Start with xfce GUI

[psychobuffalo]

I am using xfce for my wm, which runs normally when I start it manually, but I would like to start my system with the xfce graphical login. I have changed the run level to 5, but the system still starts with the command line login. Obviously I am missing something - what would that be?

[Corvair]

First, I think it is Runlevel 5, now for the login manager, are you using GDM, KDM, or XDM, or something else?

GDM: Gnome Display Manager
KDM: KDE Display Manager
XDM: X Display Manager

[hamburger123]

I think you might need to install a display manager like Corvair said.

[oz]

I generally use XDM and the /home/<username>/.xinitrc file to start xfce4. XDM is capable of being modified to look very nice, and you don't have all those dependencies that come with GDM and KDE.

Here's an example .xinitrc file for you:

#!/bin/sh

#
# ~/.xinitrc
#
# Executed by startx (run your window manager from here)
#
exec startxfce4

[psychobuffalo]

Thanks for the responses - it was a display manager that I needed, and I went with gdm.

I generally use XDM and the /home/<username>/.xinitrc file to start xfce4. XDM is capable of being modified to look very nice, and you don't have all those dependencies that come with GDM and KDE.

Can you point me to a good tutorial for customizing xdm?

[hamburger123]

Hmm, I was recently looking for one of these, but didn't find anything in particular. One website had a program to help with it, but I didn't look too much into it.

What I did do though, was edit /etc/X11/xdm/Xresources to position the window, change the color, etc. I found a list of things you can edit from here, search for "xlogin"

[oz]

Can you point me to a good tutorial for customizing xdm?

Here's another XDM customization link for you:

http://www2.linuxjournal.com/article/3325

...and more tips on XDM about two-thirds the way down on this page:

http://www.linux-mag.com/content/view/1089/2221/

[borromini]

I don't know if XDM can be customized to a big extent. If I were you, I'd take GDM or KDM, and change those. I know you can do that, and they're more popular than XDM. So you'll have more chance finding a good tutorial.

[hamburger123]

Can you point me to a good tutorial for customizing xdm?

Here's another XDM customization link for you:

http://www2.linuxjournal.com/article/3325

...and more tips on XDM about two-thirds the way down on this page:

http://www.linux-mag.com/content/view/1089/2221/

Yeah, I think I saw that one earlier too, but for some reason I kept on getting connection refused when I tried it earlier.