Re: Can't start X-windows GUI or KDE or GDM from Woody 3.0 r2 cds
Hi Jon,
On Mon, 16 May 2005, Jon Post wrote:
> I tried to install the woody cds 3.0 r2.
> I installed the base system and in tasksel choose X-windows interface.
Fair enough.
> When I reboot, I get a command line with the following:
> warning: process set to nice value 0 instead of -10 as requested.
> Is this the problem, and if so how do I change it?
This message is normal and not the problem.
It seems that X was not setup properly by the woody installer. I don't
mean to send you off getting more CDs but you'd probably have much better
success with the sarge install CD. Given that you're going to customise it
yourself and sarge is due for release shortly, this would probably be your
best bet anyway. If you use a lightweight desktop environment I wouldn't
expect woody to be any quicker than sarge.
http://www.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/
Skolelinux uses the sarge installer with a woody system and so avoids this
problem.
> During setup I chose to let debconf handle my /etc/X11/Xwrapper.config
> file instead of choosing to do manage it manually (which I have no idea
> how to do), in spite of the note "If markers in the config file are
> missing, you'll have to update the file manually or delete or move the
> file." The same note was given for the etc/X11/XF86Config-4 file. A
> friend who worked with Linux years ago gave me a few hours and we moved
> those two files, but it still did not give me the Xwindows GUI. So we
> moved them back.
>
> I've tried tasksel and the "desktop" option. Same result. And the Debian
> Jr option - Same result. Suggestions?
It sounds like it just isn't detecting your video card properly. You
should be able to set it up by hand. If you figure out what video driver
you need you can run:
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
and follow the instructions, picking the correct driver off a list (see
below).
> We have sucessfully loaded the Ubuntu desktop, though at 1.5 GB it
> clearly won't help a 486. It could be a server on a P2 for other school
> projects if I could add educational programs. (Can I add Debian Jr to
> that?)
The Ubuntu "Universe" repository includes most/all software from the Debian
archive so the packages should all be there (though the virtual package
debian-jnr might not).
If Ubuntu sets up your video card, it should have written the config to
/etc/X11/Xorg.conf (or something like that?). You could take a copy of
that file and put it on the debian system as /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 .
Otherwise you could just look at it to find which video driver you need.
There should be a Device stanza like this:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "mga"
BusID "PCI:0:14:0"
VideoRam 4096
EndSection
the "Driver" here is mga.
The sarge installer is a simpler bet though.
Gavin
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