startx asking for a password

[Mike G]

hi, 
        I'm running potato, and when I try to startx I get something like
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
password:
Any one got any idea of this?
PS: I interrupt it happily with ^C