[SWLUG] Installing Debian - Xserver won't run
Mark Summerfield
mark at trolltech.com
Wed May 12 08:16:33 UTC 2004
On Tuesday 11 May 2004 19:26, Tony Pursell wrote:
> Hi all
>
> I thought it was about time I had Linux up and running again (last time
> was Slackware in '98) so I had a go at Debian a few days ago. Just
> chose the Xwindows and Desktop options in tasksel. Ran gdm. Now it
> tries to start X but fails with the 'I cannot start the X server' message
> box. I've been through dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xrfee86 many times,
> refining the monitor set up, in particular, and now have the following
> XF86Config-4
I am using Debian stable, and always found this a nightmare.
Your XF86Config file is almost the same as mine, but see below.
> ### BEGIN DEBCONF SECTION
> # XF86Config-4 (XFree86 server configuration file) generated by
> dexconf, the
> # Debian X Configuration tool, using values from the debconf database.
> #
> # Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
> # (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
> #
> # If you want your changes to this file preserved by dexconf, only make
> changes
> # before the "### BEGIN DEBCONF SECTION" line above, and/or
> after the
> # "### END DEBCONF SECTION" line below.
> #
> # To change things within the debconf section, run the command:
> # dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
> # as root. Also see "How do I add custom sections to a dexconf-
> generated
> # XF86Config or XF86Config-4 file?" in /usr/share/doc/xfree86-
> common/FAQ.gz.
>
> Section "Files"
> FontPath "unix/:7100" # local font
> server
> # if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on
> these
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
> FontPath "/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
> EndSection
>
> Section "Module"
> Load "GLcore"
> Load "bitmap"
> Load "dbe"
> Load "ddc"
> Load "dri"
> Load "extmod"
> Load "freetype"
> Load "glx"
> Load "int10"
> Load "pex5"
> Load "record"
> Load "speedo"
> Load "type1"
> Load "vbe"
> Load "xie"
> EndSection
>
> Section "InputDevice"
> Identifier "Generic Keyboard"
> Driver "keyboard"
> Option "CoreKeyboard"
> Option "XkbRules" "xfree86"
> Option "XkbModel" "pc104"
> Option "XkbLayout" "uk"
> EndSection
>
> Section "InputDevice"
> Identifier "Configured Mouse"
> Driver "mouse"
> Option "CorePointer"
> Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
> Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
> Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
> Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
> EndSection
I don't have the "Configured Mouse" section above; I leave the X-server
to figure it out from the Generic Mouse and it works fine, including the
mouse wheel (which is what the ZAxisMapping is for). So maybe try
deleting the above? (I've found from experience that even a "bad" mouse
configuration can stop X from starting.) But there's more differences to
come...
> Section "InputDevice"
> Identifier "Generic Mouse"
> Driver "mouse"
> Option "SendCoreEvents" "true"
> Option "Device" "/dev/input/mice"
> Option "Protocol" "ImPS/2"
> Option "Emulate3Buttons" "true"
> Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
> EndSection
>
> Section "Device"
> Identifier "NVIDIA TNT2 M64"
> Driver "nv"
> BusID "PCI:01:00:00"
> VideoRam 32
> Option "UseFBDev" "true"
> EndSection
I've also got an Nvidia card but I leave it all to the X-server:
Section "Device"
Identifier "Generic Video Card"
Driver "nv"
EndSection
I also notice that you have "UseFBDev" (use frame-buffer device?), and
in the error messages you get there are complaints about a missing fb1
(frame buffer 1), etc?
> Section "Monitor"
> Identifier "Dell M770"
> HorizSync 30-70
> VertRefresh 50-160
> Option "DPMS"
> EndSection
My Monitor section is the same as yours except I use the Identifier
"Generic Monitor" instead of naming it; presumably this make no
difference.
> Section "Screen"
> Identifier "Default Screen"
> Device "NVIDIA TNT2 M64"
> Monitor "Dell M770"
> DefaultDepth 24
> SubSection "Display"
> Depth 1
> Modes "800x600" "640x480"
> EndSubSection
> SubSection "Display"
> Depth 4
> Modes "800x600" "640x480"
> EndSubSection
> SubSection "Display"
> Depth 8
> Modes "800x600" "640x480"
> EndSubSection
> SubSection "Display"
> Depth 15
> Modes "800x600" "640x480"
> EndSubSection
> SubSection "Display"
> Depth 16
> Modes "800x600" "640x480"
> EndSubSection
> SubSection "Display"
> Depth 24
> Modes "800x600" "640x480"
> EndSubSection
> EndSection
>
> Section "ServerLayout"
> Identifier "Default Layout"
> Screen "Default Screen"
> InputDevice "Generic Keyboard"
> InputDevice "Configured Mouse"
> InputDevice "Generic Mouse"
> EndSection
>
> Section "DRI"
> Mode 0666
> EndSection
>
> ### END DEBCONF SECTION
Mine's the same as yours except where noted above.
>
>
> ...When the Xserver fails to start, it has this at the end of XFree86.0.log
>
>
> (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.
>
> Fatal server error:
> no screens found
>
> The rest of the log seems OK (I can post the rest, if needed)
>
> The only other thing I have found is this in mdaemon.log:
>
>
> May 11 18:39:12 polly gdm[288]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X
> error - Restarting :0
> May 11 18:39:16 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb1
> May 11 18:39:16 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb2
> May 11 18:39:16 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb3
> May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb4
> May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb5
> May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb6
> May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb7
> May 11 18:39:18 polly gdm[297]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X
> error - Restarting :0
> May 11 18:39:18 polly gdm[195]: deal_with_x_crashes: Running the
> XKeepsCrashing script
> May 11 18:39:29 polly gdm[195]: Failed to start X server several times
> in a short time period; disabling display :0
>
> I'm currently booting from the idepci kernel on floppy.
I don't know what your error messages mean, so if the suggestions above
don't work hopefully someone more knowledgeable will help!
> Can any one help? Or point me to where I can get help. My Windows
> 98 is so unstable and I'm desperate to get something else up and
> running.
>
> Tony
> _______________________________________________
> SWLUG Discussion List - Discuss at swlug.org.uk
> http://list.swlug.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/discuss
--
Mark.
More information about the Swlug
mailing list