I'm a new and relatively inexperienced Linux user, using Mandriva with the goal of switching over to Debian eventually.

I have a problem. I am using Mandriva 2009, and yesterday I downloaded and enabled the KDE 4.0.3 desktop. It was working perfectly well, no issues, until I enabled 3D effects in the desktop manager. It prompted me to log out and then back in, and when I tried to log back in, the computer sat in between the login screen and the splash screen and would not log me in. I let it run overnight for 8 hours, and there was no change in the computer's condition. It just sat there, with the mouse cursor visible and the waiting animation playing.

A little background - when I was using KDE 3.5, enabling the 3D effects did nothing except make the computer run extremely slowly. However, unlike now, I could still log in and disable the 3D effects - it just took a little while because the desktop was so slow. This time around, it's not even logging me in.

IS there a way to disable the 3D effects externally so I can log back into KDE4? I was able to boot into the command-line interface using Ctrl+Alt+F1, but I don't know what to do from there. I'd appreciate any help.

Upgrade to KDE 4.1, or try the 4.2 beta--4.0 is very, VERY old and buggy.

If using KWin you can disable effects by opening ~/.kde4/share/config/kwinrc (Or ~/.kde/) and changing the "Enabled" setting to "false".

Thanks for the reply.

When I log in, when the system goes into that state where it just sits, infinitely waiting, I hit Ctrl+Alt+F1, and that takes me to the command-line interface of Mandriva. is that KWin, and can I disable the effects in the way you describe from there? If so, how do I change the "enabled" setting to "false?" Since I'm not terribly familiar with Linux yet, I'm still ignorant on a lot of the commands.

Hey,

first of all, your KDE is 4.1.3 or 4.1.2 because Mandriva 2009.0 was shipped with 4.1.2 and updated to 4.1.3 ... thats important.

How did you enabled the 3D Effects? In the Mandriva Control Center you have the ability to enable them, but thats Compiz.

But you sad you were offered to log out, that means you have enabled the Compiz effects.
To disable them, press CTRL+ALT+Backspace, you will get to the login screen. There you will find to Buttons, with one of them you can change the session. Choose drak3d and log in ... then you can disbale the effects.

The other way is to login in in the console and enter

Code: Select all

drak3d


Hope, that will help you.

Regards,
TeaAge

TeaAge wrote:first of all, your KDE is 4.1.3 or 4.1.2 because Mandriva 2009.0 was shipped with 4.1.2 and updated to 4.1.3 ... thats important.

It must be KDE 4.1.3, then. I know it is not 4.1.2. And yes, it was Compiz 3D effects that I enabled through the Mandriva Control Center.

TeaAge wrote:To disable them, press CTRL+ALT+Backspace, you will get to the login screen. There you will find to Buttons, with one of them you can change the session. Choose drak3d and log in ... then you can disbale the effects.

Thanks, TeaAge. I will try what you've suggested and post back on whether or not it works.[hr]
Excellent! It worked, and I am now back to running my KDE4 desktop. Thanks!