cant boot to GUI

[beejayess]

Hi I have had suse 10 install now for 6 months and except from a few teething problems(trying to get the usb modem to work and a lexmark z25 printer)both of which I have found solutions for,it has been a trouble free experience.Until now.
After a recent update of 3 software packages(I can only remember open office) and an attempt by me to install ymessenger(a red hat rpm)which seemed to install ok,except that i could only start it as su in a console.I decided to logoff as me and login as root to change the permissions.
Now it started!!
The splash screen on shut down was split horizontally in two,and the upper half vertically in two,each half displaying the gecko splash,but not in the usual blue but bright mauve!
I let it shut down and rebooted.It reached the login screen,I duly typed in my root password,the screen went black(as usual)I briefly saw the command line ...login:.....then straight back to the login gui.I tried again as user,the same.
I tried booting from the install disk ,the same outcome.
I tried then to boot from the install disk and go to the repair section...I ran it accepted the repairs(postfix)and then rebooted....the same!
Then uninstalled ymessenger in case this was the problem...no luck there.
Have read the logs but it all seems well there....have gone in to yast and tried to see if there are any dependancy errors,but no!
I am at a loss where to go from here?
Can anybody suggest a solution?

THX

BJS

[gogalthorp]

Hi I have had suse 10 install now for 6 months and except from a few teething problems(trying to get the usb modem to work and a lexmark z25 printer)both of which I have found solutions for,it has been a trouble free experience.Until now.
After a recent update of 3 software packages(I can only remember open office) and an attempt by me to install ymessenger(a red hat rpm)which seemed to install ok,except that i could only start it as su in a console.I decided to logoff as me and login as root to change the permissions.
Now it started!!
The splash screen on shut down was split horizontally in two,and the upper half vertically in two,each half displaying the gecko splash,but not in the usual blue but bright mauve!
I let it shut down and rebooted.It reached the login screen,I duly typed in my root password,the screen went black(as usual)I briefly saw the command line ...login:.....then straight back to the login gui.I tried again as user,the same.
I tried booting from the install disk ,the same outcome.
I tried then to boot from the install disk and go to the repair section...I ran it accepted the repairs(postfix)and then rebooted....the same!
Then uninstalled ymessenger in case this was the problem...no luck there.
Have read the logs but it all seems well there....have gone in to yast and tried to see if there are any dependancy errors,but no!
I am at a loss where to go from here?
Can anybody suggest a solution?

THX

BJS

Just a guess

Boot into a console. Log in as root and reinstall your video driver. I believe there was a kernal update recently and video must be reinstalled. At least there was for 10.1

[beejayess]

I have been trying many different things and have no discovered that it is the x-server that is the problem,but I guess that comes as no surprise!
I have tried in console(I don't have much option!).....


#:init 3
sax2

where I configured sax with my settings...

Then...

#:startx

then ....

#:init 5

and again tried to boot to a GUI...

but no

any other ideas out there would be most appreciated ....
how DO I get the x-server up and running?


BJS

[gogalthorp]

I have been trying many different things and have no discovered that it is the x-server that is the problem,but I guess that comes as no surprise!
I have tried in console(I don't have much option!).....


#:init 3
sax2

where I configured sax with my settings...

Then...

#:startx

then ....

#:init 5

and again tried to boot to a GUI...

but no

any other ideas out there would be most appreciated ....
how DO I get the x-server up and running?


BJS

Are you running a 3D graphic driver?? Nvidia?? ATI?? If so you must reinstall the driver for a new kernel.

[beejayess]

no gogalthorp no 3D, no nvidia, no ati just a VIA/S3G UniChrome IGP onboard graphics....

[beejayess]

I have tried to re-install the via drivers (though they are already there)have tried sis_drv.o(it is already there),have tried sax2,sax2 -m 0=vesa,,xorg.conf,manually edited the xorg.conf file..........
now the only error message i get is a xkbcomp error on 2 paths...
the XKEYBOARD keymap compiler(xkbcomp)reports:
> type"ONE_LEVEL"has 1 levels,but<RALT>has 2 symbols
> ignoring extra symbol
error from xkbcomp are not fatal to the xserver
could not init path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local,removing from list!
could not init path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID,removing from list!

then the sever shuts down!!!!!!!!!!!!
have tried mkfontdir command but nothing!

Is there anybody know how to get the xserver up and running....I am getting really bored of the console!!!

BJS

[gogalthorp]

I have tried to re-install the via drivers (though they are already there)have tried sis_drv.o(it is already there),have tried sax2,sax2 -m 0=vesa,,xorg.conf,manually edited the xorg.conf file..........
now the only error message i get is a xkbcomp error on 2 paths...
the XKEYBOARD keymap compiler(xkbcomp)reports:
> type"ONE_LEVEL"has 1 levels,but<RALT>has 2 symbols
> ignoring extra symbol
error from xkbcomp are not fatal to the xserver
could not init path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local,removing from list!
could not init path element /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID,removing from list!

then the sever shuts down!!!!!!!!!!!!
have tried mkfontdir command but nothing!

Is there anybody know how to get the xserver up and running....I am getting really bored of the console!!!

BJS

Ok I don't have a clue.

What hardware??

Are you dual booting? If so is Windows OK? If not can you get a Knopix disk (or other bootable distro) and see if it is ok.

Have you tried reinstalling? You can reinstall and keep your home partition.

Try creating a new user and starting him up. It may be a problem in the config files in your home

[beejayess]

Thx gogalthorp
I have a asrock k7vm4 M/B with an AMD2400+,and using via km400 onboard graphics .....I am dual booting with windows XP...and until this last update I had very few problems.
Have tried a slackware live cd and it boots fine(am tempted to go there)....
You say iI can re-install and keep my home partition?
I would prefer to keep it all and get X working ,there has been a lot of work configuring the firewall to be fully stealthed,lexmark printer,usb modem...and finally creative webcam....so as you can see I would not like to lose all this....
Can you do a dirty install with linux?
That would solve all problems?
If not you said I could keep home?....How?
Or maybe backup up all my personal files and then restore when I am back in.
The only thing is I got my desktop just right...
.......next time I am going to do a backup each time I update......lots of time consumed there!

BJS

[gogalthorp]

Thx gogalthorp
I have a asrock k7vm4 M/B with an AMD2400+,and using via km400 onboard graphics .....I am dual booting with windows XP...and until this last update I had very few problems.
Have tried a slackware live cd and it boots fine(am tempted to go there)....
You say iI can re-install and keep my home partition?
I would prefer to keep it all and get X working ,there has been a lot of work configuring the firewall to be fully stealthed,lexmark printer,usb modem...and finally creative webcam....so as you can see I would not like to lose all this....
Can you do a dirty install with linux?
That would solve all problems?
If not you said I could keep home?....How?
Or maybe backup up all my personal files and then restore when I am back in.
The only thing is I got my desktop just right...
.......next time I am going to do a backup each time I update......lots of time consumed there!

BJS

Since you can run Windows it is not a hardware problem.

Assuming you have configured home as its own partion.

When you install simply do a custom partion configuration and keep the home partion but reformat root. Note this does keep all setting from home but will blow away all installed packages.

Alternatively you can do an update from you install disks. This is less drastic it will simply bring back the origianl programs to the first installed state. Note this does not change the setting in home. And this might be were the problems lay. That is why I suggested trying a new user with a fresh set of config files created in the new users home.

Another idea is to blow away all the doted KDE, gnome adn x files and directories in your home forcing a new settup. Of course you then lose all desktop settings but it may get you back in buisness. You may want to be selective but I can't point you to exactly the right file(s). Maybe someone else can. I'd try the new user approach first.

[beejayess]

I have found a suse wiki for x server config I will try that first ,then if that fails the new user,but how do I do that from the command line?
Guess I will find out soon .I really am getting a crash course in linux console!!!
So it cant be all bad....would've taken ages to get around to learn all this stuff if things were tickerty boo...
I'll let you know what happens!!!


THX


BJS