "/" !  So then I tried to create one to see if that
> was the source of the error, and after making it I rebooted.  Now my
> machine looks like it is starting into command line mode, then the drive
> is accessed and the screen switches modes (much like it used to when gnome
> was working correctly), but alas it is merely a blank screen, which then
> switches back and forth between black and a wee bit lighter black
> (probably the switching resolutions between command line and gnome), but
> nothing else comes up.  No error messages (can't do alt-Fx), no command
> line, no gnome. I have to use ctrl-alt-del to shutdown to end the
> switching, and again the only thing that FAILED was x font server
> shutdown...   Can anyone offer any help? Thanks very much,
> 
> Brad Kirsch
> bkirsch@ucla.edu
To get your system into a bootable state I suggest typing something like
'linux single' at the lilo prompt. If you don't have a lilo prompt then
you will likely have to use more wizardly techniques to begin fixing your
problems. Anyhow, 'linux single' will take you into single user mode
(assuming you  know root passwd). From there you can use linuxconfig to
disable booting into runlevel 5 (runlevel 5 is a state that most modern
linux systems attempt to reach when they want to boot X Windows
automatically. runlevel 3 corresponds to a multiuser (i.e. networking
turned on) text interface).
	I could go on longer but it might be simpler for you to show up at
the installfest (if possible).