[SOLVED] kde doesn't start after apt-get install

[fregs]

Hi

In a kde terminal, apt-get was installing gem when it asked me to restart the kmn daemon (i'm not sure about the "kmn"...) and i hit "yes" when the gui dissapeared and fell back to tty1. I waited a while and then restarted the system but kde didn't start automatically (it used to be so). I tried "startx" and "startkde" but they are unknown.
I don't know linux this deep so i don't know what to check or how to trace down this problem.
Any help is appreciated!

[devils casper]

Hi and Welcome !

Which command did you execute exactly? Does now machine boot up in command line mode only?

[rokytnji]

Not sure where you went wrong. When installing KDE. You should have been asked which login manager to use and if you were using gnome the choices should have been
KDM
GDM
KDM is the login manager for KDE Desktop and should be the choice chosen for KDE.

Reference below Link for fixing a broken debian system using apt.

Chapter*2.*Debian package management

[Segfault]

Things like that happen when a partition gets full. I'd run df.

[reed9]

Does restarting kdm get you back to a GUI?

su -
/etc/init.d/kdm restart

You can also try reconfiguring kdm which should allow you to select your login manager as roky mentioned.

su -
dpkg-reconfigure kdm

[fregs]

Thanks for all the replies.

"apt-get install gem" was running in a KDE terminal window when all this happened. I was able to boot in command line so i tried to fix the broken install and then installed xorg and then kdm with apt-get.

Now the gui login manager starts but after logging in the screen stays blank and nothing happens though i got the cursor.

Is something wrong with KDE now?
How can i diagnose what packages went wrong during that install?

p.s.
The partition has enough free space.

[reed9]

You said you tried to fix the broken install. What did you try? Any error messages?

I would try reinstalling kde and removing all the old kde configuration files from your home directory.

[rokytnji]

Now the gui login manager starts but after logging in the screen stays blank and nothing happens though i got the cursor.

Do what reed 9 says. Do you still have Gnome Desktop installed? If so. You should be able to select from sessions button in KDM login manager Gnome and boot into a Gnome Desktop so you have a graphical interface. Sounds Like KDE is all that is broken.

[fregs]

When i tred to fix i ran dpkg --configure -a and then installed it again.

Now, as you told me, i reinstalled KDE (i was afraid because i thought i couldn't install it with a package manager - but i could ) and it's working well.

Thanks for all the help.