[ale] Linux Locks Up

[sad at hpuerca.atl.hp.com (Steven A DuChene)]

T. Paschal wrote:
> I am using the 4.1 Red Hat version of Linux and also running the Apache 
> server.  After logging on as root I go to x-windows and that is where
> I like to keep my system.  The problem is that my system has been 
> "locking" up on a routine basis (every other day) and I have to reboot. 

Don't login to X Windows and run things like web browsers as root!
If you want to use X Windows applications, you should be starting your
X session as a regular user. I have a hodge-podge system (a OLD a.out
slackware system which I have done lots of upgrades by hand to bring 
it up to current levels) and unless I have to reboot for a kernel
upgrade the system does not go down. I always do startx as my regular
user ID rather than root. If I need to do something a root I login to
a virtual console as root. Others who are more security conscious
than that only use su to get to a root shell.

I realize some distributions of Linux bring up graphical system admin
tools but it may be possible to su inside an xterm window, set your
DISPLAY environment variable, and start the tool that way.

-- 
Steve DuChene              sad at hpuerca.atl.hp.com               1-800-633-3600

	       The HP North American Response Center, Atlanta
		  X/CDE/Vue/xterminal/graphics support team
    		    I am an employee of Hewlett-Packard.