Linux Users, I need help....

[salz]

I just installed Red Hat Linux 8.0 and after I installed I can't get it started. Red Hat can't start Xwindows and it ends up giving me an error message saying Xwindows can't be started and asks if I want to go to the configuration utility. So I go there and I notice that linux is not recognizing my monitor, so I click on configure and choose my monitor. I then exit out of the configuration and it still can't start Xwindows and I end up getting sent to the command line. I just installed linux today and I have no idea how to do anything from the command line. I typed in "startx" and I got another error saying it couldn't start Xwindows. Can anyone help me out here? Is there any way around this? Thanks.

 

[mjquilly]

what type of monitor?

 

[salz]

Samsung 900NF

 

[Qzruh]

Have you configur your display ?
Try Xconfigurator or XF86config

 

[EmperorRob]

1. Are you manually choosing your monitor thru Xconfigurator or are you using the suggested settings?

2. When you exit Xconfigurator did you choose to have X start on booting?

3. Is there a file in your /root directory called .xsession-errors? If so post it here.

 

[salz]

I have to manually choose my monitor in the configurator because it can't detect my monitor automatically. EmporerRob, I'll see what I can do about finding that file.

Edit: Ok, this is what happens when I start Linux. Everything is ok and then I see the command line that says "esalzer login:". This screen then flashes a few times and I get an error message that USED to say Xwindows could not be started. I just checked it again, and it no longer even says that (I don't know why, I'm confused enough as it is). Instead of being able to choose yes or no in the error message, the characters for yes and no are a bunch of weird symbols (I'm assuming this is because it can't detect my monitor?). I used to be able to work my way into the configurator during the error message because it used to ask if I wanted to configure my settings and I could assume which symbol was yes and which was no, but I can no longer do that.

How can I get into the configurator from the command line? I don't even know if configuring my monitor will help much, because when I was able to configure my monitor, it still would not start Xwindows.
EmporerRob, I tried finding that file, but I'm not having any luck. My guess is I'm not searching for it correctly because I'm clueless when it comes to the command line.

When I type startx in the command line, I get a lengthy error message that takes up the entire screen. Is there a way that I can somehow copy that message so that I can show it on here? Or, can I print it out somehow and I'll type it all into here? Thanks for the help so far.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

there is a file in your home directory called .xsession-errors, there is also /var/log/XFree86.0.log (thats what its called on my debian system, may be different on redhat - im not sure). remember, tab complete is your friend. you can start to type a file name and just keep hitting tab and bash will show you the matches. to find things use locate or find. read up on some linux/unix tutorials, you'll have to at some point, if you want to be competent at all.

 

[MedicBob]

Do you have an Nvidia based video card?

If so install their drivers via RPM or compile them and install. They can be found on Nvidia's site.

 

[EmperorRob]

Yes .Xsession-errors or .xsession-errors file will either be in:
/root

or

/home/<your-userid>

What's your video card?

The command to run configurator from the shell is Xconfigurator in Red Hat 7.3 and below; it may be different in 8.0. Also we need you to run this command and post the output so we can see what version of XFree86 you are using:
rpm -qa | grep -i xfree