Problem with startx

[JoeS]

I have a problem getting into KDE with startx.
I mispelled startx when trying to get to KDE and this messed things up.
Now startx doesn't work.
I copied a .xinitrc from /root into my home directory. This didn't solve the
problem.

Would appreciate help with this.

Thanks.

[Freston]

???? A misspelling shouldn't lead to problems like you say (unless you accidentally typed rm `which startx` )

What does this say?
(after startx errors out)

cat ~/.xsession-errors

Does switching to runlevel 4 work?
(as root)

telinit 4

[JoeS]

cat ~/.xsession-errors

I can't find that file in my home directory
This is ~/.xsession. Hope it's helpful.

# This program, based on code found in the gpg-agent man page, is
# presumably licensed under the GPL.
#
# As the effects of this default .xsession on an account using
# (t)csh are not yet known, feedback and/or suggestions are welcomed.

if [ -x "$(which gpg-agent)" ]; then
if test -f $HOME/.gpg-agent-info && kill -0 $(cut -d: -f 2 $HOME/.gpg-agent-info) 2>/dev/null; then
GPG_AGENT_INFO=$(cat $HOME/.gpg-agent-info)
export GPG_AGENT_INFO
else
eval $(gpg-agent --daemon)
echo $GPG_AGENT_INFO >$HOME/.gpg-agent-info
fi
fi

# Note that the new option --write-env-file may be used instead.

# You should always add the following lines to your .bashrc or whatever
# initialization file is used for all shell invocations:

GPG_TTY=$(tty)
export GPG_TTY

Does switching to runlevel 4 work?
(as root)

As root I can get into KDE with telinit 4
also I can use startx to get into KDE,
but not as a user.

Thanks.

[Freston]

Well, it would obviously be helpful if you say what the error is that you are receiving. And/or what the typo was that caused all this.

But apart from that, one thing that comes to mind is that copying your .xinitrc from /root/ to /home/$USER messed things up permission wise. Did you `chown` that file to your user account?

By the way, I don't have an .xinitrc on any accounts except root. .kderc and .xsession are all present and accounted for, but no .xinitrc.

One thing you can do is type this as user:

startx 2> ~/errors

And post the contents of your new file 'errors' here.

[JoeS]

I found something that worked.

I deleted the .Xauthority and .xsession files in my home dir.

Now I am able to startx into KDE.

There must have been something wrong with one or both of those files.

This is the .Xsession file if anyone is interested:

^A^@^@^Hdarkstar^@^A0^@^RMIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1^@^P `Ī-w R^PrM^N”~EUi„^A^@^@^ESlack^@^A0^@^RMIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1^@^Pį~W~I:ń^C»Éü®^F·^P$^["^@^@^@^D^?^@^@^A^@^A0^@^RMIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1^@^P^_üÖ^Uõ¦~J°NMJ0~[!| y

darkstar was the name Slackware called me (joe@darkstar). I chose slack. Slackware
later changed this.

Thanks for help.