I broke it! X won't start
Forum: X and Fluxbox
Topic: I broke it! X won't start
started by: dmizzel
Posted by dmizzel on May 21 2005,18:18
This has happend to me several times in the past, and I just wiped out my backup.tar.gz (lots of lost time) to fix it. But now I'm pissed and I want to learn what I am doing wrong.When I boot (frugal install with backup.tar.gz) x doesn't start. I get dropped off at the command line after 4 lines of:
xauth: timeout in locking authority file /home/dsl/.Xauthority
1. I tried: startx
and got the same 4 lines, then x starts but it's a desktop with no Icons, no programs except xterm and the dock app
2. I tried: xsetup.sh
went through the setup process then it dropped me off back at the command line. (back to step 1 above)
I know it's me... Please
Help me Help Myself
Posted by Guest on May 22 2005,03:48
Did you mean that if you boot without the backup.tar.gz, you have no problems? If yes, please post what files are in it (tar -tzf backup.tar.gz), or post the contents of filetool.lst.
Posted by dmizzel on May 22 2005,05:37
yep... no problems The problem is definately something I did in my latest tweeking (but it was late last night and I don't remember what exactly what I did). I even have an older 'saftey' backup.tar.gz that works fine but it doesn't have my last weeks worth of changes. Here are the contents of my backup.tar.gz (the one that needs fixing):
--EDIT--
./home/
./home/dsl/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/profiles.ini
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/history.dat
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/key3.db
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/cert8.db
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/formhistory.dat
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/XUL.mfasl
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/downloads.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/bookmarks.html
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/chrome/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/chrome/userChrome-example.css
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/chrome/userContent-example.css
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/localstore.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/mimeTypes.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/US/search.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/chrome/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/chrome/userChrome-example.css
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/chrome/userContent-example.css
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/chrome/chrome.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/Extensions.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/installed-extensions.txt
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/{641d8d09-7dda-4850-8228-ac0ab65e2ac
9}/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/{641d8d09-7dda-4850-8228-ac0ab65e2ac
9}/install.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/{972ce4c6-7e08-4474-a285-3208198ce6f
d}/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/extensions/{972ce4c6-7e08-4474-a285-3208198ce6f
d}/install.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/localstore.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/mimeTypes.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/search.rdf
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/compatibility.ini
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/components.ini
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/compreg.dat
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/cookies.txt
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/secmod.db
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/xpti.dat
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/Cache.Trash/
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/bookmarks.html
./home/dsl/.mozilla/firefox/default.j24/prefs.js
./home/dsl/.mozilla/appreg
./home/dsl/.mozilla/pluginreg.dat
./home/dsl/.xserverrc
./home/dsl/.xinitrc
./home/dsl/Mail/
./home/dsl/Mail/trash/
./home/dsl/Mail/trash/.sylpheed_cache
./home/dsl/Mail/trash/.sylpheed_mark
./home/dsl/Mail/draft/
./home/dsl/Mail/draft/.sylpheed_cache
./home/dsl/Mail/draft/.sylpheed_mark
./home/dsl/Mail/queue/
./home/dsl/Mail/queue/.sylpheed_cache
./home/dsl/Mail/queue/.sylpheed_mark
./home/dsl/Mail/sent/
./home/dsl/Mail/sent/2
./home/dsl/Mail/sent/.sylpheed_cache
./home/dsl/Mail/sent/1
./home/dsl/Mail/sent/.sylpheed_mark
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/4
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/3
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/2
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/acct2/
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/acct2/.sylpheed_mark
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/acct2/.sylpheed_cache
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/.sylpheed_cache
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/.sylpheed_mark
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/1
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/5
./home/dsl/Mail/inbox/7
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/addrbook-000001.xml
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/addrbook-000002.xml
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/command_history
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/menurc
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/templates/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/uidl/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/uidl/squid13.laughingsquid.net-breze
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/uidl/mail.earthlink.net-djdavemezee
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/tmp/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/newscache/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/mimetmp/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/imapcache/
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/sylpheed.log.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/sylpheed.log
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/actionsrc.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/actionsrc
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/dispheaderrc.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/dispheaderrc
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/folderlist.xml.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/folderlist.xml
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/sylpheedrc.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/sylpheedrc
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/filterrc.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/filterrc
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/accountrc.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/accountrc
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/addrbook--index.xml.bak
./home/dsl/.sylpheed/addrbook--index.xml
./home/dsl/.mplayer/
./home/dsl/.mplayer/gui.history
./home/dsl/.mplayer/gui.url
./home/dsl/.mplayer/gui.pl
./home/dsl/.mplayer/gui.conf
./home/dsl/.mplayer/config
./home/dsl/.mplayer/mplayer.conf
./home/dsl/.mplayer/menu.conf
./home/dsl/.mplayer/input.conf
./home/dsl/.mplayer/codecs.conf
./home/dsl/.mplayer/subfont.ttf
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/cpanel.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/cpanel.png
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/emelfm.gif
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/emelfm.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/firefox.gif
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/firefox.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/sylpheed.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/sylpheed.png
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/synaptic.png
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/xterm.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/xterm.png
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/alienNet.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/root.lnk
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/root.gif
./home/dsl/.xtdesktop/alienNet.png
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/slitlist
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/bsetbg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/init
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/Alien
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/7matrix
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/autumnacres
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/forestfalls
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/winterschill
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/Trippy
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/Liquidglass
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/rainyday
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles/Breze
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/7matrixbkg.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/dreamin.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/ForestFalls.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/winter1.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/xnature23_1024.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/kaleidoscope.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/glass.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/rainyday.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/breze1.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/alien3.jpg
./home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds/lightning.jpg
./home/dsl/filetool.lst
./opt/
./opt/.firefox_plugins/
./opt/.firefox_plugins/flashplayer.xpt
./opt/.firefox_plugins/libflashplayer.so
./opt/.mydsl_dir
./opt/powerdown.sh
./opt/bootlocal.sh
./opt/ppp/
./opt/ppp/chap-secrets
./opt/ppp/ip-down
./opt/ppp/ip-down.d/
./opt/ppp/ip-down.d/0dns-down
./opt/ppp/ip-up
./opt/ppp/ip-up.d/
./opt/ppp/ip-up.d/000usepeerdns
./opt/ppp/ip-up.d/0dns-up
./opt/ppp/no_ppp_on_boot
./opt/ppp/options
./opt/ppp/options.ttyXX
./opt/ppp/pap-secrets
./opt/ppp/peers/
./opt/ppp/peers/dsl-provider
./opt/ppp/peers/provider
./opt/ppp/peers/wvdial
./opt/ppp/peers/wvdial-pipe
./opt/ppp/peers/net
./opt/ppp/ppp_on_boot.dsl
./opt/ppp/pap-secrets.bak
./opt/ppp/resolv.conf
./opt/ppp/resolv/
./opt/ppp/resolv/net
./opt/ppp/chatscripts/
./opt/ppp/chatscripts/net
--END of EDIT--
My filetool.lst:
opt/ppp
opt/bootlocal.sh
opt/powerdown.sh
opt/.mydsl_dir
home/dsl/filetool.lst
home/dsl/.fluxbox/backgrounds
home/dsl/.fluxbox/styles
home/dsl/.fluxbox/init
home/dsl/.fluxbox/bsetbg
home/dsl/.fluxbox/slitlist
home/dsl/.xtdesktop
home/dsl/.mplayer
home/dsl/.sylpheed
home/dsl/Mail
home/dsl/.xinitrc
home/dsl/.xserverrc
home/dsl/.mozilla
opt/.firefox_plugins
Thanx in advance, this has been really frustrating. Especially because I know it's something simple (I just don't know what).
Posted by SaidinUnleashed on May 22 2005,06:51
heh, this is easy.First, make sure you arent su'd to root, etc, then do this.
| Code Sample |
| cd \;startx |
-J.P.
Posted by dmizzel on May 22 2005,08:16
I tried your suggestion:cd\;startx (is that a typo? the ' \ ' )
it gave me the following message:
-su: cd;startx: command not found
then it gave me the ' xauth: timeout...... ' four times and started x in the minimal way that I previously described (dock apps and only xterm in the menu)
I tried:
cd/;startx
didn't work either. similar result.
also: I wasn't root when I tried these.
****also I just realized what tar -tzf does. so I edited my post above. Thanx
Posted by SaidinUnleashed on May 22 2005,14:30
the command should have been this.| Code Sample |
| cd ~;startx |
I was schleepy. :P
Posted by dmizzel on May 22 2005,23:34
Thanx for the correction but... 
It still doesn't work. I'm getting:-su: cd~: command not found
then the same 4 lines of ' xauth: timeout... blah blah '
then the same minimal screen with dock apps and only xterm in the menu
Posted by mikshaw on May 23 2005,02:17
it's "cd<SPACE>~", or simply "cd".This takes you to your home directory.
I dunno if running startx from $HOME is going to make any difference though.
Personally I'd delete .Xauthority if it exists and try again.
Posted by dmizzel on May 23 2005,07:09
.Xauthority exists however it is not included in my backup.tar.gz (no filetool.lst entry for it) therefore it it being ' refreshed ' everytime I reboot. If I reboot with ' norestore ' I don't have any problems. but Thanx for the suggestion.
I am sooooooooooooooooooooooooooo frustrated!!!
I'm getting ready to start over. Seeing as though I don't remember what I actually did to break it makes it hard to fix. Thanx for all your help but I am ready to give up. I'll still check this form if anyone has something else for me to try. Are we allowed to curse on these forms??
I have been trying to work around the problem which leads me to further frustration... it deals with permissions and user/groups issues while copying files from one backup.tar.gz (the broken one) to another backup.tar.gz (my last working saftey copy).
In the interest of keeping some order to my helplessness... Please feel free to join me for refreshments an finger foods over at the 'Other Help Topics' form, where I'll be serving up this problem.
Posted by mikshaw on May 23 2005,13:26
You probably shouldn't try to copy files manually from one backup to another...this will mess with file ownerships if you're not very careful.All files in /home/dsl should be owned by dsl, and just about everything else is owned by root.
use the command
sudo chown -R dsl.staff /home/dsl/
to make sure everything in $HOME has proper ownership, and then run the backup tool. See if that helps.
Posted by dmizzel on May 24 2005,07:38
I don't know what happened ( I must have been really tired ) but I wrote a long post last night before I continued with my problem on the 'other help topics' form. Maybe I previewed it, but didn't post it, now I really am hopeless ) .It didn't work but... I think you are right mikshaw! My broken backup.tar.gz is beyond repair because it has been backed up in it's messed up state. In otherwords my problem has been written into my backup.tar.gz.
I do believe that it was all due to permission problems, and if I had your last post before I rebooted/backed up the very first time the problem occured... I think I would have been fine:)
IMPORTANT LESSON: be very careful using emelfm in superuser (root) mode!! Permissions, user & groups will get changed and render problems. I think I have learned a valuable lesson the hard way. (this tip is for nooB's which I'm trying real hard not to be)
Thanx mikshaw and sadin unleashed for your help and patience.:D
Posted by Bryan on Dec. 20 2005,17:39
I had the same problem, but I simply changed the root passwd, su'd, and startx...was fine.
Posted by Grim on Jan. 12 2006,02:45
If you have this problem again, check the permissions on the ~/.Xauthority file. Dollars to doughnuts, you don't have access to write to the file and X won't start unless you do.