startx does not start KDE

[chestr]

I've been having the same problem the past 2 nights, I am still a n00b at using Linux so just figured I was doing something wrong or it just didn't like my ATI card. But when I popped the dvd into my laptop started up just fine. Figured I'd just do what a good n00b should do and search until I found the issue or wait until someone else posted someone else post about it.

[secure_it]

I could be mistaken but this seems like kde (which I am running right now):

which kwin
/usr/kde3/bin/kwin

Its KDE only.

[imported_cybrsnpr]

Ok - did not solve it - but - extracted the whole vmware packet again, this time starting the window manager with "startx" and it worked. KDE is coming up.
But - if a user starts with crystal and then tries to start the kde it will fail. I don't know why and what happens in the background but this is how it behaves.

WORKS:
(First time boot up)
startx -> starts KDE

DOS NOT WORK:
(First time boot up)
bt4-crystal -> starts Crystal WM
startx -> starts Crystal WM
fixvmware
startx -> starts Crystal WM
... every other hint ...
startx -> starts Crystal WM

Neo; I replicated your steps and the same thing happened to me...startx ran crystal instead of kde. I followed xorred's advice and deleted the .xinitrc file from /root and then was able to boot into kde just fine.

[KMDave]

I've been having the same problem the past 2 nights, I am still a n00b at using Linux so just figured I was doing something wrong or it just didn't like my ATI card. But when I popped the dvd into my laptop started up just fine. Figured I'd just do what a good n00b should do and search until I found the issue or wait until someone else posted someone else post about it.

If you are a n00b at using Linux, don't start with BT. Go ahead and learn the Linux basics before considering using BT. You will hit walls all over the place else.

P.S.: Also checking the bt4-crystal with just basic commands reveals what it does and could have shown you the answer @OP. Go ahead and start here before going back to using BT. It will help you a lot.

[frezasaga]

If you are a n00b at using Linux, don't start with BT. Go ahead and learn the Linux basics before considering using BT. You will hit walls all over the place else.

P.S.: Also checking the bt4-crystal with just basic commands reveals what it does and could have shown you the answer @OP. Go ahead and start here before going back to using BT. It will help you a lot.

this is a bit harsh but its true............start from the scratch is not bad.......

[KMDave]

It is not harsh. Either people want to get help on how to get going. And that is the way to go. Do it right or don't do it.
Where is the point to point a tool at a machine and pull the trigger?
There is nothing to it, even my grandma could do that.
We are here to learn and to give useful advice. And even if it may sound hard, one have to start at the beginning, not with the shiny tools.

The problem is, a lot of people start to get in touch and use BT because it is a l33t hax0r distro. But they don't even know how to configure the X server correctly or desperatly ask how they can install BT to the harddrive. And if the only tools people are capable of using are tools with a nice and shiny gui like SpoonWEP, they should start somewhere else because that's not what BT has been made for nor will it help anyone at all.

Edit: And no, I am not making fun of anyone who is just beginning. The advice I am giving is meant serious, not as an insult or as making fun of someone. And I am also willing to assist people when they start to learn and are overwhelmed with all the stuff. But they have to have the will to really learn and not expect to start with the "fun" stuff.

[hawaii67]

KMDave I'm on your side!!

90% of these questions KMDave is refering to are plain basic linux questions and only in 2nd or 3rd or 4th instance BT questions.
First one should be able to handle basic linux stuff.
Coming from shiny clicky-windows a lot of guys find themselves thrown in cold water.............

[KMDave]

KMDave I'm on your side!!

90% of these questions KMDave is refering to are plain basic linux questions and only in 2nd or 3rd or 4th instance BT questions.
First one should be able to handle basic linux stuff.
Coming from shiny clicky-windows a lot of guys find themselves thrown in cold water.............

To go with the cold water, it would be better to learn how to swim by yourself instead of waiting for someone to pull you out of it

[armedpilot]

As xorred has indicted rm ~/.xinitrc To demonostrate how you troubleshoot this yourself, when I had the problem I did:
which startx
file /usr/bin/startx
cat /usr/bin/startx (since was a script)
which bt4-crystal
file /usr/bin/bt4-crystal
cat /usr/bin/bt4-crystal (since it was a script)
"Oh look the last thing the bt4-crystal script does is rm ~/.xinitrc let's see if it actually did?"
ls -l ~/.xinitrc
"Nope, still there, let me try to remove it myself and see what happens"
rm ~/.xinitrc
"Oh look that worked"


PS before I removed the .xinitrc file I cat'd it out and saw that it was exec'ing fvwm-crystal

[KMDave]

As xorred has indicted rm ~/.xinitrc To demonostrate how you troubleshoot this yourself, when I had the problem I did:
which startx
file /usr/bin/startx
cat /usr/bin/startx (since was a script)
which bt4-crystal
file /usr/bin/bt4-crystal
cat /usr/bin/bt4-crystal (since it was a script)
"Oh look the last thing the bt4-crystal script does is rm ~/.xinitrc let's see if it actually did?"
ls -l ~/.xinitrc
"Nope, still there, let me try to remove it myself and see what happens"
rm ~/.xinitrc
"Oh look that worked"

Thanks for sharing that with people who do not know. But just give them some pointers into the right direction and let them do some research themself, helps to learn