Paul Whiting writes:
 > 
 > My second problem: read only FS.
 > 
 > mount produced
 > 
 > /dev/wd0a on / type ffs (local)
 > /dev/wd0a on /usr type ffs (local)

Hmmm. seems strange that your / and /usr filesystems are the same
device. I'll assume this is a typo.

 > ls /etc/fstab gave
 > /etc/fstab
 > 
 > vi /etc/fstab
 > gave a page with lots of ~ signs down the left. :wq gave an error about ls
 > /etc/fstab not existing or something(?).

Looks like you have an empty fstab or you terminal is incorrectly
setup. Try:

head -10 /etc/fstab

If it truely is empty you'll need to add entries for all your file
systems:
/dev/wd0a	/	ffs	rw	1 1
/dev/wd0e	/usr	ffs	rw	1 2
...

 > ls -l /usr/X11R6.1/bin/X etc. revealed X to be a link to Xarm which is a
 > link to Xarm-27

But does Xarm-27 exist ?

 > echo $path produced
 > 
 > /sbin /bin /usr/sbin /usr/bin
 > 
 > typing:
 > 
 > set path="$path /usr/X11R6.1/bin"
 > and then the echo gave
 > 
 > /sbin /bin /usr/sbin /usr/bin /usr/X11R6.1/bin
 > 
 > whereafter, NO commands worked (ls, stty, you name it - least of all xinit).

OK, try:

set path=($path /usr/X11R6.1/bin)
rehash

 > Please note, if you tell me to my path or what have you, I might get lost.
 > It took me a while to figure out how to set the path - and even now I don't
 > think that I did it right. My UNIX book is more on how to use an existing
 > system, it's not about setting up a system. Thank you all for your help so
 > far.

Cheers Scott

-- 
Scott Stevens, Network Services Group, Computer Centre, Imperial College
"Stop! I wanna go home, Take off this uniform, And leave the show.
 But I'm waiting in this cell, Because I have to know.
 Have I been guilty all this time ?"                   - Stop, Pink Floyd