Fresh install

[madtaz]

Hi Hope someone can help me I’m new to Linux. I have just installed dabain 3.2 on my hard drive. After booting back up the system loads up in command line. Can someone tell me how to load up in KDE.

Many thanks

[likwid]

Typing

startx

should bring up the GUI. If not, something is configured improperly. If it does, and you want this to come up by default, you'll have to edit the /etc/inittab file on the line where it says

id:3:initdefault:

to say

id:5:initdefault:

I don't really use debian so I am kinda ASSuming runlevel 5 is X11.

[Vergil83]

You might also install kdm for a nice login window

[Marcusx]

I have exactly the same problem (Sorry for interfering in your thread)
I installed Debian 3.1r4, the basic system from first CD and the desktopenviroment over the net (checking the box infront of "Desktop" package). I got no errors during install so installprogram seems happy.
At reboot the desktop does not start up. I tried "startx" but command is not found.
I changed runlevel to 5 in inittab and rebooted, I was told that the system booted in runlevel 5 but still no GUI or Xwindow.
Any suggestions?

Many thanks!
Marcusx

[E.Gray]

First make sure you type: apt-get install kdm
then type: dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
Go through the screens on the reconfigure and make sure your desktop manager is set to kdm also make sure your screen res and refresh rate are correct.
When the reconfiguration is finished, go ahead and type: apt-get update: and: apt-get upgrade
If you don't want to go straight to the KDE login splash at boot, you need to figure out what runlevel you are in type: runlevel and rename the S99kdm and/or S99xdm like this (mine is runlevel 2, substitute yours according to the runlevel commands output: rc5.d)
mv /etc/rc2.d/S99kdm /etc/rc2.d/_S99kdm
If you don't rename these files, you will boot straight to the KDM splash.
I beat my head against the wall for 3 days trying to figure this one out. Hope it works for you too...

[craigevil]

Renaming files isn't quite the proper way to change your run levels.

Debian run levels,2-5 are the same.

If you want to change when gdm/kdm starts install sysv-rc-conf and change it so gmd/kdm only starts in say run level 5.

Chances are if startx doesn't do anything some part of xfree86 or xorg didnt get installed properly.

[E.Gray]

Absolutely correct on the changing runlevels craigevil. Sometimes I ramble and missplace my words. I was hoping that my comment would be read as the option of editing the startup options so that when the system is rebooted it does not go straight to the KDM login screen. If you want the system to act as a desktop exclusively, this is fine. but it does offer decreased security if the system is also a sever. If you want to boot to the console/'command prompt' you do need to rename the startup file in rc2.d or rc5.d. But you are correct, renaming these files does not change your runlevel, the way to do that is simply use the init command with the runlevel desired after: ex. init 5 or init 2

[Marcusx]

After quite a bit of hassle and thinking I got the Xserver running.
I did:
apt-get install gdm
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 The system told me that xserver wasn't installed so I did:
apt-get install xserver-xfree86
and after that I did the reconfiguration and I got a message that if you weren't experienced (and am not) you should install:
apt-get install x-window-system
Finaly I was able to run startx and what comes up is a tiny desktop enviroment with a "blank" screen and a green menu, I think it is called: twm.
As I have installed Gnome......
How do I get Gnome up and running instead of twn?

Many, many thanks and thanks so far for the help!

Marcux

[madtaz]

After a lot of hassle I have finally load up in GUI using KDE. I would like to thank you all for helping a newbie. Sorry just one more question I was advised to open nano .xinitre and type “exec startkde” then save and quit. Is it this file that makes GUI load up when I turn the PC on.