I fixed a Mandrake 7 box with problems like this a couple years ago by using a 
combination of rpm, cat, grep and some temporary files.

Using rpm, I made a list of all packages w/ KDE in the name. I then used rpm 
to get validate (check) all of the files in all of the packages and tell me 
what was wrong with any of them > the modified/missing/corrupted files 
redirected into a file. Using rpm to tell me which packages these files came 
from, I then forced a re-install of those packages.

The box did all of the hard work. I spent most of my time reading the man page 
for rpm and took a couple smoke breaks. The computer seemed like it churned 
and worked for 30-40 minutes. This worked like a charm(tm). Susan's daughter 
continues to use this box to this day. (I know... definitly due for an upgrade)

KevinO

William Lindley wrote:
> My linux machine (Mandrake 7.2) froze up the other day and when I rebooted
> it, X now gives me the choice of KDE or Default window managers -- all the
> other ones are missing.  Even more strangely, choosing KDE actually gives
> me icewm.
> 
> How do I put the other windowmanagers back in the list?
> 
> Alternately, from a non-X startup, how do I start X and tell it which
> window manager to use?
> 
> Or... where do I start to look for the answers to these questions?
> 
> \\/
> 
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> 



-- 
KevinO

Matz's Law:
         A conclusion is the place where you got tired of thinking.