Date: Sun, 9 Jan 2005 18:40:27 -0800 From: Joshua Tinnin <krinklyfig@spymac.com> To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Cc: william gatlin <willietheturtle@linuxmail.org> Subject: Re: I quit Message-ID: <200501091840.27557.krinklyfig@spymac.com> In-Reply-To: <41E1195E.8010800@locolomo.org> References: <20050109085346.D88A823EE65@ws5-4.us4.outblaze.com> <41E1195E.8010800@locolomo.org>
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On Sunday 09 January 2005 03:45 am, Erik Norgaard <norgaard@locolomo.org> wrote: > william gatlin wrote: > > I have spent at least two weeks of my free time downloading 5.3 and > > trying to get it to work. After figuring out how to get an ISO > > image, windows couldn't do it because netscape insisted on > > modifying the file, I loaded it and got a lot of error code 1 > > messages that I never did figure out. I changed the partitioning > > and allowed 1/2 a gig for the root directory and loaded it again. > > > > All seemed to go well untill I tryed to configure the X.org > > windowing system. Nothing in /stand/sysinstall would do any > > configuration of X. Went to the net and got instructions. Finally > > got X to work and found vidtune. > > > > Kdm comes up with a log in screen which just leads to another log > > in screen. ctrl-alt-backspace won't turn x off as it keeps comming > > back on it's own. Nothing leads to a window manager other than the > > little one that comes with X. > > I sounds like you have started X by setting xdm on in /etc/ttys, I > would recommend you not to do that first time you start up X but > rather use startx. To get the console, press crtl-alt-F1, X is > normally on F9. > > To understand a bit about how X works: When X starts your session, it > will look for the file .xinitrc in your home directory and execute > the programs listed, if you have no .xinitrc the default system file > is used: /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc > > Usually only your windows manager is listed. Once the last program in > .xinitrc exists, X terminates your session. If you started X by > setting xdm on in /etc/ttys, X gives you a new login promt, otherwise > you will return to the console. > > So, it may not be X, but your window manager that is screwed, maybe > you have a core-dump file in your home directory - that would > indicate it. > > If you use startx instead and X crashes for whatever reason, you > should have some error output on the console you can post here on the > list. > > To see if it's your window manager, try a different one, I like > fluxbox because it's lightweight. gnome/kde are quite heavy. > > Just try this before you give up on FreeBSD. Here's my .xinitrc: % cat .xinitrc #exec startkde #exec fvwm #exec fvwm2 #exec gnome-session exec startxfce4 #exec icewm-session #exec openbox #exec fluxbox #exec enlightenment #exec wmaker #exec pwm #exec windowlab #exec evilwm Most of those aren't on my machine, but I've kept the startup commands there from earlier experimentation so I could easily start one if need be. I use xfce4 most of the time, but all you have to do is uncomment the line that references whatever wm or desktop you're using and comment the one you're not using, by putting a "#" in front of it, which means it won't be read. The list isn't not comprehensive, but for your purposes, you can also do this (not as root): % cd ~ (just to make sure you're in your home dir) % echo "exec startkde" > .xinitrc % chmod 755 .xinitrc % startx This assumes you have KDE installed, which from your earlier comments I'm guessing you do (if not, then that's another matter, but not hard to solve, though you can install whatever you want). You can change this by installing another desktop or wm and editing your .xinitrc - jt
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