Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

Falcata · 2009-06-09 16:54:18

This morning, I had attempted to reinstall Arch Linux, after having tried Ubuntu for about a week or so. Install went well (once I had an up-to-date disc), but then I ran into a serious problem. The auto-generate xorg.conf files were not working. As soon as I tested X, I would be greeted by a black screen and then had to reboot manually. A few more attempts, and I discovered the problem: the contents of the xorg.conf file was getting erased whenever X read it! What the hell is going on!?

Last edited by Falcata (2009-06-10 20:58:07)

Mr.Elendig · 2009-06-09 17:48:02

How did you start X? It does not delete it's config file by itself.

Falcata · 2009-06-09 18:58:46

I started it either with "X -configure /path/to/xorg.conf" or "startx"

Mr.Elendig · 2009-06-09 19:03:33

`X -configure /path/to/xorg.conf` tries to create a new config file. If it for some reason fails, /path/to/xorg.conf might end up as an empty file.

When it comes to the "hanging" X, read up on hotplugging.

Last edited by Mr.Elendig (2009-06-09 19:04:17)

Falcata · 2009-06-09 19:06:20

Thank you, Mr Elendig. I'll try this again later this evening.

Quasimojo · 2009-06-09 19:31:32

My new Arch install was behaving the exact same way last night. Btw, rather than rebooting, you might try CTRL+ALT+Fx and then back, where you might then be able to CTRL+C out of the test. That worked for me, though not every time.

Anyway, after struggling with X -configure /path/to/xorg.conf for an hour or so, I finally just tried startx, and it worked fine.

EDIT: I should add that when I finally got around to trying startx, I had already installed Fluxbox, hoping some part of that process might dislodge whatever was gumming up the works. I don't know if X would have worked without it or not.

Last edited by Quasimojo (2009-06-09 19:34:27)

Falcata · 2009-06-09 19:37:37

Switching virtual terminals did not work, because the problem was input related.

Falcata · 2009-06-10 20:57:56

Got it all resolved. What I did was I reinstalled my old hard drive, which I had been using about two weeks ago, and then booted up from it. I mounted the new hard drive, and copied my old hard drive's working xorg.conf over to the new one. Then, I set the old drive to slave, and booted from the new one. X worked just fine after that.

Arch Linux

#1 2009-06-09 16:54:18

Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#2 2009-06-09 17:48:02

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#3 2009-06-09 18:58:46

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#4 2009-06-09 19:03:33

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#5 2009-06-09 19:06:20

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#6 2009-06-09 19:31:32

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#7 2009-06-09 19:37:37

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

#8 2009-06-10 20:57:56

Re: Installation - Xorg Configuration Showstopper (resolved)

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