# New install on laptop, how to get X?



## opjopper (Sep 17, 2009)

I just installed FreeBSD on my laptop and now I have no idea what to do to make it work. I set up a login and a password but  after I put them in it just gives me a command line. I have no idea what to type to get this to start  up. Can someone please tell me how or show me where I can find out how to make the GUI start?


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## tangram (Sep 17, 2009)

You need to provide more information. Which distribution did you choose on sysintall's _Choose Distributions_ step? Did you install KDE or Gnome on the _Package Selection_ screen? Did you configure X11? etc, etc...

Start by reading the FreeBSD Handbook.

I'd bet you didn't install a window manager or desktop enviornment nor configured X. If so point to Chapter 5 The X Window System.


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## opjopper (Sep 18, 2009)

I don't know how to do the stuff it is asking. Like "Starting with version 7.4, Xorg can use HAL to autodetect keyboards and mice. The sysutils/hal and devel/dbus ports are installed as dependencies of x11/xorg, but must be enabled by the following entries in the /etc/rc.conf file:


```
hald_enable="YES"
dbus_enable="YES"
```

I can get X to pop up but it doesn't do anything after that. How do I enact these commands?


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## tangram (Sep 18, 2009)

You edit the /etc/rc.conf as root and add

```
hald_enable="YES"
dbus_enable="YES"
```

To edit the file use ee(1) or vi(1).


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