jsalpha2 Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 I'm trying Vector Linux, a Slackware based distro (VL64-7.1-STD-RC4.3). It is very nice by the way. I'm dual booting with Debian and have Debian handle my grub2 with Grub Customizer allowing me to have large fonts and a nice background on the Grub boot screen. My procedure is to install Jessie first, then Vector, and finally boot back into Debian, update grub and then use Grub Customizer to set the fonts and background. The problem is that on Vector it sets grub to text boot (TUI). instead of Graphic boot for Vector. This means I have to type startx each time. So I figured that I would install Grub Customizer on Vector and see if my problem would go away. The only sort of Slackware version I could find was in a Slackel repository. grub-customizer-4.0.6-x86_64-1dj.txz The instructions are "Install grub-customizer txz package: # upgradepkg --install-new grub-customizer-4.0.6-x86_64-1dj.txz" (I'm thinking that means to put that file in the Downloads folder, open a terminal as root, and then cut and paste that command. So do you think it will work or am I going to mess things up big time? The Slackware way would be to figure out what files to modify manually and I tried reading the grub2 manual, but my eyes and brain did not connect. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Well typing startx has nothing to do with grub at all. That just means that it doesn't have a login manager installed. As far as the installation of grub-customizer, you would navigate to whatever directory the file was downloaded to and then as root; run that command. I have not ran Slackware in a long time but I believe that is the command to install a binary on Slackware. Example: Navigate to the Downloads directory: cd ~/Downloads/ Make sure file is in the directory: ls Install package as root: su -c 'upgradepkg --install-new grub-customizer-4.0.6-x86_64-1dj.txz' Or su to root and then run: upgradepkg --install-new grub-customizer-4.0.6-x86_64-1dj.txz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 Looks like a job for our resident slacker V.T., funny how he always disappears when there is work to be done Vector linux uses a login manager, You can choose between the GDM or KDM login managers. GDM has the advantage of offering easy localization for non-English users. http://vectorlinux.com/news/vectorlinux-6.0-light-released Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsalpha2 Posted May 14, 2015 Author Share Posted May 14, 2015 If I am using the text only boot, I have to enter username and password and then type in startx to get to the desktop. If I don't use Grub Customizer the boot uses GDM and goes straight to the desktop, after I edited the gdm.config file to not ask for user or password. So the problem is somewhere in Grub customizer's defaults. It gives me the choice of normal boot, or under Advanced options, failsafe boot; but both are the same. Both options call up the TUI - text only interface, after that I can enter user and password, then start the graphical desktop, in this case Xfce. If I could dig into grub Customizer's files and make the correct changes, it should call the Xfce desktop and GDM automatically. Please forgive me if I have a hard time making myself clear. I plan on keeping Debian around, other distros I try to learn, but may not keep. One day I am going to try a pure Slackware or Gentoo install, but I'm not quite ready for that yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
burninbush Posted May 14, 2015 Share Posted May 14, 2015 If I am using the text only boot, I have to enter username and password and then type in startx to get to the desktop. If I don't use Grub Customizer the boot uses GDM and goes straight to the desktop, after I edited the gdm.config file to not ask for user or password. So the problem is somewhere in Grub customizer's defaults. It gives me the choice of normal boot, or under Advanced options, failsafe boot; but both are the same. Both options call up the TUI - text only interface, after that I can enter user and password, then start the graphical desktop, in this case Xfce. If I could dig into grub Customizer's files and make the correct changes, it should call the Xfce desktop and GDM automatically. Please forgive me if I have a hard time making myself clear. I plan on keeping Debian around, other distros I try to learn, but may not keep. One day I am going to try a pure Slackware or Gentoo install, but I'm not quite ready for that yet. Well, I know nothing about grub2 ... but you might be able to get to what you want in a different way. Open /etc/inittab with a text editor and change the default init state to 4 (pretty sure that Vector isn't using 5) and then reboot. That's how it's done in Slax and Porteus (both are Slack derivatives). Should come up in your chosen gui, already logged in. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 I don't know about the Grub Customizer. I've never used it. You should not be needing to install that in Slackware (Vector) at all. You install that app in the distribution that controls GRUB; in your case, that would be Debian. As for the having to type startx to get things going in Vector, that's NOT because it doesn't have a login manager installed. It's because Slackware and most of its derivatives starts in Run Level 3 (multi-user with no X). In order to set it up so that it uses a login manager to start, you'll need to edit your /etc/inittab to start in Run Level 4 (multi-user with a login manager). My /etc/inittab: [size=4]#[/size] # inittab This file describes how the INIT process should set up # the system in a certain run-level. # # Version: @(#)inittab 2.04 17/05/93 MvS # 2.10 02/10/95 PV # 3.00 02/06/1999 PV # 4.00 04/10/2002 PV # 13.37 2011-03-25 PJV # # Author: Miquel van Smoorenburg, <miquels@drinkel.nl.mugnet.org> # Modified by: Patrick J. Volkerding, <volkerdi@slackware.com> # # These are the default runlevels in Slackware: # 0 = halt # 1 = single user mode # 2 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3) # 3 = multiuser mode (default Slackware runlevel) # 4 = X11 with KDM/GDM/XDM (session managers) # 5 = unused (but configured the same as runlevel 3) # 6 = reboot # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) id:3:initdefault: # System initialization (runs when system boots). si:S:sysinit:/etc/rc.d/rc.S # Script to run when going single user (runlevel 1). su:1S:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.K # Script to run when going multi user. rc:2345:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.M # What to do at the "Three Finger Salute". ca::ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t5 -r now # Runlevel 0 halts the system. l0:0:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.0 # Runlevel 6 reboots the system. l6:6:wait:/etc/rc.d/rc.6 # What to do when power fails. pf::powerfail:/sbin/genpowerfail start # If power is back, cancel the running shutdown. pg::powerokwait:/sbin/genpowerfail stop # These are the standard console login getties in multiuser mode: c1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty --noclear 38400 tty1 linux c2:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty2 linux c3:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty3 linux c4:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty4 linux c5:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty5 linux c6:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty 38400 tty6 linux # Local serial lines: #s1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100 #s2:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -L ttyS1 9600 vt100 # Dialup lines: #d1:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -mt60 38400,19200,9600,2400,1200 ttyS0 vt100 #d2:12345:respawn:/sbin/agetty -mt60 38400,19200,9600,2400,1200 ttyS1 vt100 # Runlevel 4 also starts /etc/rc.d/rc.4 to run a display manager for X. # Display managers are preferred in this order: gdm, kdm, xdm x1:4:respawn:/etc/rc.d/rc.4 # End of /etc/inittab Change this from: # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) id:3:initdefault: to this: # Default runlevel. (Do not set to 0 or 6) id:4:initdefault: Save/Exit your editor. Reboot. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Neat I knew you would have an answer. Now what on earth is the "Three Finger Salute" ??????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Neat I knew you would have an answer. Now what on earth is the "Three Finger Salute" ??????? It's the Boy Scout sign https://en.wikipedia...sign_and_salute Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 3-Finger Salute in Windowsspeak means CTRL + ALT + DELETE 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 3-Finger Salute in Windowsspeak means CTRL + ALT + DELETE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 Neat I knew you would have an answer. Actually... credit where credit is due --> burninbush beat me to it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt.Crow Posted May 15, 2015 Share Posted May 15, 2015 3-Finger Salute in Windowsspeak means CTRL + ALT + DELETE In Linux it's called the Vulcan choke hold. Nearly as bad as pulling the power plug 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abarbarian Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 3-Finger Salute in Windowsspeak means CTRL + ALT + DELETE Neat I knew you would have an answer. Actually... credit where credit is due --> burninbush beat me to it. Righty oh I never spotted that as I am not familiar with the workings of dinasour os's 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ebrke Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 3-Finger Salute in Windowsspeak means CTRL + ALT + DELETE In Linux it's called the Vulcan choke hold. Nearly as bad as pulling the power plug Doesn't anyone use skinny elephants any more? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Doesn't anyone use skinny elephants any more? Actually I do and ctrl-alt-delete has been long disabled by default on Linux distros due to upstream Xorg changes. You can still enable it but it is not enabled by default. That and ctrl-alt-delete just exited/restarted Xorg, not the whole system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Nevermind, I was thinking of ctrl-alt-backspace not ctrl-alt-delete. I have never used ctrl-alt-delete to reboot though https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Keyboard_configuration_in_Xorg#Terminating_Xorg_with_Ctrl.2BAlt.2BBackspace Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Hey! CTRL + ALT + BKSPCE still works for me. Oh, yeah... I'm running that dinosaur distro. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jsalpha2 Posted May 28, 2015 Author Share Posted May 28, 2015 V.T. Eric Layton Thanks for the help. My /etc/inittab: does not look much like yours. # /etc/inittab: init(8) configuration. # $Id: inittab,v 1.91 2002/01/25 13:35:21 miquels Exp $ # The default runlevel. id:2:initdefault: # Boot-time system configuration/initialization script. # This is run first except when booting in emergency (- mode. si::sysinit:/etc/init.d/rcS # What to do in single-user mode. ~~:S:wait:/sbin/sulogin # /etc/init.d executes the S and K scripts upon change # of runlevel. # # Runlevel 0 is halt. # Runlevel 1 is single-user. # Runlevels 2-5 are multi-user. # Runlevel 6 is reboot. l0:0:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 0 l1:1:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 1 l2:2:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 2 l3:3:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 3 l4:4:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 4 l5:5:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 5 l6:6:wait:/etc/init.d/rc 6 # Normally not reached, but fallthrough in case of emergency. z6:6:respawn:/sbin/sulogin # What to do when CTRL-ALT-DEL is pressed. ca:12345:ctrlaltdel:/sbin/shutdown -t1 -a -r now # Action on special keypress (ALT-UpArrow). #kb::kbrequest:/bin/echo "Keyboard Request--edit /etc/inittab to let this work." # What to do when the power fails/returns. pf::powerwait:/etc/init.d/powerfail start pn::powerfailnow:/etc/init.d/powerfail now po::powerokwait:/etc/init.d/powerfail stop # /sbin/getty invocations for the runlevels. # # The "id" field MUST be the same as the last # characters of the device (after "tty"). # # Format: # <id>:<runlevels>:<action>:<process> # # Note that on most Debian systems tty7 is used by the X Window System, # so if you want to add more getty's go ahead but skip tty7 if you run X. # 1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1 2:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty2 3:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty3 4:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty4 5:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty5 6:23:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty6 # Example how to put a getty on a serial line (for a terminal) # #T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS0 9600 vt100 #T1:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyS1 9600 vt100 # Example how to put a getty on a modem line. # #T3:23:respawn:/sbin/mgetty -x0 -s 57600 ttyS3 I am multibooting so if I change from 2 to 4 to fix Vector, should it affect my other distros? There might be a file for each distro, but I haven't found it yet. You install that app in the distribution that controls GRUB; in your case, that would be Debian. Right, I was hoping that changing the distro that controls grub would fix things. I consider myself to be a student instead of a distrohopper and want to keep one distro from each of the major divisions installed. Plus a couple of independants for fun! Thanks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
V.T. Eric Layton Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 The line above in your inittab: # The default runlevel. id:2:initdefault: needs to be id:4:initdefault: (start in graphical mode - run level 4 or 5) That should get the Vector to start with a desktop manager (whichever one you're using... KDE, Gnome, etc.) Changes made in Vector's /etc/inittab cannot affect any other distribution or operating system on your computer, so no worries. === Yes, you can have one bootloader (GRUB or LILO) boot all your operating systems on your machine. GRUB is a bit easier to manipulate. LILO works well, but can be tricky to set up, particularly when booting operating systems across different hard drives. Luck! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
securitybreach Posted May 29, 2015 Share Posted May 29, 2015 Nice catch Eric I consider myself to be a student instead of a distrohopper and want to keep one distro from each of the major divisions installed. Plus a couple of independants for fun! Thanks Ain't nothing wrong with that my man!!! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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