The X Window System

Linux Frequently Asked Questions with Answers
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# 11. The X Window System

## 11.1. Does Linux Support X?

Yes. Linux uses XFree86 (the current version is 4.0, which is based on X11R6). You need to have a video card which is supported by XFree86. See the XFree86 HOWTO for more details. Most Linux distributions nowadays come with an X installation. However, you can install or upgrade your own, from `"ftp://metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/X11/Xfree86-*"` and its mirror sites, or from `http://www.xfree86.org/`.

## 11.2. How Do I Get the X Window System to Work?

The answers to this question can, and do, fill entire books. If the installation program wasn't able to configure the X server correctly, Linux will most likely try to start the X display, fail, and drop back into text-only terminal mode.

First and foremost, make certain that you have provided, as closely as possible, the correct information to the installation program of your video hardware: the video card and monitor. Some installation programs can correctly guess a ``least common denominator'' screen configuration, like a 640-by-480 VESA-standard display, but there are many possible video hardware configurations that may not be able to display this standard.

The X Window System configuration file is called (usually) `/etc/XF86Config`, `/etc/X11/XF86Config`, or `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/XF86Config`.

If you need to manually configure the X server, there are several possible methods:

- Try to use the XF86Setup program, which can help identify the correct X server and monitor timings for the video hardware.

- Make sure that the X server has the correct options. If you log in as the superuser, you should be able to use `X --probeonly` to get a listing of the video card chipset, memory, and any special graphics features. Also, refer to the manual page for the X server. (E.g.; `man X`), and try running the X server and redirecting the standard error output to a file so you can determine, after you can view text on the screen again, what error messages the server is generating; e.g., `X 2>x.error`.

- With that information, you should be able to safely refer to one of the references provided by the Linux Documentation Project. ("Where can I get the HOWTO's and other documentation? ") There are several HOWTO's on the subject, including a HOWTO to calculate video timings manually if necessary. Also, the Installation and Getting Started guide has a chapter with a step-by-step guide to writing a `XF86Config` file.

Also, make sure that the problem really is an incorrect `XF86Config` file, not something else like the window manager failing to start. If the X server is working correctly, you should be able to move the mouse cursor on the screen, and pressing Ctrl-Alt-Backspace will shut down the X server and return to the shell prompt in one of the virtual terminals.

## 11.3. Where Can I Get a Ready-Made `XF86Config` for My System?

If you can't seem to get X working using the guidelines above, refer to the XFree86 HOWTO, recent versions of Installation and Getting Started, and the instructions for the `XF86Setup` program. The contents of the `XF86Config` file depend on the your exact combination of video card and monitor. It can either be configured by hand, or using the XF86Setup utility. Read the instructions that came with XFree86, in `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/etc`. The file you probably need to look at most is `README.Config`. You should not use the sample `XF86Config.eg` file which is included with newer versions of XFree86 verbatim, because the wrong video clock settings can damage your monitor. Please don't post to comp.os.linux.x asking for an `XF86Config`, and please don't answer such requests. If you have a laptop, look at the Linux Laptop Web page (``How To Find Out If a Notebook Runs Linux.'') Many of the installation notes also have the `XF86Config` file for the display. If you have a desktop machine, there are a few sample `XF86Config` files at `ftp://metalab.unc.edu/`. Refer also to the XFree86 FAQ `http://www.xfree.org/FAQ/` and the monitor timings list `http://www.xfree.org/#resources/`, and in the `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/` directory of your X distribution.

## 11.4. What Desktop Environments Run on Linux?

Linux with XFree86 supports the KDE, GNOME, and commercial CDE desktop environments, and extended window managers like WindowMaker. Each uses a different set of libraries and provides varying degrees of MS Windows-like look and feel.

Information on KDE is available from `http://www.kde.org/`. The KDE environment uses the Qt graphics libraries, available from `http://www.qt.org/`. The desktop uses its own window manager, kwm, and provides a MS Windows-like look and feel.

The GNOME home page is `http://www.gnome.org/`. The environment uses the free GTK libraries, available from `http://www.gtk.org/`, and window managers like Enlightenment, `http://www.enlightenment.org/`, SawFish, `http://www.sawfish.org/`. There's also a Web page for GNOME installation and upgrade that functions much like Debian's apt-get utility with a friendly GUI front end. It's at: `http://www.helixcode/com/desktop/`.

The commercial CDE environment uses the Motif libraries and a variation of the Motif mwm window manager, dtwm, and provides a suite of desktop and session-management utilities. Several vendors have made the source code of Motif available and provided binary packages for Linux distributions. As a starting point, download and installation information is available at `http://www.opengroup.org/openmotif/`.

A free version of Motif, called LessTiF, is available from `http://www.lesstif.org/`.

WindowMaker, `http://www.windowmaker.org/` is a window manager that has many desktop environment-like features. It provides support for GNUstep, `http://www.gnustep.org/`, a clone of the commercial NeXTStep environment.

## 11.5. xterm Logins Show Up Strangely in who, finger.

The xterm that comes with XFree86 2.1 and earlier doesn't correctly understand the format that Linux uses for the `/var/adm/utmp` file, where the system records who is logged in. It therefore doesn't set all the information correctly. The xterms in XFree86 3.1 and later versions fix this problem.

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