startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

bobberb · 2015-08-15 21:29:54

Dear Archers,

I recently decided to try getting AMD Catalyst and added a full wipe to that list of to-dos.

With a fresh install I wanted to get Xorg running and right out of the box `startx` allows me to run Xorg. However, to my understanding, it's best to have a set xorg.conf and not rely on autodetect. I run Xorg :0 -configure and it tells me to test the new file with X -config(uration) /root/xorg.conf/new. I'm greeted with a black screen and have to reboot.

How do I "export" the settings it reaches with a simple startx? I know that my followup with aticonfigure will rely on these settings and it too will create a black-screen situation so I believe if I can mimic whatever startx is doing I can move on to my full AMD drivers and not whatever it is using (mesa)

Thank you.

karol · 2015-08-15 21:32:57

Are you running X as root?
Have you tried with a user w/o xorg.conf?

2ManyDogs · 2015-08-15 21:42:22

bobberb wrote:

However, to my understanding, it's best to have a set xorg.conf and not rely on autodetect.

Why do you think this?

ArchWiki wrote:

Note: Arch supplies default configuration files in /usr/share/X11/xorg.conf.d, and no extra configuration is necessary for most setups.

bobberb · 2015-08-15 21:54:21

karol wrote:

Are you running X as root?
Have you tried with a user w/o xorg.conf?

I am indeed running as root. startx runs only as root.

2ManyDogs wrote:

Why do you think this?

I draw from the AMD Catalyst wiki:

Note: To adhere to the new config location use # aticonfig [...] --output to adapt the Device section to /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-radeon.conf. The drawback is that many aticonfig options rely on an xorg.conf, and will be unavailable.

bobberb · 2015-08-15 21:56:05

I think my question can be summarized as:

How can I best see the options startx runs with so that I may test it with by explicitly running X -config /xorg.conf

karol · 2015-08-15 21:56:11

What errors do you get when running as a user?
What's the output of

uname -a

Edit: Not sure what you mean. startx reads xinitrc, you can use e.g. ps or htop to see what command is being run by xinit.

Last edited by karol (2015-08-15 21:57:48)

bobberb · 2015-08-15 22:13:53

Karol,

Good call on the uname, I'm so used to using gdm I forgot startx is can indeed from from a user. The output of uname is normal Linux 4.14 x86_64, I am currently reaching you from X but I have no idea how to copy stuff.

karol · 2015-08-15 22:24:14

Where are we now: is everything working OK?

As for copying output w/o a graphical web browser (how are you posting on the forum then?), see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Li … in_clients

bobberb · 2015-08-15 22:26:38

Update:

My xorg.conf.d is empty . It seems everything is on autodetect, however a different autodetect happens during Xorg -configure!

Xorg runs as Xorg.bin -nolisten tcp :0 vt1 -auth /temp/serverauthXXXXXXXX, pretty generic!

I have no idea how to proceed from here, should I bring this to the ATI subforum?

karol · 2015-08-15 22:29:12

I'm confused. What exactly is the problem?

bobberb · 2015-08-15 22:31:43

Situation:

startx works, it calls xinit and Xorg

I have to move to ATI graphics at one point, it autogenerates an xorg.conf but all I get is a black screen when I run it.

I am now thinking it is because xinit is no longer invoked!!! New question: How to I make sure xterm pops up after calling an xorg.conf?

karol · 2015-08-15 22:35:09

What graphics are you using now?
Please read the wiki wrt autostarting via ~/.xinitrc: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Xinitrc

If you have problems with GDM, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/GDM

bobberb · 2015-08-15 22:39:14

Karol,

I've reached you now from inside gnome after adding an exec gnome-session to my ~/.xinitrc. I think this small oversight is what was tripping me up. I will report back in a second after I shift to AMD. Currently I have no set anything so I assume I am using xf86-video-intel.

Last edited by bobberb (2015-08-15 22:39:28)

karol · 2015-08-15 22:41:27

Intel? If you do not have an Intel graphics card this can't work.
Post what graphics hardware you have and what graphics drivers have you installed.

bobberb · 2015-08-15 22:43:10

04:00.0 Display controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Opal XT [Radeon R7 M265]
Subsystem: Dell Device 0695
Kernel modules: radeon

00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation Broadwell-U Integrated Graphics (rev 09)

This is a laptop with both, I am trying to achieve switchable graphics. I honestly believe that my failed recollection of .xinitrc was the stumbling block.

bobberb · 2015-08-15 23:49:36

I'm going to put this issue on the back-burner. I need to take time and reformat again to get myself back to the black screen issue I started with, something I tinkered with since then has blocked this first issue. Thank you for all your help, I will not forget .xinitrc on my next go around.

Slithery · 2015-08-16 09:23:26

bobberb wrote:

...This is a laptop with both, I am trying to achieve switchable graphics...

It would have been nice to know that to start with.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Bumblebee

DarkCerberus · 2015-08-16 11:07:00

From what I've heard /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/ was depreciated in an earlier version of Xorg - if using a ATI Card generate the xorg.conf file with the following

aticonfig --initial

This will generate the xorg.conf properly and you'll have to manually remove the ATI configuration in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d since it doesn't work....

Last edited by DarkCerberus (2015-08-16 11:08:13)

2ManyDogs · 2015-08-16 11:49:55

slithery wrote:

bobberb wrote:
...This is a laptop with both, I am trying to achieve switchable graphics...
It would have been nice to know that to start with.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Bumblebee

AFAIK, Bumblebee works with Optimus laptops which have intel and nvdia graphics. The OP has intel and amd graphics, so I don't think bumblebee applies here.

Lone_Wolf · 2015-08-17 11:39:41

If OP was using radeon opensource driver, PRIME would be the way to go.

For intel + AMD Catalyst (proprietary) , Catalyst provides commands to switch between integrated and dedicated gpu .
Check Catalyst wiki page . (latest version of catalyst packages has powerxpress support built-in, you can ignore references to catalyst-total-pxp ).

Arch Linux

#1 2015-08-15 21:29:54

startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#2 2015-08-15 21:32:57

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#3 2015-08-15 21:42:22

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#4 2015-08-15 21:54:21

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#5 2015-08-15 21:56:05

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#6 2015-08-15 21:56:11

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#7 2015-08-15 22:13:53

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#8 2015-08-15 22:24:14

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#9 2015-08-15 22:26:38

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#10 2015-08-15 22:29:12

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#11 2015-08-15 22:31:43

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#12 2015-08-15 22:35:09

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#13 2015-08-15 22:39:14

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#14 2015-08-15 22:41:27

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#15 2015-08-15 22:43:10

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#16 2015-08-15 23:49:36

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#17 2015-08-16 09:23:26

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#18 2015-08-16 11:07:00

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#19 2015-08-16 11:49:55

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

#20 2015-08-17 11:39:41

Re: startx works - Xorg :0 -configure fails

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