Ubuntu 8.10 server doesn't boot into GDM / X yet starts manually fine

[David Curtis]

On Wed, 11 Mar 2009 11:47:28 -0700
Daevid Vincent <daevid at daevid.com> wrote:

> I posted this the other day but feel it might have been lost as sunday
> evenings are not the best time to post it seems...
> 
> -------- Forwarded Message --------
> Date: Sun, 8 Mar 2009 16:15:47 -0700
> 
> I installed 8.10 server, then added Gnome and all that goodness on top.
>  
> When I boot however (and I swear this WAS working a week or so ago and I
> just did some updates today as per the update icon arrow), XDM doesn't
> auto start.
>  
> I have /etc/init.d/gdm starting in 3,4,5
> x11-common in 2,3,4,5
> and xserver-wacom (i don't have a wacom anything) in 2,3,4,5
>  
> If I login and "startx" it works fine but bawks about user switching or
> something. 
> if I manually just "/etc/init.d/gdm start" it fires up and works like a
> champ.
>  
> So I'm confused as to where the disconnect is and why it isn't' starting
> with the other services?
> 
Well, if no one has responded, let this amateur take a guess.

The above behavior sounds correct. Xorg is run as user, while GDM needs root. (I'm guessing that you really use 'sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start'.)

I don't know what to edit in the init scripts. But if you're getting to the desktop there should be an Applications->System->Services with a check box for GDM/XDM.

If that's not going to do it for you, you can always go to the nearest desktop install and diff the relative scripts/dir.

HTH

-- 
David Curtis <dcurtis at uniserve.com>