Arch Linux

SteveOIl

Member

Registered: 2010-07-01

Posts: 3

First Install of Arch with Gnome

Hi,

I just installed Arch with Gnome WM on virtualbox. The problem that I have is that I couldn't install the gnome-extra files so I don't have a gnome-terminal, etc. and when the system boots it now goes straight into gdm and I can't see anything where I can get back to the command prompt.

Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

Steve

Trent

Member

From: Baltimore, MD (US)

Registered: 2009-04-16

Posts: 990

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

Ctrl-Alt-F1
or edit the kernel line in GRUB to add "single" for single-user mode or "3" for runlevel 3 (which should be consoles only, provided you used the inittab method of starting gdm)

Inxsible

Forum Fellow

From: Chicago

Registered: 2008-06-09

Posts: 9,183

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

Simply drop to tty, Ctrl+Alt+F2-6 (you most likely logged into tty1 - so you may or may not get a prompt there.

login on that tty. use pacman to download and install whatever you want and then hit Ctrl+Alt+F7 to get back to X

Last edited by Inxsible (2010-07-01 12:45:03)

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Misfit138

Misfit Emeritus

From: USA

Registered: 2006-11-27

Posts: 4,189

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

The problem that I have is that I couldn't install the gnome-extra files

What is the error you are getting? Pacman output? Have you tried syncing to a different mirror?

and when the system boots it now goes straight into gdm and I can't see anything

Well, you installed gdm and configured it to start at boot. Configure the system to boot into the shell, if you wish.
Also tell us if you are running GDM as a daemon from /etc/rc.conf or if you configured runlevels from /etc/inittab.

where I can get back to the command prompt.

As was mentioned, you can use CTRL-ALT-F1-F6.

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wonder

Developer

From: Bucharest, Romania

Registered: 2006-07-05

Posts: 5,941

Website

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

gnome-extra is not a package that contains files, is a group and i suggest not to install the whole group.

pacman -Sg gnome-extra

pacman -S gnome-termina x y z

Last edited by wonder (2010-07-01 12:52:39)

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SteveOIl

Member

Registered: 2010-07-01

Posts: 3

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

Thanks for the advice - I was using ALT+F2 and typing 'gnome-terminal' to no avail.

I have been trying the CTRL+ALT+F2 but this is totally bypassing Arch in Virtualbox and taking me into command line for Ubuntu.

Any ideas, or is it best that I start again?

EDIT:

Just tried ALT+F2 and typed 'xterm'  which gives me a terminal to work from so all is not lost. Thanks for your help anyway!

-Steve

Last edited by SteveOIl (2010-07-01 13:39:42)

Inxsible

Forum Fellow

From: Chicago

Registered: 2008-06-09

Posts: 9,183

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

Thanks for the advice - I was using ALT+F2 and typing 'gnome-terminal' to no avail.

I have been trying the CTRL+ALT+F2 but this is totally bypassing Arch in Virtualbox and taking me into command line for Ubuntu.

Any ideas, or is it best that I start again?

EDIT:

Just tried ALT+F2 and typed 'xterm'  which gives me a terminal to work from so all is not lost. Thanks for your help anyway!

-Steve

Bah ! If you were in using Arch in VB, you should have told us earlier . But, in anycase, looks like you got what you wanted. Good Luck !

Last edited by Inxsible (2010-07-01 13:41:23)

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SteveOIl

Member

Registered: 2010-07-01

Posts: 3

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

But I did say it was in virtualbox!!!

Last edited by SteveOIl (2010-07-01 13:45:07)

Inxsible

Forum Fellow

From: Chicago

Registered: 2008-06-09

Posts: 9,183

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

But I did say it was in virtualbox!!!

I sure as hell missed it. Sorry about that.

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abraham10

Member

Registered: 2010-04-20

Posts: 77

Re: First Install of Arch with Gnome

Hey if you want to install gnome-terminal all you have to this if you are logged in as root:

pacman -S gnome-terminal

and if your not logged as root and have sudo installed you can use this command:

sudo pacman -S gnome-terminal

Last edited by abraham10 (2010-07-02 03:45:48)

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