CDE Login Problem

[Ken Redding]

Error log says Hung in XOpenDisplay(hpmach18).
hpmach18 is the hostname. Problem appeared overnight with no known changes to machine and won't move past the "starting desktop login" message, just keeps suspending and restarting.
Also, before this if user logs out it takes 10-12 minutes for login screen to reappear. Is this a timer set by CDE or a problem with not finding a needed connection/device/whatever?

[Rick Garland · Accepted solution]

There is a script is /usr/contrib/bin/X11
called dr_dt. Run this script - it will provide warnings or errors concerning the CDE environment.

1st guess, did something change with DNS of some type of resolution?

[john kingsley]

The first thing to check is hostname resolution. Check your /etc/nsswitch.conf

Are you using DNS? Check /etc/resolve.conf and make sure the nameservers are valid. Use IP-addresses & not hostnames in this file.

Are your using NIS? Is your NIS server available? ypwhich.

Can you resolve hostname and IP-address okay?
nslookup
nslookup

The delay in the login screen could be related. If hostname resolution is not configured correctly there could be some delays while nss is waiting for a response from servers that are busy or down.

[Ken Redding]

Rick, thank you very much for the dr_dt tip. I do not have much experience with administrating CDE and I am trying to do it without documentation. My problem was an unpingable host and an unknown/undefined host in the /etc/X0.hosts file. Both the delay and the login problem are now gone.

John, thanks for your help too, but I had already done all of those things.