Some linux guidance needed (please).

[Vadatajs]

I just acquired a second computer for linux and finally settled on redhat 7.2 for the operating system. I'm not a newbie, but I don't have much experience either. For the most part things are going smoothly, except:

1. I want a graphical logon (or at least a way to choose my window manager), my inittab file is set to runlevel 5 as default, yet I'm still stuck with a text login. During boot is even says "entering runlevel 5". I'm stumped with this one.

2. When I log on and start X, I'm forced to use gnome, I'd much rather use windowmaker, and I'm sure it is installed. Is there a way to make windowmaker the default over gnome? I don't have any type of xinitrc file in my home directory (I know it's hidden, I've looked), so I need some help with this one. I know I have windowmaker installed (or pretty sure at least, I installed everything but KDE).

3. How do I find my IP address? Right now the computer is hooked up to a hub with 2 other computers and a cable modem connected to the uplink port. The reason I'm asking is I get an error message whenever I start gnome saying it can't find the address for 'vadatajs' <--my computer's name, apparantly. Nowhere during the install routine did I enter a computer name. It said I should enter it to the /etc/hosts file so I need my IP address. linuxconf doesnt' tell me.

So far this is one of the better linux experiences I've had. I really need to solve these issues though, Gnome is painfully slow (although the computer is a K6-2 450 with 256 megs of ram), and the login issue is way over my head. Anhy help from the linux guru's would be much appreciated.

 

[fivepesos]

1) you should have a line in your inittab that reads x:5:respawn:/etc/X11/prefdm -nodaemon? my understanding is this starts XDM on redhat 7.2

2) xdm/gdm will allow to modify default window mangers/desktop environments. or you can edit xinitrc in your /etc/X11/xinit dir.

4) man ifconfig, if youre dynamic man dhcpcd

i dont know why u would have performance issues, a k6-2 450 should be fine for gnome especially with that much ram. what xserver are u running? if u dont know, what vid card are u using?

 

[Sunner]

If you wanna run windowmaker whenever X starts, just enter "wmaker" in your ".xinitrc", you dont need anything else, and if the file doesn't exist, create it.

And an easy way to get your favourite WM picker(KDM, GDM, whatever) to run is to start it by placing a startup link in the rcX.d directory, like "S99KDM" in rc2.d, thats how I'd do it anyway

As for the performance problem, you aren't running Ximian by any chance are you?
Ximian has been awfully slow for me every time I've tried it, at least the default install.
But I wont say too much since Im a Blackbox/KDE user anyways

 

[Vadatajs]

<< 1) you should have a line in your inittab that reads x:5:respawn:/etc/X11/prefdm -nodaemon? my understanding is this starts XDM on redhat 7.22) xdm/gdm will allow to modify default window mangers/desktop environments. or you can edit xinitrc in your /etc/X11/xinit dir.4) man ifconfig, if youre dynamic man dhcpcdi dont know why u would have performance issues, a k6-2 450 should be fine for gnome especially with that much ram. what xserver are u running? if u dont know, what vid card are u using? >>



Thanks, all is present in my inittab file. I am using the SVGA server, I have a voodoo3 2000 pci as the graphics card. I'll upload my inittab and xinitrc files to my plymouth server if anybody is interested in seeing what is going on.

 

[Vadatajs]

<< If you wanna run windowmaker whenever X starts, just enter "wmaker" in your ".xinitrc", you dont need anything else, and if the file doesn't exist, create it.And an easy way to get your favourite WM picker(KDM, GDM, whatever) to run is to start it by placing a startup link in the rcX.d directory, like "S99KDM" in rc2.d, thats how I'd do it anyway As for the performance problem, you aren't running Ximian by any chance are you?Ximian has been awfully slow for me every time I've tried it, at least the default install.But I wont say too much since Im a Blackbox/KDE user anyways >>



No Ximian, but I am using nautilus, and I hate it. It looks beautiful if you have a fast computer (like my other one), but it is waaaay too slow.

 

[EmperorRob]

This is the easiest way buddy.

To make your login graphical, run Xconfigurator from outside of Xwindows. After you configure your resolution it will prompt you if you want it to automatically load at boottime.

If it's automatically logging you into Gnome run this from a console: switchdesk and that will set your default window manager.

ifconfig will list the IPs of all your running cards/interfaces.

 

[Vadatajs]

Thanks for the help, switchdesk did the trick. Unfortunately I only have a choice between TWM and gnome. I chose TWM, much faster, but not quite what I'm used to yet.

 

[EmperorRob]

You are using Red Hat 7.2 right? Might be b/c you did a custom install you left out KDE and Enlightenment. That's the 4 choices I have.