How-to install XFree

Forum: X and Fluxbox
Topic: How-to install XFree
started by: gildasbayard

Posted by gildasbayard on April 11 2005,09:12

It's seems incredible to me but I just spent an hour trying to find information about how to install Xfree86 and could not find it!
It's probably here somewhere, I guess...
IMHO a thread on how to install XFree86 should be at the top of this forum's section (and a link should also appear in the how-to section). Well I'll do it when it'll work.

Because it doesn't work.
My graphic controller is an i82865G and it's known to sucks with 2.4 kernels. The BIOS does not report the real onboard memory and the program 865patch need to be used.
Then I can select something better than 640x480x16 in System->Xvesa.
But the screen is totally screwed up. Just a bunch of crazy pixels...
So I want to install XFree86 since it works fine with 865patch on my fedora.
I struggled a little and found in the "user feedback -> DSL FAQ boot camp" the beginning of the answer from claker (how do I load .dsl files).
So I downloaded XFree86 with Apps->tools->myDSL brower
and I did a mydsl-load XFree86.dsl

Then what's next???

Posted by adraker on April 11 2005,12:21

I don't have a clue about the patch ...... but bear in mind that
you have a 50 meg distro with no X11 headers, and no kernel sources.
There is a kernel-sources.dsl package in the repository.

Also in the repository is the info file for the package-
< info-file link. >
telling you about it.
When you install XFree86.dsl, you need to modify your ~/.xinitrc as described.
An XFree86-config directory, containing various XF86Config files, is created
in /home/DSL.One of these examples needs to be transfered to /etc/X11.
Or you might use an existing XFree86-4 that you prepared earlier.

Then you would exit the window manager, and restart X.
If something went wrong, and X crashed out, you could use MC to edit back to normal.
Of course Frugal and live CDs can be restarted.
I would always recommend the installation of dsl-dpkg.dsl and the
gnu-utils.dsl before doing any serious work in any case.

Thats the package overview, at least, but I don't know how well you'll
do with your particular card, not being familiar with it.

Posted by windancer on May 02 2005,14:56

OK guys it took me a bit but I got it. Now im posting the walkthrough on how I did it. First off im running a Panasonic cf-25 P166 Laptop with 96 megs of ram and Neomagic magic Graph 128ZV videocard.

Download XFree86 using My DSL and let it do its thing

After thats done Open up a terminal Type su then enter your password. Next Type in:
nano .xserverrc
A new Screen will pop up with a line in it which you will edit out and change. Change that line to:
exec /usr/X11R6/bin/XFree86 -nolisten tcp
Now in this current window hold control down press 6 and x to save and exit.

Xfree installs a few drivers to:
/home/dsl/XFree86_config_files open Emelfm to browse for them. If your driver is there you are in like Flynn! You will need to rename your driver first to:
XF86Config-4
once you do that open terminal again if you closed it and type su and your password. then type:
chmod 777 /etc/X11
now go back to Emelfm get your driver on the left side by browsing for it Single click the file so it highlighted. Then on the Right side browse for /etc/X11 once you locate it hit the copy button to copy your driver to the folder. Close Emelfm.

Now Right click your desktop and go to window managers. Click on EXIT. Your almost done isnt this exiting! Now type in:
startx
XFree86 should start doing its thing if you typed in everything correctly and copied the file. Now did you get the right driver? If you did you will have a shiny new desktop with no refresh probems. If you did not you will need to try another driver. If your driver is not listed You will need to search the web as I did. I did a google search for:
neomagic 128ZV XFree86 config The very first page on my search had my driver!
Oh if you didnt get the right driver dont panick. Just type in xsetup.sh to reset your old setting to get back into X

Well thats it! Look guys im a dumbass when it comes to this stuff. If I can do it you can too!
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Posted by SaidinUnleashed on May 02 2005,15:43

Quote

chmod 777 /etc/X11

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

X has to be run suid root.

to move XF86Config-4, do this:

Code Sample

sudo cp ~/XF86Config=4 /etc/X11/

Never, never allow users to write to ANYTING outside of their /home directory and /opt

Bad things can and will happen.

-J.P.

Posted by windancer on May 02 2005,16:03

ahh ok. Now I reinstall and do it over LOL. iT works great though. I am the only user on this laptop though. I dont think anyone else is gonna mess it up except me.

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on May 02 2005,16:33

You go on the internet with that box, I assume.

X uses similar sockets to what connects you to the internet to creat the graphical environment.

When you allow X to run as a user, and go on the internet, you are allowing anyone who wants it full access to your PC.

Like I said.

baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaad.

-J.P.

Posted by Caspar_s on May 02 2005,21:58

Talking of xfree86.... does anyone have a Via Epia board they've got running yet... I don't know enough about linux to get it going - ie. what to do with their binary driver if it works, or how to run the source if I need to.

< http://www.viaarena.com/default.aspx?PageID=2 > has an option:
Xfree86 (not distribution specific)
Which gives you the binary and source zip files.

I can't tell from the script they run where to put the files (just modprobe to get it running once its done?) I know it won't run though - it just checks whether it has redhat, suse, mandrake.

Cya