If you are a Linux user and play around with the configuration files on your computer to get your setup working just the way you like, do yourself a HUGE favor and get a Knoppix LiveCD.

I screwed up the conf file for my X11 setup under my Slackware 10.0 laptop and the startup sequence went just fine, but before the login screen would show, the system would crash. I couldn't get to a command line to fix what I wanted.

I didn't have a rescue disk and I REALLY didn't want to reformat and start over from scratch since this computer is working so close to the way I wanted (I got wireless working, my ATI video card to work, most of my USB mouse, and my LAN browsing)

After a couple failed attempts to trick it into going into a command line, I popped in my Knoppix cd and from there I can view all the partitions on my harddrive (Windows and Linux). I set the option to make whichever partition I want to be writable, by default the partitions are read-only. Now I can edit my xorg.conf file and fix my screw up.

Lesson to be learned is, even if you think you have a good understanding of Linux, crap will hit the fan one of these days and just consider a LiveCD to be the paper towl to clean it all up.

 

 

 

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Didn't you have the Slackware install disk? Disk 1 can be used to boot and fix stuff like this. I remember restoring my bootloader using the slackware disk when I had to reinstall XP.

Also, another way to get a shell directly from the bootloader if you're using GRUB is to edit the command by pressing 'e' and then entering this at the end of the line and booting it then:



That worked for me when I had access to a campus server running FC3 .

PS: Off topic, but just noticed that this is my 500th post. Yay!!!

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Usually if my X Server doesn't load, I'm presented with the option of trying to start it again, or seeing the output and fixing it.

It's always a good idea to have a rescue disk handy, even if it means using Knoppix as such a disk. You should always make backups of the files you alter so that you can easily revert back to it.

As for logging into terminal from grub (using Fedora), is editting the conf file and instead of doing init=/bin/bash just add 3 to the options part of the kernel root location, e.g. root=/dev/blah2 rhgb quiet 3

Which will get you into runlevel 3, you don't need rhgb (red hat graphical boot) or quiet (hides services/processes) to be present there, I just put it in, because it's usually default for some people and probably easier for people to recognise it.


Cheers,


MC

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Ever since I've learned of Knoppix back a couple years ago I've always kept a disk handy... I've never really 'needed' to use it on my own system but it's been helpful on some friends systems when they break their everything and call me and expect me to be able to wave my hands and voila! All better.

Another side effect of that type of sit (helping friends usin it) is that when they say "Hey, that doesn't look like windows usually does..." you can blow their minds

But yea, many others have good live cds now too, but knoppix is still one of my favs. I also keep one of the security specific versions lieing around in case I ever need some... 'tools'... that are less common on live cds haha.

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same here, I usually keep a LiveCD handy just in case anything happens.

xboxrulz

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For emergency purpose I'm using the Slackware Boot CD (Slackware CD1).

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hi,

Usuall when my X-windows fails , i follows some steps

(i) restart your computer, when the grub boot loader screen loads then there would be three options in the screen, 1 for windows and 1 for linux, press e to edit the boot screen, press e again, press space bar and type 3 to go to the run leve 3. press b to boot.

(ii) the system now will boot to the run level 3.

(iii) now type startx to start the x windows again.

(iv) now if it fails then type system-config-display

(v) If it fails then check your /etc/passwd file, check there for the gdm user.

(vi) write entry for the gdm user deamon.

Follow these steps you would find that it really works.




Hi

Usually when my X-Windows fails,

I try firstly


(i) restart your computer,






hi,

Usuall when my X-windows fails , i follows some steps

(i) restart your computer, when the grub boot loader screen loads then there would be three options in the screen, 1 for windows and 1 for linux, press e to edit the boot screen, press e again, press space bar and type 3 to go to the run leve 3. press b to boot.

(ii) the system now will boot to the run level 3.

(iii) now type startx to start the x windows again.

(iv) now if it fails then type system-config-display

(v) If it fails then check your /etc/passwd file, check there for the gdm user.

(vi) write entry for the gdm user deamon.

Follow these steps you would find that it really works.




Hi

Usually when my X-Windows fails,

I try firstly


(i) restart your computer,

 

 

 

Reply