Installing and configuring Xorg

verndog · 2007-09-22 18:07:30

Totally new to ArchLinux. The reason I selected it was for speed. I realized I was in for a ride
because there's a lot of command driven configuring, and not gui. At least at first. I Came from PCLinuxOS
but find the boot up, logoff takes way to much time. I thought Arch was a good way to re-intorduce myself
back to Linux and also for its speed.

I have so many issues It's hard to know where to start. I spent most of last night searching your forums.
I found some interesting material and I learned a lot, but I'm still such a long way from home...

I now have a login '#' prompt. I first ran into that kernel panic thing. I found the 'mkinitcpio' fix. So now
I can log in.

Sereral things still don't work. Network for one. That can wait. startx, or ghaphic I would like to
get up. I downloaded "Don't Panic" (apt title), and its over 500mb. Using the beginner guide Section #8
I tried to get the desktopor gui or whatever its called up and running. Right away I ran into trouble
pacman! It wants to go to internet. It doesn't work remember. Now's my question. Being that the
ISO is 500+mb isn't there enough stuff in their to get that working without having to go to the internet.
If not then I could have just downloaded the basic and saved my time. I'm confused. Whats in the
larger ISO over the basic.

I wnat to get my Video, Sound and everything else setup before I try mucking around with networking.
Oh, one big thing I forgot. I'm running Arch through VirtualBox. I do have it installed in another PC
that right now isn't connected to internet. The VM runs through my DSL line using in number os OS's.
PCLinuxOS, Windows, dos, etc. I tried that dsl start thing - it failed. I also did look at all those
rc.files. But back to video. Any help would I would be grateful.
Vern

Last edited by verndog (2007-09-22 18:09:59)

fwojciec · 2007-09-22 18:18:32

Pacman uses the repositories defined in the file /etc/pacman.conf. If you want to use the packages on the cdrom you have to set it up as a repository. I've never tried doing that, so I have no personal experience with how it works, but here are some links that should hopefully get you started:

1) http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Usi … repository
2) http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Off … positories

The idea is simple. Mount the CDROM, point pacman to the appropriate directory where the packages are located by editing /etc/pacman.conf.

By the way, if the reason you don't have internet is because you have not yet configured your wireless card I recommend that you try and plug into a router with a cable, if possible, because it will make things easier in the long run...

klixon · 2007-09-22 18:21:43

nevermind... fwojciec method's easier

Last edited by klixon (2007-09-22 18:22:49)

verndog · 2007-09-22 19:34:16

fwojciec wrote:

Pacman uses the repositories defined in the file /etc/pacman.conf. If you want to use the packages on the cdrom you have to set it up as a repository. I've never tried doing that, so I have no personal experience with how it works, but here are some links that should hopefully get you started:
1) http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Usi … repository
2) http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Off … positories
The idea is simple. Mount the CDROM, point pacman to the appropriate directory where the packages are located by editing /etc/pacman.conf.
By the way, if the reason you don't have internet is because you have not yet configured your wireless card I recommend that you try and plug into a router with a cable, if possible, because it will make things easier in the long run...

I did as the guide suggest, now I get this:
:: Synchronizing package databases...
error: failed retrieving file /extra.db.tar.gz' from ftp.archlinux.org...

In /etc/pacman.conf I have as suggested:
[current]
Server = file://mnt/cdrom/arch/pkg

Last edited by verndog (2007-09-22 19:34:40)

fwojciec · 2007-09-22 19:55:22

You can just comment out the whole extra repository from /etc/pacman.conf for now. It is not available on the CD and this is what the error is saying. Or if it is available on CD, I don't know, check maybe, you can also point pacman to the CD if extra repository, or some packages from it, are available there (just edit the entry for [extra] in pacman.conf). Without access to extra you will not be able to install a fully functional desktop environment in any case - that's why I was suggesting to figure out the network problem first, you'll have to do it from the command line anyways so you might just as well tackle it now (that's what I always do anyways).

verndog · 2007-09-22 20:55:57

fwojciec wrote:

You can just comment out the whole extra repository from /etc/pacman.conf for now. It is not available on the CD and this is what the error is saying. Or if it is available on CD, I don't know, check maybe, you can also point pacman to the CD if extra repository, or some packages from it, are available there (just edit the entry for [extra] in pacman.conf). Without access to extra you will not be able to install a fully functional desktop environment in any case - that's why I was suggesting to figure out the network problem first, you'll have to do it from the command line anyways so you might just as well tackle it now (that's what I always do anyways).

I think I found out my error. It has to do with /etc/pacman.d directory and there is the servers listed. It looked there first and then the very end looked at the cdrom.

By the way, my network is DSL not wireless.

fwojciec · 2007-09-22 21:26:31

verndog wrote:

fwojciec wrote:
You can just comment out the whole extra repository from /etc/pacman.conf for now. It is not available on the CD and this is what the error is saying. Or if it is available on CD, I don't know, check maybe, you can also point pacman to the CD if extra repository, or some packages from it, are available there (just edit the entry for [extra] in pacman.conf). Without access to extra you will not be able to install a fully functional desktop environment in any case - that's why I was suggesting to figure out the network problem first, you'll have to do it from the command line anyways so you might just as well tackle it now (that's what I always do anyways).
I think I found out my error. It has to do with /etc/pacman.d directory and there is the servers listed. It looked there first and then the very end looked at the cdrom.
By the way, my network is DSL not wireless.

Is it an internal card? Do you know what kind of drivers you'd need for it? Do you connect to your computer with a telephone or a network cable? Sorry, I've no experience with setting up DSL connections.

verndog · 2007-09-23 02:00:00

fwojciec wrote:

verndog wrote:
fwojciec wrote:
You can just comment out the whole extra repository from /etc/pacman.conf for now. It is not available on the CD and this is what the error is saying. Or if it is available on CD, I don't know, check maybe, you can also point pacman to the CD if extra repository, or some packages from it, are available there (just edit the entry for [extra] in pacman.conf). Without access to extra you will not be able to install a fully functional desktop environment in any case - that's why I was suggesting to figure out the network problem first, you'll have to do it from the command line anyways so you might just as well tackle it now (that's what I always do anyways).
I think I found out my error. It has to do with /etc/pacman.d directory and there is the servers listed. It looked there first and then the very end looked at the cdrom.
By the way, my network is DSL not wireless.
Is it an internal card? Do you know what kind of drivers you'd need for it? Do you connect to your computer with a telephone or a network cable? Sorry, I've no experience with setting up DSL connections.

It's ethernet connection.

fwojciec · 2007-09-23 02:50:50

In this case you should be able to use this wiki page to configure it.
http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Configuring_network
Most likely the module for your ethernet card is loaded automatically, so it's just a matter of entering the correct information into appropriate config files and restarting the network daemon

kishd · 2007-09-23 06:31:17

verndog wrote:

In /etc/pacman.conf I have as suggested:
[current]
Server = file://mnt/cdrom/arch/pkg

I think that that should be Server = file:///mnt/cdrom/arch/pkg (3 forward slashes)

verndog · 2007-09-23 17:23:54

kishd wrote:

verndog wrote:
In /etc/pacman.conf I have as suggested:
[current]
Server = file://mnt/cdrom/arch/pkg
I think that that should be Server = file:///mnt/cdrom/arch/pkg (3 forward slashes)

Your right and finally I can use pacman. Now the video does crazy and the system locks up. It's the
Xorg -configure command that sets things off.
I think I said I'm trying VirtualBox first.
Anyway in Section #8 just below the Xorg -configure , you find:
Other ways of making an xorg.conf without getting your hands dirty is Arch Linux's own developer tpowa's tool:
hwd -xa
hwd (to see the various options)

I can't use the "hwd" command. Says its not found. Is it on the cdrom and how do I get it?

Thanks.

kishd · 2007-09-23 17:55:45

hwd is in extra. Just do pacman -S hwd and use it

verndog · 2007-09-23 18:32:55

kishd wrote:

hwd is in extra. Just do pacman -S hwd and use it

Thanks but apparently its not on the cdrom. lshwd is the only file there.

Arch Linux

#1 2007-09-22 18:07:30

Installing and configuring Xorg

#2 2007-09-22 18:18:32

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#3 2007-09-22 18:21:43

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#4 2007-09-22 19:34:16

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#5 2007-09-22 19:55:22

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#6 2007-09-22 20:55:57

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#7 2007-09-22 21:26:31

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#8 2007-09-23 02:00:00

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#9 2007-09-23 02:50:50

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#10 2007-09-23 06:31:17

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#11 2007-09-23 17:23:54

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#12 2007-09-23 17:55:45

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

#13 2007-09-23 18:32:55

Re: Installing and configuring Xorg

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