Re: Console login prompt & other basics
--- "Venkatesh, PC" <PC.Venkatesh@occ.treas.gov>
wrote:
> Hi, after several re-installs and poking around
> scripts to no avail, I am
> deciding to seek expert help in unravelling the
> quirks and mysteries of
> Debian. I have rudimentary, on and off, experience
> with Linux [from Red
> Hat 5.2 to RH 7.2]; willing to learn and experiment,
> but time is a
> constraint.
>
> For this post, let me stick to some startup
> questions.
>
> Basic info re: hardware and software:
> Hardware: Dell Laptop CPi
> Software: Debian Potato release 2.2r6, produced by
> LAN Comp systems [circa
> April 2002].
>
> My questions:
>
> 1. I'd like a console login prompt, and then start
> X on my own with startx,
> or startkde [or such like]; rather than directly go
> into a GUI/X-based
> prompt. I thought this was controlled by runlevel
> in inittab and launching
> xdm. I tried to trace through the init scripts but
> found no clues. Any
> pointers would be appreciated.
>
*****************
See which run level you are booting (it's listed
during boot.) Mine is 2.
Go to the respective /etc/rcx.d directory and rename
the xdm file. In my case, I went to /etc/rc2.d, and
renamed S99xdm to no_S99xdm. That turned off the
automatic GUI (I don't like it either).
*******************
> 2. Although I selected gnome-related packages for
> installation [via the
> "simple" option in tasksel], and the packages appear
> to have been unpacked,
> I cannot launch gnome, e.g, with gnome-session.
>
***************
Not as sure about this one. See if gnome is listed in
the /etc/X11 as a directory. If not, it isn't
installed. If it is, you should be able to construct
a .xinitrc (notice the dot) in your home directory,
and in it specify gnome (exec gnome) as the server of
choice.
****************
> 3. Netscape does not appear to get installed; on a
> previous install, I had
> to manually install it via dpkg and dselect. What
> are some reason(s)
> netscape might not automatically install?
>
**************
I don't know what version of Debian you are using.
I'm using Potato (2.2.19 kernel). For that, I simply
did apt-get install mozilla (netscape is built on
mozilla, so it'll look a lot like netscape).
However, I'd suggest you download the opera deb file
from the opera site and install it. At least for me,
it seems to run much faster than mozilla.
***************
> 4. Of course,it took me a while to figure out the
> "correct" netscape package
> to install from the huge list in
> /var/lib/dpkg/available. But since that
> list appears to follow no particular organizational
> scheme, it was a
> problem. Is the debian.org/packages the best place
> to get "short"
> descriptions, collated in various ways?
>
> 5. Overall, what would help me are: (i) some notes
> on Debian's installation
> "rules", logic, etc; (ii) features unique to Debian
> vis-a-vis other Linux
> distros; (iii) following up on (ii), notes on
> configuration, startup
> scripts---location; whether they deviate from other
> Linux distros [as seems
> to be with xdm above], etc. E.g., the "User Guide"
> [under books] seemed
> pretty helpful, but was no help in my problem with
> the Potato release.
>
****************************8
I suggest you install wvdial if it isn't already
installed. It's easy to configure (/etc/wvdial.conf)
for dialing your provider. I also installed sudo
(letting me run specific process with root privilege),
and then sudo wvdial, so I don't have to dial as root.
The /etc/network/intefaces file lists information for
the ifconfig utility at boot up to set up a local lan,
if you have one. If so, also check out how to file
out /etc/init.d/network.
At least, those were my stumbling blocks.
If you try something, like xpdf and it isn't
installed, usually just type apt-get install xpdf (or
whatever) and it'll tell you which cdrom to put in to
install that process. Most install very easily.
Check out the debian home web page to browse through
packages for something you find interesting. You
don't likely have to down load it, just apt-get it off
your cd's, but the website makes browsing through
packages easier.
************************
> TIA for any help.
>
> ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
> P.C. Venkatesh
> Risk Analysis Division, OCC
> Mail Stop 2-1, 250 E Street, S.W.,
> Washington D.C. 20219, USA.
>
> vox: 202 874 8698
> fax: 202 874 5394
> email: pc.venkatesh@occ.treas.gov
>
>
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