how to change default desktop

[sk8bloke87]

OK, i wanted to try a new desktop during installation so i selected WIndow maker. i dont like ti but I cant change the default back to KDE. How would I do that?

P.s.logging out and clciking on KDE only gets me into desktop in KDE, but doesnt change it to default.

Thx.

[Vasily]

i have the same problem, i am using mandrake 9.0. Is there any way to change default desktop?? Anyone??

[sk8bloke87]

same here, Mandrake 9.0!

[Allen614]

I haven't used the graphical login for Mandrake (Runlevel 5) but you should be able to change it with the Mandrake Control Center.

[sk8bloke87]

nope. couldnt find it anywhere.

[Vasily]

Me either, i could not find that option anywhere even in Mandrake Control Panel. I tried everything, only to fail in my login war with Mandrake 9.0.

[Allen614]

Go to /etc/initab and change the runlevel from 5 to 3. Create a file in your /home directory named .xinitrc and add these lines.

#!bin/bash

startkde
#gnome-session
#blackbox
#fluxbox
#icewm

Leave uncommented (#) the WM you want to use and reboot. startx will run the uncommented WM.

[Vasily]

Thanks. I am going to go try this right now.

[sk8bloke87]

did it work vasily?

[sk8bloke87]

Originally posted by Allen614
Go to /etc/initab and change the runlevel from 5 to 3. Create a file in your /home directory named .xinitrc and add these lines.

#!bin/bash

startkde
#gnome-session
#blackbox
#fluxbox
#icewm

Leave uncommented (#) the WM you want to use and reboot. startx will run the uncommented WM.

wheres /etc/initab ? looked evrywhere in /etc and couldnt find it.

[BigFatJoe]

Originally posted by sk8bloke87
wheres /etc/initab ? looked evrywhere in /etc and couldnt find it.

its /etc/inittab

Another solution:
If you want to run the graphical login, dont change /etc/inittab from 5 to 3, instead create in your home directory a file called ".xsession"
and use the same script that was mentioned for ".xinitrc". Basically, the 2 files work mostly the same way, but .xsession is more universal (supports graphical logins, etc.) while .xinitrc only works if you run "startx"

[Vasily]

i found the file but the name of directory was init.d or sometning like that and within that directory was a file named functions when i openned it i saw C or C++ code so i searched for "runlevel" and when i found it i changed 5 to 3. But that did not work, because my computer kept restarting in the same way it did before.

Today when i started my PowerMachine :) up it just gave me bash prompt to login. So i log in and than typed in kde to start kde and everyting worked fine.

All i did is to install mplayer before i shut it down and that changed everythind?? or was it someting else... Anywho, thanks for your help.

[BigFatJoe]

Originally posted by Vasily
i found the file but the name of directory was init.d or sometning like that and within that directory was a file named functions when i openned it i saw C or C++ code so i searched for "runlevel" and when i found it i changed 5 to 3. But that did not work, because my computer kept restarting in the same way it did before.

Today when i started my PowerMachine :) up it just gave me bash prompt to login. So i log in and than typed in kde to start kde and everyting worked fine.

All i did is to install mplayer before i shut it down and that changed everythind?? or was it someting else... Anywho, thanks for your help.

there is a big difference between /etc/inittab and the directory /etc/init.d/. The latter has symbolic links to commands you run at boot time, while the second one, among other things, configures how you boot.

I dont know what you changed, and that last past is really funky. If it works...I guess you can't complain. But in case, you like to keep your system nice and tidy, I would investigate what you changed and what effect this had. Maybe you opened up a security whole, or reconfigured something that may backfire one day. If you're not too paranoid...I guess you could just enjoy it. (knowing me, I would go and break it just to see why it worked)
; )

[Vasily]

Ok, I figured it out. What i did is go into Mandrake Control Panel, where I went into boot options and disabled the graphical login. Mplayer had nothing to do with the change of my login.

I followed your advice, BigFatJoe, and checked up on what i changed and it appears that it does not majorly affect anything, but i changed everyting back the way it was before. So i am ok now.

sk8bloke87, i really dont know how to change the default window manager, but what i did works ok for me:

I boot up to the login screen where I can choose the user and the window manager i want to use, to do this:

Goto Mandrake Control Panel, (enter your root pasw), goto boot option in the left panel, when you selected that choose the middle icon in the right panel that looks like power button with boot written on it, then just click the option that disables autologin. Thats it!! Next time you boot the login box should come up instead of your computer auromatically starting a windowmanager.

[BigFatJoe]

Originally posted by Vasily

sk8bloke87, i really dont know how to change the default window manager, but what i did works ok for me:

try this. in your home directory create a file called ".xsession" :

-----
#put any commands you want started
# sleep 3 && gkrellm &
#notice the "&" : you want to put all
#commands in the bg except for the last one
# etc
#exec startkde is the last line
exec startkde

-----

^im not sure about the startkde. it might be kdestart, etc. do a "which startkde" and if it turns up nothing peruse a couple directories (/usr/bin, /usr/local/bin, etc.) and try to figure out what the correct command is.