Why Won't My Linux System Boot Properly?

  • Thread starter Edgardo
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    Linux
In summary, the conversation revolves around a user experiencing difficulties with their Linux (SuSE) booting and accessing the KDE interface. They receive an error message regarding shared libraries and startproc, and are unable to start any applications. Suggestions are made to edit the rc.conf file and change the display manager to kdm, reinstall kdm, and check for any recent changes or typos in the XF86Config file. The user also mentions attempting to install the beamer class for latex, playing with the online update, and trying to install the nvidia driver.
  • #1
Edgardo
706
17
Hello all,

I wanted to boot my Linux, login and use KDE.
But Linux (SuSE) didn't boot as usual. I can't get to the screen where I can choose between KDE, window maker, etc. :bugeye:

It says:

Starting service kdm/opt/kde3/bin/kdm: error while loading shared libraries: libX11.so.6: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory

startproc: exit status of parent of /opt/kde3/bin/kdm: 127 failed

Failed services in runlevel 5: xdm

Welcome to SuSE Linux 8.0 (i386) - Kernel 2.4.18-64 GB-SMP (tty1)

linux login:

:confused:


I logged in but I can't start any applications (like kwrite or kedit).
It's like console mode (similar to tty2 if you press Ctrl+Alt+F2)
Now what's wrong with my Linux and how can I fix it?

 
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  • #2
When it gives you the console login, enter as root. Then do the following:

cd /etc/X11/Sessions
ls

There should be a file called kde-<version number>. Write this down. Then do this:

pico /etc/rc.conf

I don't know if you have the pico text editor. If you don't you can try and use emacs or vim. Vim is a little different than other editors and requires you to do :i before entering any text. You can then save your work and quit by doing :wq

Once you open the file with a text editor change the following lines to this:

DISPLAYMANAGER="xdm"

XSESSION="kde-<version-number>"

There should be instructions within the file so if you get confused refer to them.

After you save the file and quit the text editor start the xserver run the following command:

startx

You should be presented with a login. Enter your infomation and it should take you to kde.

From there go to Yast and reinstall kdm. When your done reinstalling edit rc.conf again and change this line:

DISPLAYMANAGER="kdm"
 
  • #3
Sounds more like his X is borked, not that kdm isn't trying to start up. :confused:

Edgardo, did you make any changes recently? Settings, software, drivers, kernel, hard disks, hardware?
 
  • #4
dduardo said:
When it gives you the console login, enter as root. Then do the following:

cd /etc/X11/Sessions
ls

There is no folder called Sessions. All I see in the X11 folder is:

XF86Config
XF86Config.YaST2save
XF86Config.saxsave
XF86Config~
Xmodmap
Xmodmap.remote
fs
kde3
lbxproxy
proxymngr
qtrc
rstart
susewm
twm
xdm
xinit
xkb
xsm

The blue words are folders.
 
  • #5
Did you edit your XF86Config recently?
 
  • #6
abhishek said:
Sounds more like his X is borked, not that kdm isn't trying to start up. :confused:

Edgardo, did you make any changes recently? Settings, software, drivers, kernel, hard disks, hardware?

Hmm...I tried to install the beamer class for latex (didn't work properly).
I also played a little bit with the online update, but recognized that the
links were old (I have SuSE Linux 8.0), so I didn't update.
I once tried to install nvidia driver, didn't work.
I tried to get the mouse wheel to work, but didn't manage to do so.
Experimenting with the mouse-setting was quite annoying. I once changed
to ExplorerPS2 and afterwards the mouse-pointer was jumping around the screen. I had to restart and I was happy that I had the texteditor opened, so I could change it back to the original setting.
 
  • #7
abhishek said:
Did you edit your XF86Config recently?

Oh yes, I once changed it in order to make the mouse-wheel working.
As that didn't work, I changed it back, and everything was fine.
But that was some weeks ago. I worked with SuSE-Linux and had no problems.
Except that for the DHCP, I always had to change it in YaST2 in order to
get internet-access.

As for the XF86Config-file, I left some things changed like mouse wheel buttons 5 (or something like that), although in my case this didn't have any effect on my mouse wheel (still doesn't work).
 
  • #8
Perhaps you left a typo or something in the file. Can you post your XF86Config somewhere so we can check it? :cool:

Alternately, backup your current XF86Config and revert to one of the backups already there. (Have you already tried this?)

I presume you tried the nvidia driver long ago too. What changes did you make between now and when X last worked?

Incidentally, do a search for libX11.so.6, see if it exists. :cool:
 
  • #9
Here's my XF86 Configuration:


# /.../
# SaX generated XFree86 config file
# Created on: 2005-01-07.
#
# Version: 4.3
# Contact: Marcus Schaefer <sax@suse.de>, 2001
#
# Automatically generated by [SaX2] (4.3)
# PLEASE DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE!
#

Section "Files"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/local"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/URW"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/PEX"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin2/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/latin7/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/baekmuk:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/japanese:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/kwintv:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/truetype"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/uni:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/CID"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/ucs/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/misc:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/75dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/100dpi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/hellas/Type1"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/sgi:unscaled"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/xtest"
ModulePath "/usr/X11R6/lib/modules"
RgbPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb"
EndSection

Section "ServerFlags"
Option "AllowMouseOpenFail"
EndSection

Section "Module"
Load "type1"
Load "speedo"
Load "extmod"
Load "freetype"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Driver "Keyboard"
Identifier "Keyboard[0]"
Option "Protocol" "Standard"
Option "XkbLayout" "de"
Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
Option "XkbVariant" "nodeadkeys"
EndSection


Section "InputDevice"
Driver "mouse"
Identifier "Mouse[1]"
Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
Option "Buttons" "5"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
# Option "Emulate3Buttons" "on"
# Option "Emulate3Timeout" "50"
Option "InputFashion" "Mouse"
Option "Name" "Autodetection"
Option "Protocol" "ps/2"
Option "Vendor" "Sysp"
EndSection


Section "Monitor"
Option "CalcAlgorithm" "CheckDesktopGeometry"
DisplaySize 330 240
HorizSync 24-68.7
Identifier "Monitor[0]"
ModelName "1024X768@85HZ"
VendorName "--> VESA"
VertRefresh 50-85
UseModes "Modes[0]"
EndSection


Section "Modes"
Identifier "Modes[0]"
Modeline "1280x1024" 110.76 1280 1296 1552 1736 1024 1024 1034 1070
Modeline "1280x1024" 114.32 1280 1296 1552 1736 1024 1024 1034 1070
Modeline "1152x864" 84.02 1152 1168 1384 1568 864 864 872 902
Modeline "1152x864" 96.94 1152 1168 1384 1568 864 864 874 902
Modeline "1152x864" 102.78 1152 1168 1384 1568 864 864 874 902
Modeline "832x624" 43.80 832 848 968 1112 624 624 630 652
Modeline "832x624" 50.54 832 848 968 1112 624 624 634 652
Modeline "832x624" 57.28 832 848 968 1112 624 624 634 652
Modeline "800x600" 40.56 800 816 928 1072 600 600 606 626
Modeline "800x600" 46.80 800 816 928 1072 600 600 610 626
Modeline "800x600" 53.04 800 816 928 1072 600 600 610 626
Modeline "640x480" 25.96 640 656 720 864 480 480 484 501
Modeline "640x480" 29.95 640 656 720 864 480 480 490 501
Modeline "640x480" 33.95 640 656 720 864 480 480 490 501
Modeline "720x400" 24.34 720 736 824 1008 400 400 403 417
Modeline "720x400" 28.08 720 736 824 1008 400 400 410 417
Modeline "720x400" 31.82 720 736 824 1064 400 400 410 417
Modeline "1024x768" 94.5 1024 1088 1184 1376 768 769 772 808
EndSection


Section "Screen"
DefaultDepth 16
SubSection "Display"
Depth 15
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "800x600" "640x480" "640x480" "720x400"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1024x768"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "800x600" "640x480" "640x480" "720x400"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 32
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "800x600" "640x480" "640x480" "720x400"
EndSubSection
SubSection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "1280x1024" "1152x864" "1024x768" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "800x600" "640x480" "640x480" "720x400"
EndSubSection
Device "Device[0]"
Identifier "Screen[0]"
Monitor "Monitor[0]"
EndSection


Section "Device"
BoardName "GeForce4 MX 440"
BusID "1:0:0"
Driver "nv"
Identifier "Device[0]"
Screen 0
VendorName "NVidia"
EndSection


Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "Layout[all]"
InputDevice "Keyboard[0]" "CoreKeyboard"
InputDevice "Mouse[1]" "CorePointer"
Option "Clone" "off"
Option "Xinerama" "off"
Screen "Screen[0]"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
Group "video"
Mode 0660
EndSection
 
  • #10
Can't see any errors. Did you search for the filename that it says is missing?
 
  • #11
I'd like to try what dduardo advised me to do. But I can't find the folder cd /etc/X11/Sessions. As for the kde version number, is it maybe kde3
because there's a folder called kde3?
 
  • #12
Try looking in xinit
 

Related to Why Won't My Linux System Boot Properly?

1. Why won't my Linux computer start up?

There could be multiple reasons for this issue. It could be due to a corrupted operating system, a hardware malfunction, or a misconfigured boot loader. Further troubleshooting would be needed to determine the exact cause.

2. How can I fix a Linux computer that won't start?

The first step would be to try booting into safe mode or using a recovery disk. If that doesn't work, you may need to reinstall the operating system or replace any faulty hardware components. It's also a good idea to check for any recent changes or updates that could have caused the issue.

3. Can a virus or malware prevent Linux from starting?

Yes, it is possible for a virus or malware to infect the boot process and prevent Linux from starting. It's important to have a reliable antivirus program installed and regularly perform scans to prevent and remove any malicious software.

4. Is it possible to recover data from a Linux computer that won't start?

Yes, there are various data recovery tools and services available that can help retrieve data from a non-functioning Linux computer. However, the success of data recovery depends on the extent of the damage to the system.

5. How can I prevent my Linux computer from not starting in the future?

To prevent your Linux computer from failing to start, it's important to regularly update the operating system and any installed software. It's also recommended to have backups of important files and regularly test the system for any hardware issues. Additionally, avoiding risky online behavior and practicing proper computer maintenance can help prevent future startup issues.

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