Date: Sat, 3 Feb 2024 11:15:41 -0500 From: TIM KELLERS <trkellers@gmail.com> To: questions@freebsd.org Subject: Re: Installing/running X11 Message-ID: <f0eefa5c-07b6-4e80-99a5-1819ef684edf@gmail.com> In-Reply-To: <b702f1f0-10ef-40b6-a0bd-b2ce413e4e73@alexburke.ca> References: <20240203144851.d47zguvjtisjdsz4@yosemite.mars.lan> <b702f1f0-10ef-40b6-a0bd-b2ce413e4e73@alexburke.ca>
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<p>If you just want to get an X system up and running without
initially getting buried in all of the extensive FreeBSD
documentation, try using the port at:
/usr/ports/sysutils/desktop-installer.</p>
<p>From the description:</p>
<p>"Desktop-installer is a post-install script to assist in setting
up a FreeBSD<br>
desktop system using any of the mainstream desktop systems. It
automatically<br>
installs essential software and configures subsystems such as
dbus, CUPS, etc.<br>
for typical use."</p>
<p>You don't have to use it to install the sometimes weighty full
desktop environments. You can use it to install/configure a very
basic X environment (think TWM). It is script and menu driven and
it works well enough to install a working desktop environment even
on FreeBSD-CURRENT.</p>
<p>I'm a ports user mainly and while desktop-installer uses packages
to do its installation, I found that looking at the edits that are
made to rc.conf, and packages that are installed are very
instructive to how the X system is configured on FreeBSD.</p>
<p>I learned a great deal about how X works in FreeBSD by using this
installer, then deleting the packages, seeing what broke and what
worked and reinstalling what I wanted to have from ports. It will
work without diving that deep (or crazy) into desktop magic on
FreeBSD.</p>
<p>Tim<br>
</p>
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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/3/24 11:01 AM, Alexander Burke
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote type="cite"
cite="mid:b702f1f0-10ef-40b6-a0bd-b2ce413e4e73@alexburke.ca">Hi
Paul,
<br>
<br>
Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I'm starting to get the feeling
that you might not have paid as much attention to the wealth of
documentation on FreeBSD as perhaps you could have. There's
nothing wrong with just diving in, but a bit of guidance in
unfamiliar waters is never a bad thing!
<br>
<br>
The most general/basic advice is here; in this case, jump to step
9:
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/">https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/</a>;
<br>
<br>
Going up a notch in detail is the excellent FreeBSD Handbook. The
Desktop section has separate subsections for the KDE, GNOME, XFCE,
MATE, Cinnamon, and LXQT desktop environments. Look around for
reviews and screenshots and pick one; they are listed here in
approximate descending order of popularity:
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/">https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/</a>;
<br>
<br>
I also cannot speak highly enough of vermaden's fabulous blog,
which has generally been my first or second port of call when I
had questions before I turned to the mailing lists. Here's his
page collating all of his entries regarding setting up a FreeBSD
desktop:
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/">https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/</a>Â (scroll down past
the screenshots)
<br>
<br>
There's also the FreeBSD Forums, which are very searchable:
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://forums.freebsd.org/">https://forums.freebsd.org/</a>;
<br>
<br>
Given your level of experience, I recommend sticking to packages,
and not touching the port system. You can explore the various
packages which exist at Freshports:
<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.freshports.org/">https://www.freshports.org/</a>;
<br>
<br>
Important to remember is that packages are simply precompiled
ports. They're a lot easier to deal with than ports.
<br>
<br>
Cheers,
<br>
Alex
<br>
<br>
On 2024-02-03 15:48, Paul M Foster wrote:
<br>
<blockquote type="cite">Folks:
<br>
<br>
For context, I have a fresh install of version 14. I've made
myself part of
<br>
the wheel and video groups. I've installed drm-kmod, xdm,
xf86-video-intel,
<br>
xfce, xorg and xterm. I've added hald_enable="YES",
dbus_enable="YES" and
<br>
kld_list="i915kms" to /etc/rc.conf.
<br>
<br>
At this point, advice diverges significantly. Some sites say I
should be
<br>
able to just run startx and all will be fine. Some want you to
run xorg
<br>
-configure. Some want you to hack X11 config files.
<br>
<br>
What I can tell you is that X won't start with startx. For one
thing, it
<br>
outputs these errors:
<br>
<br>
(EE)
<br>
Fatal server error:
<br>
(EE) no screens found(EE)
<br>
(EE)
<br>
<br>
Also, for what it's worth, service dbus start works. But service
hald start
<br>
doesn't. The error is:
<br>
<br>
hald does not exist in /etc/rc.d or the local startup
directories
<br>
(/usr/local/etc/rc.d), or is not executable.
<br>
<br>
I have no idea how to proceed.
<br>
<br>
Paul
<br>
<br>
</blockquote>
<br>
</blockquote>
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