5.2. Using the X Desktop Manager

If you wish, you may use the X Desktop Manager (``xdm'') to start up the X Window System automatically at system boot time. This allows your Linux system to always run under X (although you can switch from the GUI to the regular consoles with <Ctrl>-<Alt>-<F1>, and then back again to the GUI with <Alt>-<F7> as needed). This is a nice way of providing an attractive and friendly environment for you and your users, and avoid having to type ``startx'' all the time.

To enable xdm, simply edit the ``/etc/inittab'' file and change the line that reads "id:3:initdefault:" to the following:

id:5:initdefault:

The above change will switch Linux to run level 5 upon system boot up; this run level, by default, will start xdm. You may also wish to check your ``/etc/inittab'' file, probably near the bottom, to ensure the following line is present:

x:5:respawn:/usr/bin/X11/xdm -nodaemon

If you have enabled xdm and wish to use a higher ``bpp'' value than the default of 8 (and your video card and monitor will support it), you will need to modify the ``/etc/X11/xdm/Xservers'' file as follows:

:0 local /usr/X11R6/bin/X -bpp 24

The above change will start the xdm at 24 bits per pixel.

You may also wish to edit the ``/etc/X11/xdm/Xsetup_0'' file and with a ``#'' character, comment out the line that starts ``xbanner'' as shown:

#/usr/X11R6/bin/xbanner

This will prevent the default xdm banner screen from displaying for a split second between KDE sessions. Aesthestics, I know, but...