Invisi-bar

[Schlude]

Hi all,
I'm using Red Hat 7.3 (new to Linux as of yesterday), and it is working pretty well except for one weird issue that is probably easy to anyone but me. Hopefullly, someone can show me how stupid I really am.
If I log in as myself and use startx to go into GNOME, I don't have a menu bar at the bottom of the screen, but if I log in as root, it's there and it works fine. I have poked around when logged in as myself, but I haven't seen anything to enable or disable the menu bar. Surely I am missing something, but what in the world is it? I'm a very new newcomer, so forgive my ignorance, please.

Peace,
Schlude

[fancypiper]

Smart move, not using the GUI boot

Delete (or rename for examination to find out how you screwed it up) all your .gnome directories (directories that start with dot and gnome) and startx. That will regenerate the default desktop again.

mc (Midnight Commander) is a nice command line tool if you haven't used it yet.

[Schlude]

Are you talking about the files in the /etc/gnome directory?

[fancypiper]

:eek: No! That directory contains system wide configuration files. Remove your /home/<username>/.gnome* folders. That is where your user lives.

Root's account lives under /root.

See the filesystem links

# Linux filesystem structure
Directory Navigation NHF V1.0 (http://linuxnewbie.org/nhf/Filesystems/Directory_Navigation.html)
Filesystems, Directories, and Devices NHF ver. 1.0 (http://linuxnewbie.org/nhf/Filesystems/Filesystems_Directories_and_Devices.html)

[Schlude]

That's what I was looking for earlier, but the only thing in that directory is an nsmail folder with six mail-related files in it. Perhaps that's the problem?

[fancypiper]

No, that is the netscape mail files.

Are you looking at hidden files (dot files) too?[phil@uilleann phil]$ ls -a
.gnome
.gnome-desktop
.gnome_privateFind those folders.

I like to control my x stuff with a file in my home directory, /home/phil/.xinitrc# uilleann box user phil .xinitrc file
#exec kde
exec gnome-session
#exec gkrellm -w &
#exec xscreensaver &
#exec fluxboxThis allows me to switch to what I want by adding/removing the comment flags (#).

[jglen490]

Renaming is usually preferable to deleting. So rename $HOME/.gnome to something like $HOME/.gnomebak using the mv (move) command or cp (copy) and then rmdir. That way if something goes amiss, you can recover.

If all works out well, then you can remove $HOME/.gnomebak ;) .

[TCaptain70]

Originally posted by fancypiper
Smart move, not using the GUI boot


I'm curious, what do you have against the GUI boot?

Personally I've used both and once things are rock stable, I love the GUI/Terminal Window combo to get things done. :D

(Note: Not trying to start a flame war or anything, or mean anything by asking...I just read a lot of your posts and you're a pretty savvy guy and I'm interested in why this would be your opinion)

[Schlude]

YESSSS!!!!!
IT'S ALIVE!! ALIIIVE!!!!
Thank, folks. That took care of it.
I have absolutely no idea what I did to make the bar disappear, but it is back. I'll think about comparing some of the files that I renamed later. I need to get a bit more comfy with Linux first, especially on the command line level. I really appreciate the help.

Peace,
Schlude

[fancypiper]

Originally posted by TCaptain70
I'm curious, what do you have against the GUI boot?

Personally I've used both and once things are rock stable, I love the GUI/Terminal Window combo to get things done. :D

(Note: Not trying to start a flame war or anything, or mean anything by asking...I just read a lot of your posts and you're a pretty savvy guy and I'm interested in why this would be your opinion) The "X-Files" loop is hard to break out of when you upgrade and something breaks X. I don't mind hitting the up arrow and enter to start x.

Actually I alias the command "x" to start several things as well as x.

I just feel more comfortable if I have a command line real easy to get to.

I normally have a virtual console or 2 loged into in root and user accounts because I find the fonts more pleasing in the console than in an x terminal for some tools I use frequently.

Basically, I feel it's more flexible to use and easier to fix when I boot to command line.

I have been known to be completely wrong....