Shell prompt Not displaying properly

you can change the prompts by setting the

PS1 variable
you can put

export PS1="\w> "

in your .bash_profile to have the current working directory on the prompt

similarly
\u for username etc

I am not able to find my .bash_profile

try

ls -la  

if you dont have > .bash_profile

then you can create one

vi or emacs .bash_profile    

( in you home directory btw )

could anybody send me a sample bash_profile , I am using Red hat 9

there is a sample .bash_profile at

http://www.ccl.net/cca/software/UNIX/oracle/RH6.2-CDPACK/files/bash_profile.shtml
http://www.hccfl.edu/pollock/AUnix1/BashProfile.htm


you need not have such bigones.. just set the values which are necessary to you

have a look like root to /etc/passwd

what is your deafault shell you should have there somethhing like this:
root:x:0:0:root:/root:/bin/bash
or check your user account last field separated witn ':' is your default shell

also have a look here:
-------------------

/etc/profile
# /etc/profile: system-wide .profile file for the Bourne shell (sh(1))
# and Bourne compatible shells (bash(1), ksh(1), ash(1), ...).

PATH="/usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/usr/bin/X11:/usr/games"

if [ "$BASH" ]; then
  PS1='\u@\h:\w\$ '
else
  if [ "`id -u`" -eq 0 ]; then
    PS1='# '
  else
    PS1='$ '
  fi
fi

export PATH PS1

umask 022
for mor info have a look to man page:

# man bash
---------------------------

luxana

Thanks for all the help ,
  I figured out that I had tried to install a pdf as root which probably was a spy ware or something and ehich may ahve deleted the profile.
  I created a new account and copied all the necessary file to my dir.
  .bashrc
  .bash_profile
      etc...

  :)

Thank you
Bibin