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” ] && [ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]; then
while true
do
startx--
sleep 10
done
fi
Method 2:
while; true
do
You forgot about `;` after “while”.
Great, I had a hunch you could do this and so happy you can. Method 1 worked perfectly, thank you.
Sorry, but neither of these methods work on my Debian machine. I wish I could elaborate on why, but I am not familiar enough with these lower level workings. Could be that I am still using Etch.
For method 1: It booted normally and prompted me to login at the graphical interface as usual. I logged in on the account chosen for the example and several of the gnome panel applets crashed.
For method 2: It booted normally and prompted me to login at the graphical interface as usual. I logged in on the account chosen for the example and the GUI hung and I had to undo the changes in the console.
Hi, My keyboard input won’t work when I modify my inittab with “1:2345:respawn:/bin/login -f YOUR_USER_NAME tty1 /dev/tty1 2>&1”, what could i be doing wrong? I’m not starting X, all I want is autologin leaving me in a terminal.
where the hell the .bash_profile is?
@Tim You appear to have a conflicting X manager installed. Check for XDM, GDM, or KDM in your /bin, /usr/bin, /sbin, or /usr/sbin directories. Use “apt-get –remove PACKAGE-NAME-HERE” to remove them.
@Dan You’re not getting any keyboard input because the way you’ve edited the file looks like it’s sending Standard in (kbd/mouse) and Standard out (display for bash/fish/sh/etc) to null. try taking out the “2>&1” at the end.
@eev this is a (hidden) file stored in your home directory (/home/USERNAME/) that you might have to create yourself. A simple google search should do you well 🙂
oh my god
guys, you rule!!
thanks!!
You can get owned by an attacker pressing ctrl+c on tty1…
@captain obvious
You could install screen then alter your .bashrc to look like this:
if [ -z “$DISPLAY” ] && [ $(tty) = /dev/tty1 ]; then
screen -d -m startx && logout
fi
x:23:once:/sbin/rungetty -u root -g root tty9 — /bin/su creddy -l -c “xinit > /tmp/xinit.out 2>&1”
where do i will find .bash_profile file ?
Where do I find .bash_profile