Gnome2 won't fully run

D

DarkNuker

I just installed FreeBSD 7.2 and used "pkg_add -r gnome2" to download and install Gnome. I then ran "Xorg -configure" to make the xorg.conf file. I tested it and it worked so I copied it to /etc/X11 where it should be. I also added hald_enable="YES" and dbus_enable="YES" and gnome_enable="YES" to /etc/rc.conf so gnome would auto start on startup. Well, when the system starts and I get to the login prompt, gnome appears to start up as it should, however, it only brings up the mouse. It shows the clock(mouse) to show it's loading, then the clock turns into the normal mouse and nothing beyond there. The desktop environment doesn't fully load. I have spent hours on this trying to figure it out and going by the freebsd handbook on this site as guidance, but no luck. Can someone please help me out if they think they know what's wrong? I have run FreeBSD 7.2 on my system before and got the gnome desktop to work, so I'm guessing maybe I did something wrong, or perhaps I missed a step, though I have no idea what I could have missed or done wrong. Any help is appreciated.
 
If you removed the start-up daemons from rc.conf (or turn them off) and you type "startx" from the console, do you get twm (the default X11 desktop environment) when you are a normal user?

As an aside, if you have gnome_enable="YES" you don't need any of the other gnome-related daemons. It starts them all.
 
I removed all the startup daemons from the rc.conf file you as said, even the gnome_enable="YES" for now and then rebooted to make sure everything was saved and logged in as normal user then typed "startx", however, this time..I don't even get the mouse cursor. The screen goes all black...then stays black except the backround of the monitor lights up a bit as if a screen is about to appear, but nothing happens. Just a blank black screen.
 
This sounds like an X11 problem (or its configuration). You should have seen a really rudamentary window manager, which clearly you did not. What do you have in xorg.conf, if you have one? What video card and driver?
 
Oh, and do you have moused running and set in /etc/rc.conf? I meant that you remove the gnome-related daemons, and not the ones for the network and moused, for example.
 
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "X.org Configured"

I have an xorg.conf file. It's too big to type out in here..but it contains configurations for my mouse, both monitors and the two graphics cards (mobo and geforce) and has configurations for how the screen displays should be. rc.conf file only has linux_enable="YES" ifconfig_ae0="DHCP" ipv6_enable="YES" hostname=".socal.rr.com".
 
I hate how you can't edit your posts on this forum. I didn't mean to hit the reply button..I was starting to type out the xorg.conf file as you can see above, but it's a bit long because I have two monitors so I won't worry about it. I've dealt with xorg.conf files before and mine looks to be ok.
 
You can edit your posts once you reach a certain number (10?). It helps to keep spam down.

Your issue is either in xorg.conf, a driver or in X11. What does your most recent xorg log file tell you (in /var/log)? What version of X11?

It sounds like you are using nVidia video cards. For dual monitors, you must be using the "nvidia" driver. Check carefully that you are using the proper version; sometimes you need one a version older than what the documentation tells you. Ask me how I know.

Now that I think about it, I had an issue similar to yours. I fixed it by reordering xorg.conf, and it was one I had used for a half dozen years. This was when I replaced one CRT with an LCD and kept the other CRT. That one was a bit hard to figure out.

If I were you, I would try to get it working on a single monitor to start with. Then add back the second monitor.
 
I looked at the /var/log/Xorg.0.log file and it mainly just gave (II) and since that's just information that's a good sign. However, I did notice I got a few warnings....

Code: 
(WW) AllowEmptyInput is on, devices using drivers 'kbd', 'mouse' or 'vmmouse' will be disabled.
(WW) Disabling Mouse0
(WW) Disabling keyboard0

I also noticed it says..
Code: 
(--) Using syscons driver with X support (version 2.0)

Does that means i'm using X server 2.0? Or is that something else? How do I check to see what version of X server (X11) I have?
 
The syscon output is standard, but the AllowEmptyInput section is not (at least I don't have it) and the warning flags sound like the issue. There was a "fix" to X11 some time ago that changed the default setting one way or the other. If you have it, turn it off.

You find the version of any FreeBSD port or package by

Code: 
ls /var/db/pkg | grep xorg

(this is for all matches of xorg, of course). In this case I get
Code: 
linux-xorg-libs-6.8.2_7
xorg-7.4_2
xorg-apps-7.4_1
xorg-cf-files-1.0.2_3
xorg-docs-1.4,1
xorg-drivers-7.4_2
xorg-fonts-100dpi-7.4
xorg-fonts-7.4
xorg-fonts-75dpi-7.4
xorg-fonts-cyrillic-7.4
xorg-fonts-miscbitmaps-7.4
xorg-fonts-truetype-7.4
xorg-fonts-type1-7.4
xorg-libraries-7.4
xorg-macros-1.2.1
xorg-server-1.6.1,1
xorg-vfbserver-1.6.1,1

This may well take care of your mouse issue, but still does not explain the screen problems. Are you using the nvidia driver? Is so, what version? And do you have

Code: 
compat5x_enable="YES"

in /etc/rc.conf? It is required if you use the nvidia driver.
 
DrJ said:
Code: 
ls /var/db/pkg | grep xorg
Click to expand...

I get...
Code: 
xorg-7.4_1
xorg-apps-7.4_1
xorg-docs-1.4,1
xorg-drivers-7.4_1
xorg-fonts-100dpi-7.4
xorg-fonts-7.4
xorg-fongs-75dpi-7.4
xorg-fonts-cyrillic-7.4
xorg-fonts-miscbitmaps-7.4
xorg-fonts-truetype-7.4
xorg-fonts-type1-7.4
xorg-libraries-7.4
xorg-server-1.6.0,1

Are you using the nvidia driver? Is so, what version?
Click to expand...

I haven't enabled or installed any nvidia drivers yet. I have two graphics cards. One graphics card is imbedded into my motherboard while the other is a GeForce FX 5200 graphics card. The GeForce is a dual head, but I only have one monitor connected to that card, the other monitor is connected to the motherboards integrated graphics card. I have it setup that way because I was using Mandriva 2008.1 and when each monitor is connected to a separate graphics cards, I get two independent monitors, which I like.

compat5x_enable="YES" in /etc/rc.conf?
Click to expand...

I'm not using nvidia drivers yet, but I still just put it in the file.
 
OK -- it seems you installed from packages, so your xorg is pretty current but not totally up-to-date. I don't recall what version required messing with AllowEmptyInput = On so you may wish to search for that here or on the FreeBSD mailing lists.

Do you happen to be using a USB mouse or keyboard? If so, there are some problems with configuring these properly. I've always used PS/2 mice and keyboards, so I've not paid much attention to these.

So you are using nv as your video driver? I've never used two separate video cards, so I can't help there. But you can set up xorg to do what you want off a single one if all you are after is two independent screens. I've always preferred Xinerama, but that of course is a personal preference. Neither of these work with nv; you need nvidia in that case.

Also note that the nvidia driver only works on a 32-bit system on FreeBSD, though that should change pretty soon. You might also want to add compat6x_enable="YES" to rc.conf; this is useful once in a while though it will not make any difference for your issues.

I'd look into the mouse and keyboard warnings first, and then revert to the screen issue.
 
What I don't understand is why I'm having all these issues now when I didn't have them before. Last time I installed FreeBSD I was able to install and run Gnome2 right after I downloaded and installed it and after putting gnome_enable="YES" in /etc/rc.conf, yet this time I have all these issues going on. Can I update xorg using a command? And yes, I am using a USB mouse/keyboard.

EDIT: Apparently, I already have the latest version I can get for xorg and I am using gnome 2.26 so it's just hardware issues apparently or something. I'm actually wondering if the last time I installed FreeBSD, if I used 7.2 or 7.1. I think I'll install 7.1 and see if that version works for me because I know for fact I didn't have these kinds of issues last time I ran gnome in FreeBSD. After I install it, I'll post the results back here.
 
These issues revolve around X11, which has been rather buggy over the last year or so. I find it to be a major PITA, but there is no alternative.

There are issues with the FreeBSD USB stack that are resolved in 8.0, at least according to what I've read. I don't use USB at all so I can't comment.

But these are not Gnome issues. That may not make your installation any easier, but at least you know where the problem is. Sadly, I've no experience with them, so I'm afraid I can't help much.

If no one else contributes to this thread, I would suggest posting a new one in a different topic (namely, not in Gnome) that highlights your version of X11 and a USB keyboard and mouse. Once those work, you can address the screen issues. It may fix those too!

The standard way to upgrade is either to use the -STABLE ports repostitory or to upgrade from source. For the former, you point to the right directory on the FreeBSD site and use portupgrade with the binary option to update the binaries after you have upgraded your ports tree (like cvsup or csup). FreeBSD uses a rolling release for ports; what you have is a snapshot taken at the time of the release.

For the latter, use "portupgrade -R xorg" after you have upgraded your ports tree and you will upgrade from source. This will take a few hours, depending on the speed of your hardware. Portupgrade is not a standard tool; it must be installed from ports and configured appropriately. There are also other tools like portmaster.

This is a very terse explanation that overlooks many important details; see http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en/books/handbook/ports-using.html
 
When I install X.org, I always test it alone first before trying to run any WM/DE. Then I make a .xinitrc that executes TWM. And finally I try the WM/DE.
This way, I know right away what's working and what's not.

Also your X.org is not up to date because you did not set the PACKAGESITE environment variable that the -r option uses or you set it to the release repository instead of the 7-stable one. In other words you downloaded the packages you can find on 7.2-RELEASE-<arch>-disc1.

Check this for more information.
 
Well, I pretty much felt like a moron last night. The step in which I had missed (which I figured there was something I missed) finally just hit me. I had downloaded gnome, but figured that while it was being downloaded piece by piece, each part was also being installed..and that's where I was so wrong. I never went into the ports, performed a ports update then installed gnome. I've been using Linux for the past year so I'm use to it downloading and installing things automatically for me. So, I install gnome last night. I'm farther now than I was before, but I still got some more configurations to perform and information to do some research on. And yes, it's definately an X11 issue so I'll just keep looking into it and see what I can come up with. Thanks for all your help guys, I really appreciate it.

If you guys or anyone else has any tips for me to help resolve this X11 issue, please post.
 
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