Problems understanding XFree86.dsl extension

Forum: X and Fluxbox
Topic: Problems understanding XFree86.dsl extension
started by: godzilla

Posted by godzilla on Aug. 03 2006,17:40

Hi ! I'm following the method number 3 at : < http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/wiki....ensions >

So, I mount the partition where the Xfree86.dsl extension is, and after that I follow the command to load that extension. It seems to work, as no error is reported. After that, I follow the XFree86.dsl.info, and it says the following :

this package contains the XFree86 X-server,
many video and input drivers. openGL drivers
driver info: < http://www.xfree86.org/4.3.0/Status.html >
THIS IS NOT A CLICK AND PLAY PACKAGE. you need to add 2 files
1. CHANGE /home/dsl/.xserverrc to:
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 -nolisten tcp
****(copy included in /home/dsl/XFree86_config_files)****
2. CREATE a /etc/X11/XF86Config-4: the content of this file
depends on the hardware you have. you can find examples of
such file all over the internet (use google). i have some
on < http://home.zonnet.nl/henk.1955 >
this does NOT remove the DSL KDrive ( the small XServer)
if the XFree86 wont start, you can type: xsetup.sh to get the DSL-X back.
then try to correct the error in XF86Config-4
(****There are several working XF86Config-4 files in
the included home/dsl/XFree86_config_files directory..
Start with the XF86Config-4_vesa version first****)
Thanks to Henk1955 for the kickstart and contribution
and SaidenUnleashed for testing it on ATI/Radeon hardware
Compaq and Toshibe laptops and NVidia tested by ke4nt.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So, the thing is that after loading the extension file, I dont get the .xserverrc file at /home/dsl !!! So I can't continue with the instructions provided . . . I'm feeling a bit fustrated because nobody answer in this forum. Please any help will be much appreciated. Thank you.

Posted by clacker on Aug. 03 2006,20:55

godzilla, my guess is your problem is not knowing about hidden files. Linux hides files by putting a period in front of their names, so .xserverrc doesn't show up normally in emelfm or from an ls command. You can either hit the small H button to the left of the directory name in emelfm to show hidden files in that panel or use the ls -a command in an xterminal. If you open an xterminal and go to the /home/dsl directory, you should be able to type (after loading the XFree86.dsl file):

cd /home/dsl
ls -la #shows you the already existing .xserverrc file
cp /home/dsl/XFree86_config_files/.xserverrc .
ls -la #shows you the new .xserverrc file

Then to copy the vesa config file like the directions say:

sudo cp /home/dsl/XFree86_config_files/XF86Config-4_vesa /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

Use the right click menu to choose WindoManager->exit, then type startx in the text screen to restart X. If that doesn't work, type xsetup.sh follwed by startx to get back to the way you were.

Posted by godzilla on Aug. 03 2006,21:41

Hi, thank you so much for your help ! After doing this operation, I started X and the icons on the desktop finally appear. But I closed X down and now when I start X again I can't see the icons on the desktop. How can I verify that XFree86 is running and not Xvesa ? Should I save the config in any way or something ? Do I have to deactivate or erase the Xvesa server? Now I have conflicts when I restart the computer. I have installed DSL by a regular HD install. Thank you a lot for your time.

Posted by clacker on Aug. 04 2006,12:33

godzilla, I just noticed in my previous post the cp command wasn't right. It should have been:

cp XFree86_config_files/.xserverrc_for_86 ~/.xserverrc

The ps command shows what processes are running. The grep command prints lines that match a string of text. You can combine those two commands, piping the output of one into the other to find the running processes you are looking for. You can verify whether Xvesa or XFree86 is runing by opening an xterminal and typing:

ps -ax | grep Xvesa
ps -ax | grep XFree86

You do not have to deactivate the old Xvesa server. When you chose WindowManager->exit from the right click menu that shut Xvesa off. Then startx looked at the .xserverrc file to see which X windows system to start. If you used emelfm to move and rename the .xserverrc file you should have been OK; if you used the xterminal method I showed you will need to copy that file again.

The answer to the question of should you "save the config in any way or something?" is a little harder. You say you have a hard drive install. I don't do hard drive installs so I'm not that knowledgeable in this area. I know there is a frugal install and a full install. I believe many people do the frugal install. If you did the frugal install then you need to load and setup the XFree86.dsl extension every time you restart.

You mentioned that you have conflicts when you restart the computer. It may help people help you if you say what those conflicts are. Is this an error with the touch screen that you mentioned in previous posts? Does the error always happen with the old Xvesa?