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XFree86 4.3.0
XFree86

Booting and Analysing

  1. Boot your Core Linux PC.
  2. Login as root. You will need to enter the password at the prompt.
    • Wait for the following text to appear:
      localhost login:
    • Type root and press Enter.
    • The screen will display this message:
      Password:
    • Enter the password for root that you set earlier.
    • You will be shown a prompt that looks like this:
      [~]#
  3. Use wget to download the XFree86 Xinstall.sh script from the.earth.li/pub/XFree86/4.3.0.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      wget http://the.earth.li/pub/XFree86/4.3.0/Xinstall.sh
    • The wget program will download the file, and finish with the line:
      'Xinstall.sh' saved - [36185/36185]
  4. Run the Xinstall.sh script using the command sh Xinstall.sh -check. Note which binaries are correct for your system.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      sh Xinstall.sh -check
    • The script will run and display information about your kernel, architecture and libc version. Look for the line which details the correct binaries for your platform. In this example, the line says:
      Binary distribution name is 'Linux-ix86-glibc23'
      Make a note of this string.

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Preparation

  1. Having determined the correct binaries for your system, download the following essential files from the XFree86 4.3.0 directory of a mirror of www.xfree86.org:
    Xinstall.sh The installer script
    extract The utility for extracting tarballs
    Xbin.tgz X clients/utilities and run-time libraries
    Xlib.tgz Some data files required at run-time
    Xman.tgz Manual pages
    Xdoc.tgz XFree86 documentation
    Xfnts.tgz Base set of fonts
    Xfenc.tgz Base set of font encoding data
    Xetc.tgz Run-time configuration files
    Xvar.tgz Run-time data
    Xxserv.tgz XFree86 X server
    Xmod.tgz XFree86 X server modules
    You should download the following optional module file, which provides headers against which window managers can later be compiled:
    Xprog.tgz X header files, config files and compile-time libs
    This example assumes that these other optional module files are downloaded, although they are not essential for operation:
    Xfsrv.tgz Font server
    Xnest.tgz Nested X server
    Xprt.tgz X Print server
    Xvfb.tgz Virtual framebuffer X server
    Xf100.tgz 100dpi fonts
    Xfcyr.tgz Cyrillic fonts
    Xfscl.tgz Scalable fonts (Speedo, Type1 and TrueType)
    Xhtml.tgz HTML version of the documentation
    You may also wish to download some of the other optional module files:
    Xps.tgz PostScript version of the documentation
    Xjdoc.tgz Documentation in Japanese
    • Visit www.xfree86.org and click on the "Mirror sites for downloading" link.
    • Scroll down the list of mirror sites. Choose one close to you.
      • This example uses an HTTP mirror, rather than an FTP mirror.
    • Copy and paste the URL of your chosen mirror into the address bar of your browser. Hit enter.
    • Navigate to the 4.3.0 directory.
    • Navigate to the binaries directory.
    • Navigate to the directory that matches the string output from the Xinstall.sh scipt. In this example the directory Linux-ix86-glibc23 is used.
    • Click to download each of the files listed above in turn.
    • You will be asked to where you wish to save the file. Chose a safe place and make a note of it.
    • The files in this example about 64Mb in total and will about 5 hours to download over a modem, but a lot less over a broadband connection.
    • If you are using a download accelerator program, it will save the file to your default download directory.
  2. Burn the downloaded files to a CD. This page assumes that the subdirectory XFree864.3.0 is used for the files. The CD-ROM can be a multi-session disk.
    • Use your CD burning software to create an ISO9660 disc image with the files for XFree86 4.3.0 in a directory called XFree864.3.0.
    • Burn the CD and verify the data stored on it.

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Installing the XFree86 4.3.0 binaries

  1. Place the CD-R in the CD-ROM drive on your Core Linux system. Mount the CD-ROM drive under /mnt/cdrom.
    • At the prompt enter:
      mount /dev/hdb /mnt/cdrom
    • You will see the following line appear:
      mount: block device /dev/hdb is write-protected, mounting read-only
  2. Change to the XFree864.3.0 directory on the CD-R.
    • At the prompt enter:
      cd /mnt/cdrom/XFree864.3.0
    • The prompt will change to:
      [/mnt/cdrom/XFree864.3.0]#
  3. Make a temporary directory for the install files.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      mkdir /tmp/XFree864.3.0
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  4. Copy all the files from /mnt/cdrom/XFree864.3.0 to /tmp/XFree864.3.0
    • At the system prompt enter:
      cp * /tmp/XFree864.3.0
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  5. Change to the /tmp/XFree864.3.0 directory.
    • At the prompt enter:
      cd /tmp/XFree864.3.0
    • The prompt will change to:
      [/tmp/XFree864.3.0]#
  6. Run the Xinstall.sh script.
    • At the prompt enter:
      sh Xinstall.sh
    • The system will display a message prompting you to backup any existing configuration and asking you if you want to proceed. Enter y.
    • You will be asked whether you want to install each of the optional modules in turn. Enter y for those you do want to install. Enter n for those you don't want to install.
    • You will be asked whether you want to install new xterm terminfo entries now. Enter y.
    • You will be asked whether you want to install new OpenGL links in your system directories. Enter y.
    • You will be asked whether you want to install a link to rstart in your /usr/bin directory. If you wish to use rstart via a remote terminal, enter y. If not, enter n.
    • The script finishes with the line:
      Installation complete.

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Prepare your system to run XFree86

  1. Change to the /etc directory.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      cd /etc
    • The prompt will change to:
      [/etc]#
  2. Add the following lines to the ld.so.conf file:
    /lib
    /usr/lib
    • At the prompt enter:
      nano ld.so.conf
    • The screen will show the contents of the empty ld.so.conf with information about the file at the top and bottom of the screen.
    • Add the following text to the file:
      /lib
      /usr/lib
    • Save the file and exit the text editor.
      • Press Ctrl+x on the keyboard.
      • The contents of the white line at the bottom of the screen will change to read:
        Save modified buffer (ANSWERING "No" WILL DESTROY CHANGES) ?
      • Type y.
      • The contents of the white line at the bottom of the screen will change to read:
        File Name to write: ld.so.conf
      • Press Enter.
      • You will be returned to the system prompt.
  3. Run the program ldconfig.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      ldconfig
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  4. Add a link to the device file to which your mouse is connected called /dev/mouse.
    • This example uses a PS/2 mouse on device /dev/psaux.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      ln -s /dev/psaux /dev/mouse
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  5. Add a link to the directory /usr/X11R6/include/X11 called /usr/include/X11.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      ln -s /usr/X11R6/include/X11 /usr/include/X11
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  6. Add a link to the directory /usr/X11R6 called /usr/X11.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      ln -s /usr/X11R6 /usr/X11
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  7. Add the directory /usr/X11/bin to the $PATH enviroment variable.
    • At the prompt enter:
      nano /root/.profile
    • The screen will show the contents of /root/.profile with information about the file at the top and bottom of the screen.
    • Change the first line from:
      export PATH="$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/sbin"
      to
      export PATH="$PATH:/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/local/sbin:/usr/X11/bin"
    • Save the file and exit the text editor.
      • Press Ctrl+x on the keyboard.
      • The contents of the white line at the bottom of the screen will change to read:
        Save modified buffer (ANSWERING "No" WILL DESTROY CHANGES) ?
      • Type y.
      • The contents of the white line at the bottom of the screen will change to read:
        File Name to write: /root/.profile
      • Press Enter.
      • You will be returned to the system prompt.
  8. In order to activate the changes to the $PATH enviroment variable, you will have to logout and log back in again.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      logout
    • You will be logged out and returned to the login prompt.
    • Login as root. You will need to enter the password at the prompt.
      • Type root and press Enter.
      • The screen will display this message:
        Password:
      • Enter the password for root that you set earlier.
      • You will be shown a prompt that looks like this:
        [~]#

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Configuring your X server

  1. Run the program XFree86 with the argument -configure.
    • At the system prompt enter:
      XFree86 -configure
    • The system will display information that is has gathered about your system.
      • On the test system this included an error about a "glide module". However, on the test system this did not cause any problems after this point.
  2. Test the configuration with the command XFree86 -xf86config /root/XF86Config.new.
    • At the prompt enter:
      XFree86 -xf86config /root/XF86Config.new
    • The screen will change to show a basic X screen, with a cursor. The cursor should respond to mouse movememnts.
    • To exit the X test, hit Ctrl-Alt-Backspace. You may find you have to hit an additional key to restart the terminal display.
  3. Once you have established basic X functionallity, you can set up you configuration file for your system. Copy the file /root/XF86Config.new to /root/XF86Config.
    • At the prompt enter:
      cp /root/XF86Config.new /root/XF86Config
    • The system will not display a message if everything is OK.
  4. Edit the /root/XF86Config file to include details about your system configuration.
    • At the prompt enter:
      nano /root/XF86Config
    • The screen will show the contents of /root/XF86Config with information about the file at the top and bottom of the screen.
    • Scroll down the file until you find the line Section "Monitor". Change the details of this section to include that of your monitor.
      • The test system uses a Compaq 171FS monitor, so the Monitor section was changed to read:
        Identifier "Monitor0"
        VendorName "Compaq"
        ModelName "171FS"
        HorizSync 30-58
        VertRefresh 50-100
    • Scroll down the file until you find the line Section "Screen". Change the details of this section to your desired desktop setup.
      • The test system is capable of 1024x768 at 16-bit, so the Screen section was changed to read:
        Identifier "Screen0"
        Device "Card0"
        Monitor "Monitor0"
        DefaultDepth 16
    • The Display subsection was changed to read:
      Depth 16
      Modes "1024x768"
  5. Save the file and exit the text editor.
    • Press Ctrl+x on the keyboard.
    • The contents of the white line at the bottom of the screen will change to read:
      Save modified buffer (ANSWERING "No" WILL DESTROY CHANGES) ?
    • Type y.
    • The contents of the white line at the bottom of the screen will change to read:
      File Name to write: /etc/rc.d/rc.ha
    • Press Enter.
    • You will be returned to the system prompt.

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Further Testing

  1. Start the X server using the command startx.
    • At the prompt enter:
      startx
    • The X server should start with your new settings. You will be presented with a simple screen of three xterm windows and a clock display, running under the twm window manager.
    • You may notice errors with regard to the mcookie authentication program, which isn't installed with Core Linux. On the test system, X ran without problems despite this error.
    • To exit X enter exit in the right-hand xterm window. You will be returned to the command prompt.

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