New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

hnarwan123 · 2011-01-11 07:39:50

Hi All,

I have just attempted my first Arch install, on a Toshiba Tecra A10 laptop.

The install went through fine, after configuring the network I have updated the system successfully but I'm having a problem getting my DE running.

I installed xfce via the following commands (as root)

pacman -S xorg
pacman -S xfce4
pacman -S xfce4-goodies

When I try to start xfce4 via "startxfce4" the screen goes blank (entire screen is black with two white underscore type things at the top of the page)

I have tried to start xfce4 as a non root user (user created via "useradd -m -g users -G audio,lp,optical,storage,video,wheel,games,power,scanner -s /bin/bash hardeep" but that also returns the same blank screen.
Using this same workflow I was able to get xfce4 running in Virtual Box so I assume the problem is with the video card drivers.
I did try to install a video driver via:

pacman -S xf86-video-nv (i'm pretty sure the Toshiba A10 has a Nvidia card)
That didnt help, I also gave the generic vesa driver a go but again same problem.
Any ideas on this would be much appreciated.
thanks
Hardeep

moetunes · 2011-01-12 16:25:55

I would make sure what the video card is using

 lspci | grep -i vga

and check the X log with

 less /var/log/Xorg.0.log

to see if it has any clues. If X was erroring it would return you to the tty but it is always a good place to start...

perbh · 2011-01-12 17:07:13

Hmmm - I believe you need 'nomodeset' if you want to try the vesa-driver.

whatshisname · 2011-01-12 17:33:36

Not sure if this will help but I had to add the following line to my .xinitrc file in order to get xfce working on my system:

exec ck-launch-session startxfce4

Maybe try that from the command line and see if it makes a difference.

admiralspark · 2011-01-12 23:51:23

Just out of curiosity, because I don't know XFCE well and so it probably won't work: did you try just starting it through "startx" instead of startxfce? Also, boot it with the nomodeset grub option and, if it still refuses to work, post the output of xorg.conf (if you have one, otherwise pastebin the Xorg.0.log)

EDIT: please tell me you put the nv module to load in the MODULES section of rc.conf?

EDIT2: Is THIS your computer? Because it has an intel graphics chip. If it is, problem solved...

Last edited by admiralspark (2011-01-13 00:03:27)

hnarwan123 · 2011-01-14 20:30:38

Hi Guys,

Thanks for all the replies, yes admiralspark it is an Intel graphics card, which took me a while to figure out but was a silly mistake on my part, I read it was NVIDIA on the first website I found, that will teach me, "pacman -S xf86-video-intel" did the trick.

thanks again.
Hardeep

Arch Linux

#1 2011-01-11 07:39:50

New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

#2 2011-01-12 16:25:55

Re: New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

#3 2011-01-12 17:07:13

Re: New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

#4 2011-01-12 17:33:36

Re: New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

#5 2011-01-12 23:51:23

Re: New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

#6 2011-01-14 20:30:38

Re: New install - starting xfce4 returns blank sreen.

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