Create (or append to) an .xinitrc file to start GNOME:

echo "exec gnome-session" >> ~/.xinitrc

Ensure all libraries can be found with (as root):

ldconfig

Update the MIME-type application database (as root):

update-desktop-database

There are reports of some panel icons not being displayed properly when using some themes, especially if your $GNOME_PREFIX is not /usr. As the root user, add the following lines to $GNOME_PREFIX/share/gnome-panelrc to correct the problem (ensure you substitute the correct path in the pixmap_path, if necessary):

cat >> $GNOME_PREFIX/share/gnome-panelrc << "EOF"

pixmap_path "/opt/gnome-2.8/share/pixmaps"

style "panel-icons"
{
        stock ["panel-screenshot"] =    {{"gnome-screenshot.png"}}
        stock ["panel-gnome-logo"] =    {{"gnome-logo-icon-transparent.png"}}
        stock ["panel-cde"] =           {{"cdeappmenu.png"}}
        stock ["panel-launcher"] =      {{"launcher-program.png"}}
        stock ["panel-run"] =           {{"gnome-run.png"}}
        stock ["panel-drawer"] =        {{"panel-drawer.png"}}
        stock ["panel-main-menu"] =     {{"gnome-main-menu.png"}}
        stock ["panel-force-quit"] =    {{"panel-force-quit.png"}}
}

class "GtkWidget" style "panel-icons"

EOF

At this point you can bring up GNOME with startx.

Last updated on 2005-02-12 12:27:58 -0700