Re: Please, I Need some Gnome Help

[Bob McClure Jr <robertmcclure earthlink net>]

On Sun, Dec 21, 2003 at 06:46:31PM -0600, Greg Julius wrote:
> Greetings y'all,
> 
> I've sent a query to this list before about a problem I was having with 
> Gnome but I didn't get any replies.
> 
> Could somebody please give me some ideas of where to post a question on 
> Gnome?  I tried gnome-redhat-list, but got zero responses there also.
> 
> Thanks, and I hope everyone has a merry Christmas.
> 
> Regards,
> -greg
> 
> P.S.  The text of the prior note is included below in case anybody happens 
> to have a solution for me (Keeps fingers crossed).
> 
> ---------------------------------------------------------
> Subject: Darn, broke my X or Gnome  Need help to get it working
> 
> Hello everyone,
> 
> I knocked out my Gnome somehow, I believe.  I'm hoping somebody here can 
> help.
> 
> The path to the problem goes something like this:
> 
> I finally upgraded my XFree86 to the latest RPM from RHN.  Running up2date 
> via Gnome was failing on something about a configuration file.  Finally I 
> tried installing it from the console command line  (up2date -u).  This time 
> it said it had a problem with my /etc/X11 directory.  So I renamed it.  And 
> did the same to /usr/X11R6.  The install went just fine (well seemed to).

Well, I think you may have bought yourself a heap of trouble there.
It would have been more interesting (and helpful, likely) to have
heard the nature of the problem.  Having now a fragmentary /etc/X11
and /usr/X11R6 is surely the root of a lot of problems.

I would use "mc" with the new /etc/X11 in one side and the old one in
the other and compare directory structures and filenames.  Do the same
with /usr/X11R6.  Ultimately, what you want to do is merge the two
sets, that is, either put everything from the old directory into the
new one unless there is such a file already there, or copy everything
from the new directory to the old, overwriting the old stuff, and then
rename the new directory to <whatever>.new and the old one to its
original self.  If you are knowledgeable of scripting and find and
cpio and such, that can be done pretty easily, or you can do it
manually with "mc".  Ask for advice if you need it.

Once you get that squared away, then see where you are and work from
there.  If worse comes to worse, you can save off your /etc and /home
and reinstall.

> A boat load of other things also installed and I don't have a list, but 
> they were from various RHN updates in the last couple of weeks.  I am 
> currently running kernel 2.4.20-24.8 from RHN (on a RH8 system).
> 
> I ran the xf86config to create a new XF86Config file supplying answers from 
> the old config file.  Tried starting via startx -> blank screen.  Killed 
> via Ctl-Alt-Bksp.  Revised the config file to put in some things the 
> xf86config left out.  I was able to startx without errors (so says the 
> log), but I get a colored pattern briefly at the top of the screen and then 
> a white panel filling the upper left 2/3rds of the console and a prompt 
> 'xxxx]# _  '.  the _ is a white box with black outline the size of a 
> character cell.
> 
> I think this is some variant of a window manager, but I am unsure.  I 
> cannot type in it like a console/terminal window.  I just get a completely 
> white screen if I try.  I have to kill it with Ctl-Alt-Bksp.
> 
> I have looked in /etc/sysconfig/desktop and it has 'DESKTOP="GNOME"'.
> 
> Do you have any suggestions on how I can get my Gnome desktop back?  I'll 
> be happy to provide whatever information I can.
> 
> I could have attached the XFree86 log, but since there were no errors I 
> didn't think it would be helpful.  If someone wants it, or a part of it, 
> I'll be happy to oblige.

Cheers,
-- 
Bob McClure, Jr.             Bobcat Open Systems, Inc.
robertmcclure earthlink net  http://www.bobcatos.com
Making a living is not the same as making a life.