Can't Login Into Xdm/Kdm

**bmasters** · 12-31-2004, 07:14 AM

Hopefully I'm a simple step or two away from full graphical enjoyment of Knoppix/Debian.

My situation:

1) Installed Knoppix 3.6 Live CD to my hard drive...booted fine and could login to KDM without issues.

2) Decided to use apt-get to update/upgrade to a full Debian release..downloaded 250+ MB.

3) Rebooted and after getting the LILO to pick the Linux 2.6 installation booted to console with last message saying XDM wasn't started as it wasn't the default.

4) Tried to run KDM - got to login screen and couldn't login momentarily showing a scrunched lilo screen in the upper portion of the screen but returning to the KDM login screen.

5) Changed the default kDM session type to Failsafe and verified I could login in to the Xterm with both root and knoppix user so it doesn't appear to be the passwords preventing the login.

6) Tried xdm, got to login prompt but can't login either (except via console).

7) Things tried:
- XFree86 -configure, copy the .new to /etc/X11/XFree86.
- checked /var/log/messages...see apm overridden by ACPI messages when I'm trying to login.
- checked /var/log/syslog...see fatal modprobe error when inserting apm but from my reading this shouldn't be an issue. Am I wrong?

Any ideas on what to try to get past the login issue?

Trying to avoid a reinstall if possible.

Thanks...

**rusty** · 01-01-2005, 04:20 AM

Hmm, I would try this:

Start by basically getting rid of kdm and xdm:

Code:

apt-get --purge remove xdm

Code:

apt-get --purge remove kdm

Then reinstall whichever you pefer:

Code:

apt-get -t unstable install kdm

One caveat, you might not be able to log in as root from the login screen with the latest version of kdm, that can be changed, I don't remember the file that needs to be edited , there are other posts dealing with it on this forum.

Also, if you want to get kde running from a console login type startx, once logged in.

HTH

**bmasters** · 01-06-2005, 05:50 AM

Thanks for the tips but I've not had much luck.

Tried both, they installed fine but when I tried to start either kdm or xdm the desktops failed to do anything visible. Checking the processes neither xdm nor kdm were running. Tried the same with gdm, got to a login screen again and had the same problem (trying both root and knoppix users), however gdm pointed to the ~/.xsession-errors which I've attached.

/etc/gdm/PreSession/Default: Registering your session with wtmp and utmp
/etc/gdm/PreSession/Default: running: /usr/bin/X11/sessreg -a -w /var/log/wtmp -u /var/run/utmp -x "/var/lib/gdm/:0.Xservers" -h ""
-l ":0" "knoppix"
/etc/gdm/Xsession: Beginning session setup...
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
ksplash: cannot connect to X server :0
QPixmap: Cannot create a QPixmap when no GUI is being used
QPixmap: Cannot create a QPixmap when no GUI is being used
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
kded: cannot connect to X server :0
kded: ERROR: KUniqueApplication: Registering failed!
kded: ERROR: Communication problem with kded, it probably crashed.
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
kdeinit: Can't connect to the X Server.
kdeinit: Might not terminate at end of session.
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
kcminit: cannot connect to X server :0
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
knotify: cannot connect to X server :0
ERROR: KUniqueApplication: Registering failed!
ERROR: Communication problem with knotify, it probably crashed.
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: Invalid MIT-MAGIC-COOKIE-1 key
ksmserver: cannot connect to X server :0
klauncher: Exiting on signal 1

Here's the processes related to GDM and X:
1 S root 6078 1 0 76 0 - 2226 - 21:30 ? 00:00:00 gdm
5 S root 6079 6078 0 75 0 - 2316 pipe_w 21:30 ? 00:00:00 gdm
4 S root 6120 6079 0 66 -10 - 4243 - 21:30 ? 00:00:09 /usr/X11R6/bin/X :0 -audit 0 -auth /var/lib/gdm/:0.Xauth -nolisten tcp vt7
4 S gdm 6469 6079 0 76 0 - 6299 - 21:39 ? 00:00:01 /usr/bin/gdmlogin
1 Z root 6476 1766 0 76 0 - 0 exit 21:54 ? 00:00:00 [smail] <defunct>

Anymore tips, specifically on not being able to connect to the X Server? Pointers to places to read or research?

Thanks...

**Durand Hicks** · 01-06-2005, 06:28 AM

First try to boot to init 3.
If you have a .Xauthority file in your users account, rename it to .Xauthority.bak.
Then as root type init 5 to restart your KDM/GDM/XDM session manager.

Basically, the .Xauthority file was no good and it needed to recreate a new one. If you're trying to log in X as root, you will have to rename root's .Xauthority file as well. Once you log out and log in as regular user you might have to export the .Xauthority file to root's account from a terminal as root.

HTH,

Durand