Next: 5.1.6 Running into trouble Up: 5.1 The X Window Previous: 5.1.4 Filling in video

## 5.1.5 Running XFree86

With your `XF86Config` file configured, you're ready to fire up the X server and give it a spin. First, be sure that `/usr/X11R6/bin` is on your path.

The command to start up XFree86 is

`startx`

This is a front-end to `xinit` (in case you're used to using `xinit` on other UNIX systems).

This command will start the X server and run the commands found in the file `.xinitrc` in your home directory. `.xinitrc` is just a shell script containing X clients to run. If this file does not exist, the system default `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc` will be used.

A standard `.xinitrc` file looks like this:

``

    #!/bin/sh

    xterm -fn 7x13bold -geometry 80x32+10+50 &
    xterm -fn 9x15bold -geometry 80x34+30-10 &
    oclock -geometry 70x70-7+7 &
    xsetroot -solid midnightblue &

    exec twm

This script will start up two `xterm` clients, an `oclock`, and set the root window (background) color to `midnightblue`. It will then start up `twm`, the window manager. Note that `twm` is executed with the shell's `exec` statement; this causes the `xinit` process to be replaced with `twm`. Once the `twm` process exits, the X server will shut down. You can cause `twm` to exit by using the root menus: depress mouse button 1 on the desktop background---this will display a pop up menu which will allow you to `Exit Twm`.

Be sure that the last command in `.xinitrc` is started with `exec`, and that it is not placed into the background (no ampersand on the end of the line). Otherwise the X server will shut down as soon as it has started the clients in the `.xinitrc` file.

Alternately, you can exit X by pressing -- in combination. This will kill the X server directly, exiting the window system.

The above is a very, very simple desktop configuration. Many wonderful programs and configurations are available with a bit of work on your `.xinitrc` file. For example, the `fvwm` window manager will provide a virtual desktop, and you can customize colors, fonts, window sizes and positions, and so forth to your heart's content. Although the X Window System might appear to be simplistic at first, it is extremely powerful once you customize it for yourself.

If you are new to the X Window System environment, we strongly suggest picking up a book such as The X Window System: A User's Guide. Using and configuring X is far too in-depth to cover here. See the man pages for `xterm`, `oclock`, and `twm` for clues on getting started.

Next: 5.1.6 Running into trouble Up: 5.1 The X Window Previous: 5.1.4 Filling in video