Re: [Nolug] XDM - Debian Question

On Feb 15, 2004, at 23:53, G. Meyers wrote:
> I installed Debian 3.0 not too long ago. Changed source from stable
> to testing, did an apt-get update and upgrade. Decided to get XFree86
> so I did an "apt-get install x-window-system". This installed XDM.
> Don't really care too much for XDM and would either like to remove it
> or at least install either GDM or KDM in its place.

You can either do
# apt-get remove xdm
or
# apt-get install kdm
(or gdm, if that's what you want)

If you go the remove route, it will say that it is removing
x-window-system. Go ahead and let it, there's no harm in it doing it
-- at this point that package has served its purpose (which is to say
what packages to install to get X up and running).

> How do I go about removing XDM? When I start Debian, it imediately
> goes to the graphical log in screen. If I go to xterm and issue an
> apt-get remove XDM, will that mess things up as I am basically runing
> XDM when I issue that command? (Hope that makes sense.)

Yes it makes sense, and no you won't mess anything up. After you log
in and are able to get an xterm, XDM isn't really running there. You
see, when you log in, control is handed from the XDM program to your
window manager. The reverse happens when you log out.

Another way is to hit <CTRL><ALT><F1>, which will change to the first
virtual terminal (command prompt). You can log in and issue the
commands there, if you want.

> Or, is it easier to apt-get KDM (for example), have debconf configure
> the system for its use then apt-get remove XDM. Either way, I think I
> want XDM off the system.

KDM, GDM, and XDM all conflict with each other. So, if you tell it to
install one, it will automatically remove the others (if installed, of
course).

> As you can probably tell, I am somewhat new to this. Any suggestions
> on how to go about removing XDM would be much appreciated.
>
> Thanks.
>

Hope this helps,
Kevin

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Received on 02/16/04