This is probably going to sound stupid, but here goes....
I have killed many sourdough starters in the past, using commercially-bought flours, etc. This time I home ground red whole wheat and tried again and voila! Success, finally. I have fed this new one for the last three days and it seems to be thriving, except for one thing. Previous attempts always yielded a pleasant, almost beer-like smell - this time it smells like feet - like an acetic acid smell. Is this normal or does it mean I've somehow got a bad batch going? Will it be usable?
Quite normal and the smell should get more pleasant the more it is fed. There's some leuconostoc activity going on in there and that is what you can smell. Give it more time for the yeasts and good bacteria to take hold. You might find your starter will slow down after the 3rd or 4th feed. If it does then slow down your feedings. Once it picks up then start the feedings again. Keep warm and stir for the time being. Once your starter gets stronger and more predictable then start giving it bigger feeds.