[kde-linux] Help - KDE refused to start!

[Mark Phillips]

I have been running KDE 3.3 on Debian (kernel 2.4) for over a year with no 
problems. This morning, whenever I boot into KDE I get the message "KDesktop 
Error - Sorry could not find mime type application/octet-stream" and then the 
desktop freezes. The mouse moves, but I cannot dismiss this error window nor 
activate any other desktop or access the main KDE menu. I have to pull the 
power plug to reboot the machine.

I booted into safe mode and looked at /etc/mime.types, and 
"application/octet-stream     bin" is there. 

The only change I made to the system last night was to add some file 
associations for OpenOffice 2.0 using the KDE File Associations gui. I 
installed Openoffice 2.0 from the Debian backports site and it has been 
working for about 3 weeks now. However, the file associations for the new 
OpenOffice file format were not present, so I thought to add them using the 
KDE tool File Associations GUI (in the control panel, I think). I am sure I 
did not delete the application/octet-stream file associations, but then 
again, stranger things have happened.

How do I get KDE running again? What is the program name of the File 
Associations tool in KDE. Perhaps I can run it and add back the 
application/octet-stream association (assuming it is not there...just a 
guess). Or, what file keeps these associations for KDE and can I edit it from 
the command line?

Thanks! 

BTW, I am stuck in low resolution GNOME until I get this fixed......please 
help save me from these gnomes!!  ;-)
-- 
Mark Phillips
Phillips Marketing, Inc
mark at phillipsmarketing.biz
602 524-0376
480 945-9197 fax