From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Thu Jun 17 05:45:41 2004 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 7013016A4CE for ; Thu, 17 Jun 2004 05:45:41 +0000 (GMT) Received: from fed1rmmtao06.cox.net (fed1rmmtao06.cox.net [68.230.241.33]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 2FEF343D5D for ; Thu, 17 Jun 2004 05:45:41 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from mnavarre@cox.net) Received: from reichlieu.lan ([68.6.195.68]) by fed1rmmtao06.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.03.02 201-2131-111-104-20040324) with ESMTP id <20040617054539.PVGS16008.fed1rmmtao06.cox.net@reichlieu.lan>; Thu, 17 Jun 2004 01:45:39 -0400 Received: from reichlieu.lan (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by reichlieu.lan (8.12.11/8.12.11) with ESMTP id i5H5jdrt087348; Wed, 16 Jun 2004 22:45:39 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from mnavarre@reichlieu.lan) Received: from localhost (localhost [[UNIX: localhost]]) by reichlieu.lan (8.12.11/8.12.11/Submit) id i5H5jdXl087347; Wed, 16 Jun 2004 22:45:39 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from mnavarre) From: Matt Navarre To: Lloyd Hayes Date: Wed, 16 Jun 2004 22:45:39 -0700 User-Agent: KMail/1.6.2 References: <40D07AFB.9050804@yahoo.com> <40D10CC5.8070301@cox.net> <40D11A8E.20604@yahoo.com> In-Reply-To: <40D11A8E.20604@yahoo.com> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Disposition: inline Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Message-Id: <200406162245.39710.mnavarre@cox.net> X-SA-Scanned: 0 () X-Scanned-By: MIMEDefang 2.41 cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Still no graphic desktop X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Thu, 17 Jun 2004 05:45:41 -0000 On Wednesday 16 June 2004 09:14, Lloyd Hayes wrote: > >How are you trying to start X Windows? If you're just expecting it to > > start, you're going to end up disappointed. > > Oops... > I was expecting the graphical desktop to start automatically. However I > also tried startx, and I played with xdm. Whatever I was doing kept > coming up with errors about no screen. Aha! a clue! You are missing at least the Screen section of your XFree config file. The Screen section tells the X server what combination of monitor, video card, resolution and color depth to use. I'm guessing that your XF86Config file isn't configured right(or at all). Try the xf86config command I mentioned earlier, I've had better luck with that in general than the XFree86 -configure route in the past. Don't feel bad, configuring X is one of the most common stumbling blocks for new FreeBSD users, especially people coming from a Mac or Windows background. Most Linux distros configure X automagically at install time, FreeBSD doesn't for a couple of reasons: A) X isn't part of the base system, it's an add-on like any other port. B) There's a stronger "learn how to do it" meme 'round these parts than, say, the Linux or Windows camps. Linux (at least the "main" distros) has much more a "Mom should be able to use it" mentallity. C) It's usually not a stumbling block for long, and you end up learning a bit about the system in the process. Think of it as a learning experience :) Or just keep repeating "That which does not kill me can only make me stronger". > > Lloyd Hayes > -- "We all enter this world in the same way: naked, screaming, and soaked in blood. But if you live your life right, that kind of thing doesn't have to stop there." -- Dana Gould