Re: X Window - help!!!
"Tristan Day <that's you!>" <GreenSideburns@csi.com> writes:
> Being *completely* new to Linux, I thought the Windows-like environment
> would be part of the Debian Installation.
> I guess what I was after was Xwindow/Xfree or something.
>
> I looked all over the site and searched for both, but can only find
> reference and packages that run ON it rather than xwindow itself...
>
> How do I get it??
For an X windows install most comfortable to newbies, I'd suggest
first installing xbase, xserver-vga16, xfntbase, and xfnt75.
(Assuming you're using Debian 1.3.1 (i.e. bo), when you select xbase
the other three will be selected for you - just accept what the
conflict resolution screen comes up with). Although you may opt to
have xdm running at boot time, don't attempt to start it right after
installing the packages (there will be questions about this, all you
have to do is answer "n" at the appropriate time) Then, I'd exit
dselect and run (as root)
XF86Setup
this is a graphical program that will let you set up X windows. (It
should be run during the package install, but the way dselect calls
dpkg results in dpkg setting up xserver-vga16 before xbase, which
makes it not possible to run XF86Setup automatically). At this point,
you'll just be running XF86Setup to find out which server you need for
you graphics card (though to have the setup program work, you will
first have to set up your mouse) - select your card and notice
the error message you get. It will say something like "... server not
installed" - remember which server it said was needed, and exit
XF86Setup. Go back in to dselect, and install xserver-... (i.e.
install whichever xserver XF86Setup said you needed). At this time
also install fvwm-common and fvwm95. (Or, if you have prior X
experience and prefer a different window manager, whichever you
prefer) When asked whether to make the new xserver the default, say
yes. Now re-enter XF86Setup and follow it all the way through. You
can then safely start xdm with
/etc/init.d/xdm start
and you're on your way. (If you chose not to use xdm, you can start X
with the command "startx")
If, at any point in this process, your screen suddenly blanks and
doesn't seem to return to normal, this is probably because something
is trying to use X before it's all installed and configured. Most
likely, this will be xdm. If this happens, just press Ctrl-Alt-F1 or
Ctrl-Alt-F2 (or F3, 4, 5, or 6) to get back to a text screen, and as
root do:
/etc/init.d/xdm stop
If something else is trying to use X unsuccessfully, there's probably
some text screen with a load of X startup messages on it - find the
screen and press Ctrl-C to stop it.
Finally, for reasons I can't imagine, every now and then XF86Setup
will generate an invalid X configuration file. The symptom of this is
that X won't start, and the text screen you used to start X on (or
/var/log/xdm-errors if using xdm) will contain something about there
being no valid video modes. To fix this, I have always gone in and
editted /etc/X11/XF86Config manually. What needs to happen is that X
needs to be told that your monitor can do more - go to the Monitor
section, find the HorizSync and VertRefresh lines and make the values
more lenient. For instance, if the line says:
HorizSync 32
Change it to:
HorizSync 31.5-32.5
If your first adjustment doesn't work, try looking through the
messages on X startup and seeing what monitor characteristics are
required for different video modes (the error message will say that a
given video mode is being deleted because it requires such-and-such
horizontal or vertical frequency).
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