Re: Runaway X

[Brian Sheehan <sheehan@wisdom.ucc.ie>]

>Debian 2.0 installed on my machine amazingly easy, including ppp
>connectivity. However, now that I'm trying to get X up, things have
>bogged down.  In trying to debug XF86Config, my system is caught in> an
>endless loop it cannot get out of. The problem is that xdm somehow is in
>the boot sequence and now I can't shut it off. Ctrl/Alt/BS kills the
>server, but it immediately comes back up. I've tried rebooting with the
>boot floppy and the rescue floppy, but as soon as the file system is
>mounted and fsck'ed, the disfunctional X comes right back. 

I had exactly the same problem.

>How can I get out of this endless loop so I can fix XF86Config? This is
>a stand-alone machine, so it cannot be remotedly accessed. 

what I did was boot the machine with the CD I used for the installation.
Once this boots up, you're are able to switch to the second virtual
console with alt-F2. Once you do this you are root. Then I mounted my
root partition, and I was able edit the /etc/rc?.d directories and take
out XDM from the bootup. Probably not the right way to do things but I
don't really need XDM anyway. After that, I umounted the root partition,
took out the installation CD and booted with my normal boot floppy.

>Once I can stop the looping, I can start figuring out why the server
>only comes up in 340x200 mode and why /dev/psaux doesn't work as a
>Microsoft mouse port.

I'm suffering the same problem here aswell - so if you have any luck be
sure and mail me.

Brian Sheehan
>Thanks,

>Harry Hersh