> can select the command prompt and login normally, either root or my > username and that is fine. At the # or $ prompt, I type in 'startkde', > but then I get the KDEINIT: $DISPLAY not set error. However, at the > command prompt I can type in 'startx' and KDE loads normally and > everything works properly as expected. I have deduced that somehow the > link between XServer and KDE is broken. I would like to use the KDM GUI
Actually, when you're on a text console (not under X), $DISPLAY is not defined by default because the text console doesn't offer graphic display (e.g. is not running under X). This variable is used by graphical application to find out "where should they appear". If you're in the console _under_ X, this var will be always defined, pointing to your current desktop and app will appear there. Of course you can also export $DISPLAY=:N in the text console, but on the display :N there have to be an X server running, which graphical apps (executed from particular text console) will from then on connect to (appear on). Make sure you follow Chris Cheney's previous post (selecting the "KDE" option in KDM manually) and if that doesn't work, try to delete ~/.xinitrc if one is available. If that doesn't help either, delete ~/.xsession as well, but make sure you back both of them up in case you'll end up with completely unusable X (which you shouldn't) ;)
