Where'd my old WM go? (and what's fluxbox?)

Forum: X and Fluxbox
Topic: Where'd my old WM go? (and what's fluxbox?)
started by: chrisjmeagher

Posted by chrisjmeagher on April 26 2006,15:56

Hi,
I read through the forum search results on "fluxter" and "fluxbox" but maybe my question is too obvious to have already been asked. I've been trying to connect my harddrive-installed DSL laptop to a wireless Ad-Hoc network and each time I use "pump -i ath0" the computer hangs. In this most recent time, when I hard rebooted, the computer started into fluxbox. I used to have whatever the default window manager or desktop is. Now it's just "fluxbox" and the fluxbox menu only has three entries: xterm, Restart, and Exit.

Any advice on getting my system back to normal? I also don't see any home/dsl/.fluxbox directory.

Thanks!
- Chris

Posted by chrisjmeagher on April 26 2006,17:21

Sorry...I guess I was using Fluxbox the entire time, but it looks like whatever config files there were got corrupted/deleted when I hard-rebooted the computer. I have the DSL disc in now and booted off of that, and I'm looking for the original config files to copy onto my harddrive.

Edit: Okay, so I copied the live CD's home/dsl directory (with -R) and replaced my harddrive install's home/dsl directory. However, it looks like I can't get out of jwm (which I was playing with on the live CD). Also, .Xauthority seems to be locked, or can't be locked, I'm not sure. Should I continue trying to fix this, or is there an easy way to redo the harddrive install?

Posted by doobit on April 26 2006,18:01

It may be just the backup file that got corrupted. However, before you delete backup.tar.gz and lose all of your other settings. Try the command startx at the prompt. If that doesn't work, then try exit. If that doesn't work (yes, I am full of tricks) try typing xsetup.sh and go through the process of reinitializing X. If none of that works, then do this:
pwd
That will show you where you are.
cd ~
That will take you to the top directory
ls
Thatwill list the files and directories in the top directory. You should see a file called backup.tar.gz
copy that file to a floppy or other removeable media, like a pendrive for example:

Code Sample

cp backup.tar.gz /mnt/sda1

and/or
delete or rename the backup.tar.gz file

Code Sample

rm -i backup.tar.gz

Code Sample

rename backup.tar.gz backup.tar.gzold

if you just rename it, then you probably don't need to delete it.
Hopefully someone here will verify if my code is correct.

Posted by chrisjmeagher on April 26 2006,18:36

Is "backup.tar.gz" something that is updated every time the system is shut down?

Hopefully this fixed everything - I recursively copied the home/dsl directory from the live CD (as I mentioned above) and fixed the .Xauthority problem by regaining ownership of the entire home/dsl directory (to user dsl)

Command used:
sudo chown -R dsl /home/dsl

This seemed to fix everything - I was able to get back to the original fluxbox WM, etc.

Thanks for your help - I'll check out the backup.tar.gz fix as well. This is definitely a fun learning experience!
- Chris

Posted by doobit on April 26 2006,18:51

Good, sounds like you fixed it. The backup.tar.gz will update as long as you have specified a backup location. As I mentioned, you can also use the boot line command dsl norestore to keep it from restoring the file on the next bootup. In the DSL panel, there is a backup/restore button. If you delete the nformation in that field, then it will not write a backup file when you power down.
I hope this has been helpful, although it looks like you probably know more than I.