Ok, im new to linux (I'll bet u never heard that one before). I got slackware installed. I can shut down from the command line, no problem. When I start the gui and i want to shut down, everything i have tried locks the computer up: I have tried clicking the logout button, and opening a terminal window logging into root and doing a shutdown. Both options reward me with either a screen of blinking ascii symbols or just a blank screen. Also, I ried to do a CTRL ALT F6, and it also locks the computer up. Help me, im lost

Jeff

Does ctrl + alt + backspace work?

EDIT: didnt notice what i was typing =) corrected.

Try CTRL + ALT + BACKSPACE, this should shutdown X emidiately. If this doesn't work I would suspect X being the one to blame. Next step would probably be to check the logfiles, X's as well as system logs.

CTRL ALT BACKSPACE does the same thing, the system hangs and gives me a screen full of blinking, ascii. How do I look at my log files?

Jeff

Read the /var/log/Xorg.0.log, /var/log/Xorg.1.log files you can use 'cat' command
followed by the filename to do it at command-line

Ok, so i tried the cat command, but i cant get it to return results by screen, all i get is the last screen of text. Also, after i view these files what am I looking for?

use the command [b]less[/] instead, this command let you scroll through the file pagewise.

Ok, but what am I looking for in the log file?

Read through them and note any errors or anything like that, and then post the exact errors here.

The X log files are very long and can be very confusing at first. The part you are interested in are the last part. Ok there might be something interesting earlier on, but that's for later.

When you try to shut down X there should be some indication in the log file, usually saying something like "caught signal SIGINT" or SIGTERM or anything like that.
Look for any warning/error messages at the end around where you tried to kill X. This could be determined by the timestamps as well, at least approximately.