Of course, you shouldn't need an .xinitrc or .xsession at all in a user's home directory. To specify the default window manager, just make it the first entry in the file /etc/X11/window-manages. The system wide Xsession should also live under /etc/X11. If it doesn't your system is broked. -- +---+----+-----+---+----+-----+---+----+-----+ | YOUR AD HERE............1.900.FOO.BARZ | +-----+---+----+-----+---+----+-----+---+----+