XDM

[Andrew Kaplan]

I am trying to set up XDM on a Red Hat 7.1 machine. The client that I will be using to connect to the server is Reflection X 6.1. I have configured the xdm-config, Xaccess, and gdm.conf files. When the system is started the Gnome Desktop Manager starts up successfully. I attempt to connect to the server using a Direct connection. The GDM window does appear and I am able to enter my username and password. However, the Xserver immediately resets after that. I have done some checking and it appears the XDM daemon is not running on the Linux server. My question is how do I manually start the daemon, and after that what start script should I set up in init.x? Thanks.

[Kodjo Agbenu]

Hello Andrew,

Here are some suggestions :

=> Configure either xdm or gdm, but not both

=> Check the [xdmcp] section in your /etc/X11/gdm/gdm.conf file

=> Have a look at the gdm log file in /var/log/gdm

If none of this help, please post a tar file containing

* /etc/X11/gdm/
* /etc/X11/xdm/
* /etc/inittab
* /var/log/gdm/
* /var/log/xdm-errors

Good luck.

Kodjo

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hi there,

I am enclosing the xdm-errors file for your perusal. I will shortly follow up with the inittab file. One question, do you want a tar of the entire gdm and xdm directories?

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hello again,

Enclosed is a copy of the inittab file as you requested.

[Kodjo Agbenu]

Hi Andrew,

Please : do not convert files in ".rtf" format. It is a better idea to send files "as is", without modification.

In your inittab file, it appears that you replaced the "prefdm" (preferred display manager) by /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm. Therefore, let's focus on xdm configuration.

In the XDM error log, the following line probably indicates an authorization failure :

AUDIT: Tue Apr 2 09:26:34 2002: 1474 X: client 2 rejected from local host

In /etc/X11/xdm, you have several configuration files.

Xaccess : here you can specify which remote machines can have a login display.
I suggest that you make sure that the following are not commented out :

*
* CHOOSER BROADCAST

xdm-config : this files defines miscellaneous xdm options.
Make sure that the following is correctly positioned (xdm listening on TCP port 177) :

DisplayManager.requestPort: 177

After these changes, kill the xdm process (killall xdm). Normally, it should be automatically restarted by init (see the "respawn" directive in /etc/inittab).


Good luck.

Kodjo

[Andrew Kaplan]

Hi there,

I made the changes you had suggested. It appears it is almost there. What now happens is that I am caught in a loop where I enter my username and password, but then I am confronted with the XDM window. What do you think?

[Bill Thorsteinson]

If you try to tab, then hit return, the tab is included in the name field. XDM will loop until you get the name and password right.

You might also be failing tests in PAM. Check your logs in /var/log to see if something is reported there.

[Kodjo Agbenu]

Hello Andrew,

Bill is right : I forgot the PAM configuration.
If you want weak security, simply rename the /etc/pam.d/xdm file.
If it works, read the manpage of pam.conf to find out the right configuration.

Good luck.

Kodjo