jerry natowitz writes:
> dan moylan wrote:
> > ibm t41 laptop running ubuntu 8.10
> > at boot a screen comes up saying gdm is faulty, fix it.
> > [........]

> I checked /etc/group on my Ubuntu partition and I have groups klog and
> adm. I'd venture a guess that your /etc/group file is either missing or
> corrupt, or /etc/nsswitch.conf has settings for group that are not
> correct.  If /etc/nsswitch.conf exists, the group: line should have
> compat or file as the source.  If /etc/nsswitch.conf doesn't exist,
> don't worry, the default for group is compat.

yup -- /etc/group was wiped out except for root and nogroup.
i reestablished it from an adjacent machine also running
ubuntu 8.10 and it now boots up fine .... except that it now
comes up in text mode.  ubuntu seems not to use /etc/inittab
and i was told that the run level was cotrolled in
/etc/event.d.  however, the files there are all identical to
a similar machine also running ubuntu 8.10, which comes up
with the graphic login screen.  i can live with it, but it's
puzzling.

thanks,
dan

j. daniel moylan
84 harvard ave
brookline, ma 02446-6202
617-232-2360 (tel)
810-454-1823 (fax)
jdm-LPA1KyJyIuz1P9xLtpHBDw@public.gmane.org
www.moylan.us
[death to html bloat!]