[rhn-users] Some problems with login screen

[Jonathan Rew]

Hi

I am new to Linux and for the last week or so have experienced some
major difficulties trying to install Wolfenstein (I know, playing when I
should be working!)

As far as I understand it, I need to upgrade my version of glib, atk,
gtk and pango.

The problems have culminated after following some advice from a Linux 
discussion group. I moved the existing files from /usr/lib/pkgconfig
(atk.pc, gtk+-2.0.pc, gtk+.pc, pangoft2.pc, pangox.pc, glib-2.0.pc, 
gtk-engines-2.pc, gtk-thinice-engine-2.pc, pango.pc,  glib.pc,
gtkhtml-1.1.pc, gtk+-x11-2.0.pc, pangoxft.pc) and
/usr/local/lib/pkgconfig (atk.pc  glib-2.0.pc  pangoft2.pc  pango.pc 
pangoxft.pc  pangox.pc) to a temporary directory then used ./configure
glib-2.4.0 --prefix=/usr/ (for example), which was apparently what I had
to do to get the packages to work. I am afraid that I do not know what
'--prefix=/usr/' means - or, indeed, what configure does or means,
although I assume it configures a package ready for installing it.

Then I did make and make install and after a lot of whirring, there were
no error messages (but loads of warnings saying something like 'warning:
somefilename seems to be moved'), so I assumed it had worked. There were
a couple of minor changes to the overall display (right-click menus,
taskbar separators, etc) that I noticed.

Anyway, to cut a long story short, what appears to have happened is that
the Linux graphical login screen for KDE has somehow got corrupted. What
now appears on the screen, when I restart the computer, is a dialogue
box saying:

^_z

<Yes> <No>

I choose No and the same box is displayed again. If I choose Yes the
same box appears but instead of Yes it shows RGI(upside down L)CGS and
instead of No it shows <GNHGG>. If I continue to choose the Yes option
(RGI, etc) it eventually comes up with a box saying:

Failed to start the display server several times in a short time period;
disabling display: 3 and what I assume is OK written as RGGzuGGS.

I just worked out that if I start Linux in runlevel 3, I can log in and
then type startx and here I am.

What I would really like to do is get it back to how it was before I
installed glib, atk, gtk [I am certain it is gtk that is causing the
problems] and pango - I have already run make clean for each and copied
the copies back to /usr/lib/pkgconfig and /usr/local/lib/pkgconfig and
re-installed KDE and its various components from the Red Hat CD. It
hasn't made any difference at all. Can anyone help?

Also, could someone recommend a good, free resource for Linux. What I
would really like to know is how the directory structure is organised,
where packages go when you install them, and so on. Also, where the
documentation is for Perl and PHP.

Sorry it is so long. I just thought you'd probably prefer all the facts.

Thanks very much.

Jonathan Rew