Desktop Manager Newb Help

[Von]

Hello all.

I am new to Linux and after trying several distros (from Puppy to Gentoo) I have ended up with Suse 11.0 running KDE4 primarily. I have already figured out how to do some things like configure ndiswrapper, navigate the terminal, install GNOME, and many less challenging new tasks. Sadly though, I have hit a snag that I cannot bypass.

After getting GNOME up and running I decided to check out the other desktop environments that came with Suse, like Fluxbox and Enlightenment. I have my login manager setup to bypass the password screen and just boot into KDE4, which I now know is not a good idea when trying new desktop environments, other newbs be advised. I started an environment that I cannot remember the name of, KDM...maybe.

When this environment loaded all I can see is a black screen and the cursor. This part is going to sound bad but...I have tried hitting every button I could see, including holding Ctrl-Shift first. Nothing responds, except Ctrl+Alt+F1 through F8 , and Ctrl+Alt+F10. The first of these brings up a terminal style view, and F10 brings up some kind of log screen.

Under Ctrl+Alt+F1 I have tried things like startkde and startkde4 but I receive an error stating that $DISPLAY is not set or cannot connect to the X server. trying the command "gnome" returns: (gnome-session:3253): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display: .

I do not want to setup/configure the X server as it has given me nothing but a headache so far (when trying to install Nvidia drivers for Ubuntu without an internet connection or help). I have not looked into what Gtk is but I know that before loading this environment GNOME worked fine.

All I need is to get back into either KDE4 or GNOME 2.22. After that it should boot into the right environment. Also, after this is done, how do I delete the KDM environment so my g/f never accidently does the same thing I have done?

Can anybody help? Please?

[Von]

No responses yet. Here's some more info that may help someone help me get my notebook back to normal. I am starting to think that working something out with the X Server is my only option.

I have tried removing /tmp/.X0-lock and rebooting. Upon rebooting I login through cli and try startx, and recieve a message stating:

xauth: creating new authority file /root/.serverauth.2847
Fatal server error:
Server is already active for display 0
If this server is no longer running, remove /tmp/.X0-lock
and start again.
Invalid MIT-MAGIC-Cookie-1 keygiving up.
xinit: Resource temporarily unavailable (errno 11): unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error.

Hopefully that will inform someone a little better as to what my problem is. Does anyone know anything that could help me get back to KDE4 or Gnome?

[rokytnji]

I don't run Open Suse 11 but this line here seems key to me.

If this server is no longer running, remove /tmp/.X0-lock
and start again.

[rokytnji]

Check this thread here maybe

http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/sus...ne-update.html

[rokytnji]

Or this one here

After Xfce4 Installation - openSUSE Forums

[Von]

I have done so.

In this order I have:

Booted up. (to black screen with mouse pointer)
Pressed CTRL+ALT+F1. (to get to cli)
Logged in and entered super user mode.
Entered: startx.
Recieved the error mentioned in the above post.
Entered: cd /tmp.
Entered: rm /tmp/.X0-lock. (to remove the the file)
Entered: ls. (to check that the file is gone)
Entered: startx.
Recieved the error mentioned in the above post.

Am I doing something wrong?

[rokytnji]

Did you try this?

if you can get the xserver gray console... then you can rightclick and open a terminal, after that type:
kde

and once it starts, you can go into Yast
once in Yast, click on system
then: /etc/sysconfig editor
open DISPLAY MANAGER
choose whichever you want to manage your windows (kde,gdm), then
open: window manager
in DEFAUTL_WM, write kde (if you want kde to start after loggin in), gde (gnome), etc

[Von]

You gave all those responses while I was typing the last one.

I checked your first link and I am giving that method a try right now...
And received the same results. Blank screen with cursor.
Strangely though, CTRL+Print Screen works.

Upon rebooting I tried to startkde and startkde4. Neither work and both return the same error about $DISPLAY not being set or not being able to connect to X.

Any other ideas while I look further into this?

[Von]

OR, do you know how I can just boot and force the login screen to pop up? That would give me the option to select a different desktop environment.

[rokytnji]

Nope. Just a Newbie myself trying to help out. If you have the live CD still you should be able to fix this from that. Using Terminal in Live cd mode using boot into safe graphics mode.