Desktop messed up???

[doesnotcompute]

Hi, sorry if this is in the wrong forum, but I could'nt find anywhere else to put this. Here's my problem: I was using Knoppix, browsing the internet, and I was trying to run a command from the K-menu, when I accidently hit "Lock Session". The screen locked, and when I tried to unlock it, it said "authentication failed", or something....it told me I had to manually kill the process or something. So then I tried logging in as root, and that didn't work (same error), so I pressed CTRL+ALT+ BACKSPACE to get to the vga console, and tried to log out that way. I decided I had better make sure I hadn't messed up my account by using CTRL+ALT+ BACKSPACE, so I logged in as myself, then when I got back in, my desktop image was reset to the default image, the sound server said it was unable to get the user name from the user id (I was running XMMS in the background when I locked the session), and now when I right click on the desktop, nothing happens. I rebooted, and the desktop is still messed up!!!

Is there any way I can restore my desktop??

[doesnotcompute]

Also, when I try to run a root shell, the window shows up in the taskbar, but has an egg timer icon beside it, and nothing happens. Also when I try to run the terminal program, it says "have no name@knx_box~$"

[doesnotcompute]

A quick google shows that I've messed up the permissions for the /etc/passwd file. What are the default permissions for this file?