Arch Linux

samsom

Member

Registered: 2009-07-17

Posts: 88

Unable to install X correctly

Hi, I am trying to install Arch OS onto my laptop and am struggling to
configure X correctly. I have followed the beginners wiki religously
so far and the next step was to seek help from the forums. I am posting
links of my /etc/X11/xorg.conf and /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old. Here they
are
http://dpaste.com/68563
http://dpaste.com/68564
The manual also says to get a link to the ~/.xinitrc file which does not
seem to exist on my home folder.
lspci |grep VGA produces the following output
Intel Mobile 945GM/GMS , 943/940GML Express Integrated Graphics Controller (rev 03)
I tried installing both the intel driver and the vesa driver to no avail.
Would anyone be able to please point me in the right direction.
Thanks
Samsom

---

Samsom

djszapi

Member

From: Cambridge, United Kingdom

Registered: 2009-06-14

Posts: 1,439

Website

Re: Unable to install X correctly

What's the exact problem/error message? Did you try without xorg.conf ?

---

http://lpapp.blogspot.com

samsom

Member

Registered: 2009-07-17

Posts: 88

Re: Unable to install X correctly

Sorry, forgot to mention what the problem is. On trying to test the X system with
#X -config /etc/X11/xorg.conf
I do not get the hollow X that is supposed to pop up. Instead the screen
goes blank. I cannot even open a new terminal with Ctrl-Alt-F2/3/4/5/6. Ctrl-Alt-Backspace does not work as well. I have had to restart the laptop with the power button. Not sure whats goin on

---

Samsom

Raffles10

Member

From: London, UK

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 115

Re: Unable to install X correctly

I've had that problem too, when I install arch now I don't test X, I just go on to install the DE and everything works fine. I'm not even sure that X server test is valid anymore. If it appears that X installed ok just proceed and don't bother testing it.

samsom

Member

Registered: 2009-07-17

Posts: 88

Re: Unable to install X correctly

Tried running the DE without the X test, but no success. Managed to get the link to my ~/.xinitrc file which is http://dpaste.com/68642. For some reason, I cannot seem to wgetpaste my /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old file anymore.
Any advice
Samsom

---

Samsom

majiq

Member

Registered: 2009-03-06

Posts: 259

Re: Unable to install X correctly

Yeah, I had that problem too, on my last install. Coincidentally, I was also missing xf86-input-evdev xf86-input-keyboard and xf86-input-mouse . Since you're using a laptop, maybe you should also install synaptics, if you have a synaptics touchpad.

Edit: Intended to say to make sure that you have those packages installed. Also ensure that hal is started up.

Also, I think the Beginner's Guide says to copy the .xinitrc from /etc/skel. You should be able to cp a copy into your home folder. See what happens when you execute startx with the exec xterm command in the .xinitrc file.

Last edited by majiq (2009-07-18 21:00:43)

hbekel

Member

Registered: 2008-10-04

Posts: 311

Re: Unable to install X correctly

I've had that problem too, when I install arch now I don't test X, I just go on to install the DE and everything works fine. I'm not even sure that X server test is valid anymore. If it appears that X installed ok just proceed and don't bother testing it.

If you don't know why or how something you did worked out, please don't present it here as a "solution". To give no advice at all is better than giving bad advice. (no vodoo, please)

The Beginners Guide has all the necessary information.

@samsom: You seem to have missed the info box about Ctrl-Alt-Backspace being disabled by default and how to enable it. Follow majiq's advice. If this doesn't help, try running with input hotplugging disabled, also described in the Beginners Guide (more detail on the Xorg input hotplugging page). Also note that pressing Ctrl-Alt-F1-6 doesn't "open" a new terminal but switches to one of the virtual consoles providing an already running agetty instance.

Last edited by hbekel (2009-07-18 21:14:48)

majiq

Member

Registered: 2009-03-06

Posts: 259

Re: Unable to install X correctly

@hbekel: Coincidentally enough, the Beginner's Guide actually states Raffles10's statements as a valid, possible "solution" (wasn't there a year or two ago, but is now). For some people doing the X test does not work while the desktop environment built on the same config does. If you don't think that it's a valid choice or "solution", I would follow up with it on the Beginner's Guide. :-)

.:B:.

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2006-11-26

Posts: 5,819

Website

Re: Unable to install X correctly

Start without an X config, then go from there. With some luck you can do without alltogether. I have a box that has had trouble with X ever since I set up Linux on it, and without configuration file it runs fine (whereas before I needed a lot of hacks in the configuration file). My other systems work fine without a configuration too. I was wary at first but decided to try it (not much to lose anyway) and I'm very happy with it.

---

Got Leenucks? :: Arch: Power in simplicity :: Get Counted! Registered Linux User #392717 :: Blog thingy

Raffles10

Member

From: London, UK

Registered: 2009-05-09

Posts: 115

Re: Unable to install X correctly

I've had that problem too, when I install arch now I don't test X, I just go on to install the DE and everything works fine. I'm not even sure that X server test is valid anymore. If it appears that X installed ok just proceed and don't bother testing it.

If you don't know why or how something you did worked out, please don't present it here as a "solution". To give no advice at all is better than giving bad advice. (no vodoo, please)

The Beginners Guide has all the necessary information.

It certainly does, including:

Note:  Some users have found after the upgrade to Xorg 1.6 that this test fails (no hollow X appears and no capacity for cursor movement is enabled), but this does not indicate a problem with the installation of X. You may want to double check by running the next test in this guide.

When the X test fails during installation we could spend ages trying to figure out why, but if everything is actually installed and working as it should be, why waste the time ? Especially for a newbie, installation can be difficult enough without trying to solve things that don't actually indicate a problem.;)

majiq, I'm glad I'm not the only one that actually reads the Beginners Guide.:)

Last edited by Raffles10 (2009-07-19 04:18:46)

beroal

Member

From: Ukraine

Registered: 2009-06-07

Posts: 325

Website

Re: Unable to install X correctly

I also stumbled upon X server test, the screen went blank. Then I started xinit and xterm window appeared. Also you can test X server with xterm manually:

X :0.0 &
xterm -display :0.0

---

we are not condemned to write ugly code

oib111

Member

Registered: 2009-06-20

Posts: 87

Re: Unable to install X correctly

I had that same problem. Except it's not really a problem because startx and xinit work.

samsom

Member

Registered: 2009-07-17

Posts: 88

Re: Unable to install X correctly

Hurrah. KDE is up and running....and it looks way cooler than gnome in Ubuntu. Thanks a lot for all the help and advice. I followed majiq's advice and installed the keyboard, mouse and synaptics drivers which seems to have done the trick. Thanks again, guys...really appreciate your time and patience.
Cheers
Sameer

---

Samsom

hbekel

Member

Registered: 2008-10-04

Posts: 311

Re: Unable to install X correctly

I've had that problem too, when I install arch now I don't test X, I just go on to install the DE and everything works fine. I'm not even sure that X server test is valid anymore. If it appears that X installed ok just proceed and don't bother testing it.

If you don't know why or how something you did worked out, please don't present it here as a "solution". To give no advice at all is better than giving bad advice. (no vodoo, please)

The Beginners Guide has all the necessary information.

It certainly does, including:

Note:  Some users have found after the upgrade to Xorg 1.6 that this test fails (no hollow X appears and no capacity for cursor movement is enabled), but this does not indicate a problem with the installation of X. You may want to double check by running the next test in this guide.

When the X test fails during installation we could spend ages trying to figure out why, but if everything is actually installed and working as it should be, why waste the time ? Especially for a newbie, installation can be difficult enough without trying to solve things that don't actually indicate a problem.;)

majiq, I'm glad I'm not the only one that actually reads the Beginners Guide.:)

Well, I screwed up, admitted.

@Raffles: sorry for wrongly accusing you, I aplologize. Your post might have been a little clearer, but as it wasn't, I should certainly have double checked. I did check the Guide for the input hotplugging and Ctrl+Alt+Backspace stuff, but I obviously missed the note about the failing test.