How To Install Xfree86 Walkthrough

Forum: Other Help Topics
Topic: How To Install Xfree86 Walkthrough
started by: windancer

Posted by windancer on May 02 2005,13:31

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!

Posted by SaidinUnleashed on May 02 2005,15:45

Quote

chmod 777 /etc/X11

As I said in your other thread, this is really dangerous, and a REALLY bad idea to do.

And most people read all the forums. ^_^

You didn't need to repost this.

-J.P.

Posted by windancer on May 02 2005,15:55

you have a better explanation of how to Get this working? it seems there are no walkthroughs for this. I got it working and im very happy its a perfect system. But if you have a safer walkthrough I would very much like to see it. so I can reinstall and do it over.

Posted by dougvega on May 02 2005,17:14

it seems to me by the amount of people that want xfree86 that a DSl with xfree spinoff is needed not just the extention.
I got my working by a combination of the dsl extention and apt-get
now i do not know if it is the right aproach but it works for me
as I said a lot of us that are not linux gurus need a well put together how to , or some kind soul with a proper remaster and willing to share it or sell it or whatever; my self I am willing to make a donation for a beast like such .

Posted by clivesay on May 02 2005,18:33

I'll see if I can make a screenshot walkthrough later this week on installing the xfree.dsl. I have xfree along with nvidia on my DSL installation. If I feel real adventurous I'll also include creating your own xfree.dsl for yourself.

Chris

Posted by clacker on May 02 2005,20:25

windancer, two easy solutions for SU's problem While keeping the rest of your walkthrough are:

1) run emelfm from the right click menu as superuser when you copy the file
.....(apps->tools->emelfm->emelFM as Super-User)

or

2) change the permissions on /etc/X11 back after you're finished
chmod 755 /etc/X11

Posted by windancer on May 03 2005,00:46

Quote (dougvega @ May 02 2005,13:14)

Yeah it works for me too. I think I will stick it for a while. What a beautiful, small and fast OS! It works great. I have no Sound but my Laptop is old with only 1 speaker anyway. It does have a headphone jack. Maybe I will work on configuring sound next.

Posted by windancer on May 03 2005,00:52

Quote (clacker @ May 02 2005,16:25)

YEp Yep. I figured that out after I had done the deed LOL. Im new to DSL after I did it this way I started poking around the start menu and came across that Emelfm as root. I have alot of learning to do. I was using Yoper Linux all last year but went to wireless on all my system and could never get yoper to work with wireless.

Posted by windancer on May 03 2005,01:04

Quote (clacker @ May 02 2005,16:25)

Wow thanks for the info. I just went in and changed the permissions back using Emelfm as root. Im glad I didnt reinstall. Thanks again.

Posted by SuperLou on May 12 2005,02:16

I'm pretty sure I have XFree86 working with the "Nvidia accelerated" driver config. I tried changing the resolution and enabling a usb mouse using xsetup.sh but when I startx again it has overwritten the .xserverrc file to not use XFree86. At least I think that is what's happening. Is there any way to know if XFree86 is running? What is running when XFree86 isn't running? I'm sorry about these questions but this is the first time I've ever used Linux.

Thanks,
Louis

Posted by windancer on May 20 2005,06:07

Well im like you and very new. When you config XFree. You need to exit the window manager then type startx to get xfree to run. If you havent done this its not running.