Restart Linux Graphical User Interface

  • Document ID:3001734
  • Creation Date:16-May-2006
  • Modified Date:30-Apr-2012
    • Micro Focus Products:
      Open Enterprise Server
    • SUSE Products:
      SUSE Linux Enterprise Desktop
      SUSE Linux Enterprise Server

Environment

Novell SUSE Linux Desktop 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 10
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 9
Novell SUSE Linux Enterprise Server 8
XFree86
X.Org
K Desktop Environment (KDE)
GNU Object Model Environment (GNOME)

Situation

Changed X configuration
Need to restart Graphical Session
Need to restart KDE
Need to restart GNOME
Need to restart X

Resolution

There are several ways to restart the Graphical Desktop within Linux, with different levels of what is restarted.

If you just need to restart your desktop environment, simply log out and log back in.
If you need to restart X, the underlying graphical manager, there are a few methods:
  • Press CTRL-ALT-Backspace
  • (If Graphical Desktop automatically starts) Open a terminal, type 'init 3'.  This will take the server to runlevel 3, which stops the graphical session.  Once here, you can type 'init 5' to go to runlevel 5, which starts the graphical session.
  • (If Graphical Desktop is started manually) Log out of your environment.  This should stop the graphical session.  Type 'startx' to restart the graphical session.