Re: weird problem after using xf86config
On %M 0, Christensen wrote
> I'm very new to Linux--in fact just got the Linux/Windoze (I've learned
> to spell it that way!) dual boot to work with LILO.
>
> First I tried XF86Setup, but could not get past the mouse config. I
> have a Microsoft PS2 mouse with wheel, so checked off PS2 and /dev/psaux
> (as suggested in the Control-Escape website). This didn't work, and I
> couldn't get past this point in XF86Setup, so I tried xf86config. It
> seemed to go well, and I believe that I entered all the parameters
> correctly. I used SuperProbe to learn that I have an ATI 3D Rage II+
> with 2048K of memory and the ATI Mach64 chipset. Now when I start Linux
> I get a colorful screen with the sign-on prompt. After signing on I get
> a solid blue screen, and any key that I hit just "beeps." The key
> sequence Ctl-Alt-Bksp just re-displays the sign-on screen. All I can do
> at this point is turn the power off; even Ctl-Alt-Del won't do anything!
>
While running X and using the VT that X is running on, the XServer
intercepts your keystrokes and the keystrokes you use at the console
(Alt-Fn, Ctl-Alt-Del, etc.) don't work; to swap back to a regular console
prompt without killing XDM, go Ctrl-Alt-Fn instead.
When you log in, the XServer should start a window manager; some of these
(e.g. TWM, the default XFree window manager) may not produce any visible
sign that they are running. Try right-clicking on the desktop (if that
doesn't work, try left-clicking or centre-clicking).
> Is there any way to get back to where I was before this mess?
>
If all else fails, Ctrl-Alt-F1 then login as root, and run
dpkg --purge xdm
to stop it automatically starting the X login screen when you
boot, or
/etc/init.d/xdm stop
to stop it until the next reboot (or next '/etc/init.d/xdm start').
You can still run X by logging on to the console, and then typing
startx
If it turns out you really are running twm and everything is more-or-less OK,
I suggest that you install icewm or windowmaker and use that instead; edit
/etc/X11/window-managers
to move your choice of window managers to the top of the list, which makes
it the system default.
Good luck,
John P.
--
huiac@camtech.net.au
john@huiac.apana.org.au
"Oh - I - you know - my job is to fear everything." - Bill Gates in Denmark
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