Redhat Linux GNOME prompts to "Run in Terminal" & missing task bar

I've tried "Create Launcher" earlier by the shortcut icons simply did not show
up on the GNOME Desktop - do I need to restart the GUI (ie startx) ?

Attached a screen shot showing the properties of the Launcher icon (this is only visible after
I restart  startx  ) :

I just found I have to specify the full path of the script ie  /root/Desktop/script_name :

launchprop.png
launch1.png

I exited the GNOME desktop & restart it ( ie 'startx") & now I got a Desktop that shows a completely
blank screen.  Ctrl-Alt-Del did not pop up a screen with the options "Logoff,  Reboot,  Cancel"
anymore.  Any idea?

If I can ssh into this RHES 4.x server, which process can I kill to kill/reset this "hung" GNOME GUI?

So beside the earlier issue of Launchers created are not shown on Desktop till the GNOME GUI
is restarted, now I got another problem.

Yes, you have to specify the full path.

In 'Create Launcher', give the launcher a Name, like: "myscript" or "run myscript", select the 'Browse' button and browse to the location of the script, then place a check mark inside 'Run in terminal'; also check the 'Type' dropdown: is there a type 'Application in terminal' or the like? If so, select it. Then press 'Ok'.

The launcher should appear immediately.

Note:
This is to create links to applications and scripts. You want to point it to the _original_ location of your script. There is no need to copy the script to the /Desktop folder. Whatever is in that folder will appear on the desktop automatically, so you would have your script plus a launcher of your script on the desktop - which is unnecessary and confusing.

Gnome is a stable desktop environment. There is absolutely no need to keep killing and restarting it. The only situation where this might ever be necessary is when you install new drivers for your graphics card which should be done when X is not running. Other than that, I see no reason to kill X.
You can work outside of X by using a virtual console as I described above.

You may also use a console to reboot your system without GUI.
Press CTRL+ALT+F2, login as root, and type:
shutdown -r now

Ok, I've done "killall -9 X" & relaunch the GHOME again  but the GHOME just hanged there.
Is there something or a variable like DISPLAY which I need to set:

AGENTWORKS_DIR=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/atech
BASH=1
BASH_ARGC=()
BASH_ARGV=()
BASH_LINENO=()
BASH_SOURCE=()
BASH_VERSINFO=([0]="3" [1]="00" [2]="15" [3]="1" [4]="release" [5]="i686-redhat-linux-gnu")
BASH_VERSION='3.00.15(1)-release'
CAAWK=
CABIN=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/bin
CACSUTILS_setu=
CAIGLBL0000=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs
CAI_MSQ=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/cam
CALIB=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/lib
CANOLOG_flag=
CANSM=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM
CASHCOMP=/opt/CA/SharedComponents
CASP_BIN_PATH=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/bin
CASP_DATA=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/perfdata
CASP_LIB_PATH=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/lib
CASP_PATH=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM
CA_CAILANGUAGE=enu
CA_DIA_HOME=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs
CA_DIA_JREPATH=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09
CA_LOCALE=enu
CA_SECTION=all
CLASSPATH=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09/lib/tools.jar:
COLORS=/etc/DIR_COLORS
COLUMNS=80
CSAM_SOCKADAPTER=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/Csam/SockAdapter
DIRSTACK=()
DSA_ARCH=LINUX
EUID=0
GROUPS=()
G_BROKEN_FILENAMES=1
HISTFILE=/root/.bash_history
HISTFILESIZE=1000
HISTSIZE=1000
HOME=/root
HOSTNAME=ssspabc1
HOSTTYPE=i686
IFS=$' \t\n'
INPUTRC=/etc/inputrc
JAVA_HOME=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09
KDEDIR=/usr
LANG=en_US.UTF-8
LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/lib:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09/lib/i386/client:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09/lib/i386:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/dia/dna/lib:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/dia/lib:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09/lib:/usr/lib:/opt/CA/CAlib:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/lib:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/Csam/SockAdapter/lib
LESSOPEN='|/usr/bin/lesspipe.sh %s'
LINES=25
LOGNAME=root
LS_COLORS='no=00:fi=00:di=01;34:ln=01;36:pi=40;33:so=01;35:bd=40;33;01:cd=40;33;01:or=01;05;37;41:mi=01;05;37;41:ex=01;32:*.cmd=01;32:*.exe=01;32:*.com=01;32:*.btm=01;32:*.bat=01;32:*.sh=01;32:*.csh=01;32:*.tar=01;31:*.tgz=01;31:*.arj=01;31:*.taz=01;31:*.lzh=01;31:*.zip=01;31:*.z=01;31:*.Z=01;31:*.gz=01;31:*.bz2=01;31:*.bz=01;31:*.tz=01;31:*.rpm=01;31:*.cpio=01;31:*.jpg=01;35:*.gif=01;35:*.bmp=01;35:*.xbm=01;35:*.xpm=01;35:*.png=01;35:*.tif=01;35:'
MACHTYPE=i686-redhat-linux-gnu
MAIL=/var/spool/mail/root
MAILCHECK=60
OLDPWD=/root
OPTERR=1
OPTIND=1
OSTYPE=linux-gnu
PATH=/opt/CA/SharedComponents/JRE/1.4.2_09/bin:/usr/kerberos/sbin:/usr/kerberos/bin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/local/bin:/sbin:/bin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/usr/X11R6/bin:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/bin:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/atech/services/bin:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/atech/agents/bin:/opt/CA/SharedComponents/ccs/cam/bin:/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/nsmutils/bin:/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/bin:/root/bin
PIPESTATUS=([0]="0" [1]="0")
PPID=22027
PS1='[\u@\h \W]\$ '
PS2='> '
PS4='+ '
PWD=/var/tmp
SETU=0
SHELL=/bin/bash
SHELLOPTS=braceexpand:emacs:hashall:histexpand:interactive-comments:monitor
SHLVL=1
SPDAGROUP=root
SPDAUSER=root
SSH_ASKPASS=/usr/libexec/openssh/gnome-ssh-askpass
SUPPORTED=en_SG.UTF-8:en_SG:en:en_US.UTF-8:en_US:en
SYSPERF_GROUP=root
SYSPERF_USER=root
SYSTYPE=Linux
TERM=linux
TMOUT=900
UID=0
USER=root
_=
env_var=/opt/CA/UnicenterNSM/lib
os=Linux
setu=0

I've also tried to define DISPLAY variable to "localhost:0.0" & remove all the /tmp/.X*  files (that
coincide with the timings I tried to do startx but no luck as startx still hangs there).  The
/var/log/messages  log attached:


I can't reboot this server
msgs2.txt

If there are lock files then this means that there is another X process still running in the background. You may remove the lock files, then 'startx' will execute, but the other X process will still be there and X will not work properly. By now, you may have several processes half running that all impede each other. In fact, if what you did since posting this question was all done without a reboot, your system must be in some real mess by now.

The best remedy by far would be a reboot.

If that is impossible the only way is to try and clear it all out manually. Run:
ps -e | grep X

This will show all the X related processes running. Then do this again:

killall -9 X

Run the above 'ps' command again to verify that they are all gone. Then don't run 'startx' but run:

ps -e | more

Examine all processes for remnants of 'gnome' or 'gm'. Write down their PIDs. Then do a:

kill -9 pid

for each of them. Run 'ps-e' again and post the output here.