How to auto login and startx without a display manager in Debian

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Dec 232008

If you want to auto login and startx without a display manager in Debian use the one of the following method

Method 1

First you need to edit the /etc/inittab file

#nano /etc/inittab

look for the following line

1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1

and commentout

#1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1

add the following line

1:2345:respawn:/bin/login -f YOUR_USER_NAME tty1 </dev/tty1 >/dev/tty1 2>&1

Save and exit the file

Now you need to edit .bash_profile and at the bottom add the following command and save

startx

Method 2

First install rungetty using the following command

#apt-get install rungetty

you need to edit the /etc/inittab file

#nano /etc/inittab

look for the following line

comment out

#1:2345:respawn:/sbin/getty 38400 tty1

and add

1:2345:respawn:/sbin/rungetty tty1 --autologin YOUR_USER_NAME

edit .bash_profile and at the bottom add

if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]; then
while true
do
startx --
sleep 10
done
fi

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http://www.debian-administration.org.ua anonymous

Method 2:
while; true
do

You forgot about `;` after “while”.
http://www.taowow.blogspot.com tawan

Great, I had a hunch you could do this and so happy you can. Method 1 worked perfectly, thank you.
Tim

Sorry, but neither of these methods work on my Debian machine. I wish I could elaborate on why, but I am not familiar enough with these lower level workings. Could be that I am still using Etch.

For method 1: It booted normally and prompted me to login at the graphical interface as usual. I logged in on the account chosen for the example and several of the gnome panel applets crashed.

For method 2: It booted normally and prompted me to login at the graphical interface as usual. I logged in on the account chosen for the example and the GUI hung and I had to undo the changes in the console.
Dan

Hi, My keyboard input won’t work when I modify my inittab with “1:2345:respawn:/bin/login -f YOUR_USER_NAME tty1 /dev/tty1 2>&1″, what could i be doing wrong? I’m not starting X, all I want is autologin leaving me in a terminal.
eev

where the hell the .bash_profile is?
undead_rattler

@Tim You appear to have a conflicting X manager installed. Check for XDM, GDM, or KDM in your /bin, /usr/bin, /sbin, or /usr/sbin directories. Use “apt-get –remove PACKAGE-NAME-HERE” to remove them.

@Dan You’re not getting any keyboard input because the way you’ve edited the file looks like it’s sending Standard in (kbd/mouse) and Standard out (display for bash/fish/sh/etc) to null. try taking out the “2>&1″ at the end.

@eev this is a (hidden) file stored in your home directory (/home/USERNAME/) that you might have to create yourself. A simple google search should do you well
alex

oh my god
guys, you rule!!
thanks!!
captain obvious

You can get owned by an attacker pressing ctrl+c on tty1…
Bob

@captain obvious

You could install screen then alter your .bashrc to look like this:

if [ -z "$DISPLAY" ] && [ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]; then
screen -d -m startx && logout
fi
chetan

x:23:once:/sbin/rungetty -u root -g root tty9 — /bin/su creddy -l -c “xinit > /tmp/xinit.out 2>&1″
Naeem Ijaz

where do i will find .bash_profile file ?