# Xorg -configure errors



## balanga (Oct 23, 2014)

```
root@dhcppc47:~ # Xorg -configure

X.Org X Server 1.12.4
Release Date: 2012-08-27
X Protocol Version 11, Revision 0
Build Operating System: FreeBSD 10.0-RELEASE-p9 i386
Current Operating System: FreeBSD dhcppc47 10.0-RELEASE FreeBSD 10.0-RELEASE #0                                                                                         r260789: Fri Jan 17 01:46:25 UTC 2014     root@snap.freebsd.org:/usr/obj/usr/src                                                                                        /sys/GENERIC i386
Build Date: 09 October 2014  12:56:34PM

Current version of pixman: 0.32.4
        Before reporting problems, check http://wiki.x.org
        to make sure that you have the latest version.
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
        (++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/Xorg.0.log", Time: Thu Oct 23 22:37:08 2014
List of video drivers:
        radeon
        r128
        openchrome
        nv
        mach64
        intel
        ati
        vesa
(++) Using config file: "/root/xorg.conf.new"
(II) [KMS] No DRICreatePCIBusID symbol, no kernel modesetting.
Segmentation fault at address 0x0

Fatal server error:
Caught signal 11 (Segmentation fault). Server aborting


Please consult the The X.Org Foundation support
         at http://wiki.x.org
for help.
Please also check the log file at "/var/log/Xorg.0.log" for additional informati                                                                                        on.

Server terminated with error (1). Closing log file.
Abort (core dumped)
```


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## wblock@ (Oct 24, 2014)

Unless you have an odd setup, there is no need to run `Xorg -configure`.  Remove or rename xorg.conf and start X without it.


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## talsamon (Oct 24, 2014)

I don't believe that. No Linux or FreeBSD I had, started Xorg without xorg.conf properly, if it starts...


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## wblock@ (Oct 24, 2014)

Okay, you caught me.  I just tell people to try that to see if they are paying attention.


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## ShelLuser (Oct 24, 2014)

Uhm, talsamon... wblock@ is absolutely right here, and you can even deduc_e_ as much yourself. Because ask yourself this: would you need a configuration file before you can use the -configure option? And if the answer is no (which it is!) then why would it be possible for X to run and detect your hardware, yet it wouldn't be possible for that same X environment to immediately use this detected hardware?

When I use startx on my FreeBSD 10 environment (running in VirtualBox) then X immediately starts without issues. A neat 1024x786 resolution with 24bit colour.

If, however, I want to use specific drivers then I will need to further tune it. For example; the default mouse driver works, but I'd rather use vboxmouse so that I can move the pointer in and out of the desktop window.

Also pay attention to xorg.conf(5):


> Xorg supports several mechanisms for supplying/obtaining configuration
> and run-time parameters: command line options, environment variables,
> the xorg.conf configuration file, *auto-detection*, and *fallback
> defaults*.



Considering that there's no xorg.conf file present in any of the mentioned locations 'out of the box' I can't come to any other conclusion here


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## rmoe (Oct 24, 2014)

wblock@ is perfectly right. Current versions of X don't need a xorg.conf any more. Actually one can - and often does - put just some specific settings there ignoring the rest.

On the other hand `Xorg -configure` _should _run without problems.

Before offering any more help I strongly suggest you offer the usual information like make and model of your graphics card or chipset, what kernel you run (GENERIC or some other and if so with what settings), etc.


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## balanga (Oct 24, 2014)

wblock@ said:


> Unless you have an odd setup, there is no need to run `Xorg -configure`.  Remove or rename xorg.conf and start X without it.



I'm just going by The Handbook: https://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/x-config.html.



			
				The Handbook said:
			
		

> 6.4.2. Configuring Xorg
> Xorg uses HAL to autodetect keyboards and mice. The sysutils/hal and devel/dbus ports are automatically installed as dependencies of x11/xorg, but must be enabled by adding the following entries to /etc/rc.conf:
> 
> hald_enable="YES"
> ...


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## balanga (Oct 24, 2014)

Following up...  `startx` does bring up X albeit after some xauth error messages followed by some xterm messages when closing the session.

How do I tell what graphics card I'm using? It's in an IBM ThinkPad T41p. Also the mouse doesn't work - I'm not sure how X refers to the ThinkPad's little red pointing device.


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## rmoe (Oct 24, 2014)

There are probably smarter or more elegant ways but `dmesg | grep vga` comes to mind and should do the trick.

As I happen to have a quite similar notebook I can also tell you right away that the X driver you want is quite probably radeon.

If there are more problems, you might want to have a look at /var/log/Xorg.0.log. The following might also help you to hunt down problems:
`grep '(EE)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log` will show you _errors_.
`grep '(WW)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log` will show you _warnings_.
`grep '(!!)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log` will show you _notices_.

Errors obviously being the first thing to look for.


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## balanga (Oct 24, 2014)

rmoe said:


> There are probably smarter or more elegant ways but `dmesg | grep vga` comes to mind and should do the trick.
> 
> As I happen to have a quite similar notebook I can also tell you right away that the X driver you want is quite probably "radeon".
> 
> ...





```
drmn0: <ATI FireGL T2/T2e> on vgapci0


root@dhcppc47:~ # grep '(EE)' /var/log/Xorg.0.log
        (WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
[ 37851.451] (EE) Failed to load module "fbdev" (module does not exist, 0)
[ 37855.791] (EE) AIGLX error: dlopen of /usr/local/lib/dri/r300_dri.so failed (/usr/local/lib/dri/r300_dri.so: Undefined symbol "_ZNSt3__112basic_stringIcNS_11char_traitsIcEENS_9allocatorIcEEED1Ev")
[ 37855.791] (EE) AIGLX: reverting to software rendering
[ 37855.813] (EE) AIGLX error: dlopen of /usr/local/lib/dri/swrast_dri.so failed (/usr/local/lib/dri/swrast_dri.so: Undefined symbol "_ZNSt3__112basic_stringIcNS_11char_traitsIcEENS_9allocatorIcEEED1Ev")
[ 37855.813] (EE) GLX: could not load software renderer
[ 37856.372] (EE) config/hal: couldn't initialise context: unknown error (null)
```


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## rmoe (Oct 24, 2014)

Oops. That's one of ATI's more exotic chips. Unfortunately I don't know much about this chipset although it's said to work with the Radeon driver.

Let's hope there is someone with more experience and knowledge in that area around. I'm sorry.


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## balanga (Oct 24, 2014)

I guess I can sort out the graphics later, but at the moment the mouse cursor does not respond which renders X pretty much useless.

Any ideas on how to get my IBM TrackPoint working?


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## dantoac (Oct 24, 2014)

Try using `xinput list` and see if your TrackPad is listed. If it's listed, you could activate it with `xinput set-prop "YOUR-DEVICE-NAME-AS-LISTED" "Device Enabled" 1`.

Also, the X.Org part in this link could be of help: http://www.thinkwiki.org/wiki/How_to_configure_the_TrackPoint.


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## balanga (Nov 6, 2014)

Thanks to everyone for all the advice. I'm not sure how useful any of it was, but I've just noticed that my mouse has suddenly started working although I don't really know why.

The next step is to install a window manager. Any suggestions? Bear in mind I'm using a laptop that is ten years old, so it is underpowered in this day and age. I'm wanting something as lightweight as possible. I doubt whether I will be doing anything more than running a browser on it.


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## wblock@ (Nov 6, 2014)

x11-wm/fluxbox is relatively light.  x11-wm/xfce4 is only heavier in the sense that it installs more stuff, but it runs acceptably well on slower machines like netbooks.


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## Oko (Nov 6, 2014)

CWM


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## rmoe (Nov 6, 2014)

I've used x11-wm/openbox and x11-wm/jwm on diverse really old or really small boxes. If in doubt I'd rather use jwm because everything (making up a window manager) is included. Openbox is more wide-spread and better known but you'll need to install a taskbar yourself. I've only found one problem with jwm; it seems to have problems with transparency. Full disclosure: that might well be my doing something wrong because I'm quite GUI, composing, graphics-stuff ignorant.

As for Xfce, the window manager that is usually recommended for small boxes, I used it for years and it's doubtlessly nice - but it's comparatively fat and comes with other relatively fat stuff like Thunar, the file (and desktop!) manager. Now, before some Xfce fans hit on me, let me say that my statement is based on "low memory and low powered box. Saving 100 MB RAM is valuable to me".

Two other window managers that are noteworthy are x11/lxde-meta which is roughly comparable to Xfce but smaller  and x11-wm/enlightenment which IIRC is really small and considered very aesthetically pleasing and abundantly configurable by some.

Finally, some advice: know your matter before you put some window managers on the scale! Most of them are comprised of diverse things, each of which adds weight - but not necessarily functionality you need. I, for instance, run jwm without a desktop manager simply because I don't need that functionality (like clickable icons on the desktop). Before you take the measures, you should consider _your_ needs.

And, of course, there are many other areas and corners where one can simply install (quite fat) stuff that everyone uses or one can think about one's needs and find a good balance. Even simple things like terminal emulators count, even there you can quickly throw away 100+ MB memory for gadgets you don't need.

P.S.: I mentioned LXDE mainly because it's quite probably the smallest of all the window managers with the whole she-bang in one installation. For the smaller ones you'll typically need to select and install some functionality through other packages (e.g. task bar for Openbox).


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## Beastie (Nov 6, 2014)

talsamon said:


> I don't believe that. No Linux or FreeBSD I had, started Xorg without xorg.conf properly, if it starts...


Xorg can definitely work without a xorg.conf file, and the latest KMS-enabled version works perfectly well on FreeBSD 10.1. By the way, I'm talking about twelve-year-old hardware with one of the worst GPUs Intel ever made. I only created the file because I don't want to use HAL and want to disable DPMS stuff.


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