Xorg unresponsive

Johnny2Bad · Nov 2, 2010

Hi I am a returning FreeBSD user, this time with FreeBSD 8.0.

But I am still a NEWBIE, and am having problems setting up Xorg.

I downloaded the FreeBSD driver for the NVIDIA Geforce 8500 GT from NVIDIA and installed it (with a few bugs that I had to fix because some scripts weren't executable). I used the configuration utility supplied from NVIDIA to setup my xorg.conf file.

When I run Xorg I get a black screen which is totally unresponsive, and when I run it with the -retro option I get a friendly grey screen with a responsive mouse. But I can't do anything. No terminal windows open and clicking on the mouse with either button does nothing.

Here is my Xorg.conf file....

Code:

# nvidia-xconfig: X configuration file generated by nvidia-xconfig
# nvidia-xconfig:  version 260.19.12  (buildmeister@builder101)  Fri Oct  8 11:01:21 PDT 2010

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier     "X.org Configured"
    Screen      0  "Screen0" 0 0
    InputDevice    "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
    InputDevice    "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
    Option	   "AutoAddDevices" "false"
EndSection

Section "Files"
    ModulePath      "/usr/local/lib/xorg/modules"
    FontPath        "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
    FontPath        "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/TTF/"
    FontPath        "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/OTF"
    FontPath        "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
    FontPath        "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
    FontPath        "/usr/local/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load           "dbe"
    Load           "dri2"
    Load           "extmod"
    Load           "glx"
    Load           "record"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Keyboard0"
    Driver         "kbd"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier     "Mouse0"
    Driver         "mouse"
    Option         "Protocol" "auto"
    Option         "Device" "/dev/sysmouse"
    Option         "ZAxisMapping" "4 5 6 7"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier     "Monitor0"
    VendorName     "NEC"
    ModelName      "Multisync V930"
    HorizSync	   31.5
    VertRefresh    70
EndSection

Section "Device"

        ### Available Driver options are:-
        ### Values: <i>: integer, <f>: float, <bool>: "True"/"False",
        ### <string>: "String", <freq>: "<f> Hz/kHz/MHz"
        ### [arg]: arg optional
        #Option     "SWcursor"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "HWcursor"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "NoAccel"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "ShadowFB"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "UseFBDev"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "Rotate"             	# [<str>]
        #Option     "VideoKey"           	# <i>
        #Option     "FlatPanel"          	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "FPDither"           	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "CrtcNumber"         	# <i>
        #Option     "FPScale"            	# [<bool>]
        #Option     "FPTweak"            	# <i>
        #Option     "DualHead"           	# [<bool>]
    Identifier     "Card0"
    Driver         "nvidia"
    VendorName     "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName      "G86 [GeForce 8500 GT]"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier     "Screen0"
    Device         "Card0"
    Monitor        "Monitor0"
    Option         "NoMTRR" "true"
    SubSection     "Display"
        Viewport    0 0
	Depth	    16 
	Modes	    "800*600"
    EndSubSection
#    SubSection     "Display"
#        Viewport    0 0
#        Depth       4
#    EndSubSection
#    SubSection     "Display"
#        Viewport    0 0
#        Depth       8
#    EndSubSection
#    SubSection     "Display"
#        Viewport    0 0
#        Depth       15
#    EndSubSection
#    SubSection     "Display"
#        Viewport    0 0
#        Depth       16
#    EndSubSection
#    SubSection     "Display"
#        Viewport    800 600
#        Depth       24
#    EndSubSection
EndSection

I changed a few things so it would default to a depth of 16 with a resolution of 800*600, which I thought would be safe.

As you can see I remaked out all the other "Display" subsections but it still wont take my default option.

Any input would be much appreciated,
Jonathan.

DutchDaemon · Nov 2, 2010

Format your posts and read the forum rules and guidelines, please.

DutchDaemon · Nov 2, 2010

Why not just use the NVIDIA driver(s) from the ports tree (x11/nvidia-driver a.o.)? There's no need to do the porting effort over again (and probably less well).

SirDice · Nov 2, 2010

Make sure your Xorg is up to date. Also set

Code:

WITHOUT_NOUVEAU=YES

in /etc/make.conf before building Xorg. That'll make sure you get the latest DRI and associated libraries.

And, as DD noted, use the port.

adamk · Nov 2, 2010

Also, if you are just running 'Xorg -retro' you're not actually starting anything other than Xorg. No window manager, no xterm, etc. You probably want to review this:

http://www.freebsd.org/doc/handbook/x11.html

Adam

Johnny2Bad · Nov 4, 2010

Hi folks,
I re-installed the server (this time with 8.1-RELEASE). Updated the server and ports tree. Couldn't find /usr/ports/x11/xorg in its usual place so I port installed it from /usr/ports/x11/x11-wm but it seems to have changed post installation directories too. There is no /etc/x11 directory anymore. Any clues?

Thank you,
Jonathan.

rusty · Nov 4, 2010

Tried either of these?

Code:

/etc/X11/ or /usr/local/etc/X11

Johnny2Bad · Nov 4, 2010

Nope neither of those directories exist. Thanks anyway.

I also made an errr, it was built from the x11/x11-servers not x11/x11-wm.

Anymore input would be appreciated,
Jonathan.

wblock@ · Nov 5, 2010

Johnny2Bad said:
Nope neither of those directories exist. Thanks anyway.

Create one and put your xorg.conf in it.

I also made an errr, it was built from the x11/x11-servers not x11/x11-wm.

"It"? xorg x11/xorg is a meta-port, a big port that just installs all the little ports that make up xorg. One of them is xorg-server.

Johnny2Bad · Nov 5, 2010

I'm really confused now. Should I de-install xorg, create /etc/X11, and re-install it?

Thanks,
Jonathan.

wblock@ · Nov 5, 2010

Johnny2Bad said:
I'm really confused now. Should I de-install xorg, create /etc/X11, and re-install it?

No. xorg.conf is the config file. Put it in /usr/local/etc/X11. "xorg" is the graphical X11 system. One part of it is xorg-server, but there are lots of other parts. You already have all this installed, or it wouldn't run.

sk8harddiefast · Nov 5, 2010

WITHOUT_NOUVEAU=YES

What is this? Need to do it on Nvidia too?

Johnny2Bad · Nov 5, 2010

Okay I got totally annoyed with certain other issues I was having with FreeBSD 8.1-RELEASE, so I re-installed it at a minimum installation. The only thing I have done is configured it to be a glorified network gatway and updated the server with freebsd-update. I'm not going to do anything else untill I can get some suggestions in installing Xorg.

How should I proceed?

Thanks for all your help,
Jonathan.

PS-: I am doing this with nvidia, an NVIDIA Geforce 8500 GT which is not supported by the nv driver.

rusty · Nov 5, 2010

Make sure your ports tree is up-to-date before installing anything. Portsnap is probably the easiest method.
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/ports-using.html

Install xorg.
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/books/handbook/x-install.html

Install x11/nvidia-driver follow the post install message.

Reboot, make a .xintirc in your ~/ which contains the following in case there's a lock up.

Code:

setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp

Try starting X without an xorg.conf or alternatively generate one following the x-install link above.

Johnny2Bad · Nov 5, 2010

Okay before I do this, I really want a gnome desktop which is launched by the command prompt. From my understanding xorg has to be installed first.

I have read in another post that portsnap sometimes doesn't get the latest files. And actually I have experienced this. csup is a nasty way to fetch the latest ports, but I have done it successfully before. What do you recommend I do and what is the latest version of xorg? Also can I use xorg-minimal? And could I use sysinstall to get it?

As I mentioned the nv driver does not support my graphics card, or hardware acceleration for that matter, so I have to use the last FreeBSD driver available from NVIDIA (and I emphasize last because NVIDIA is no longer going to support FreeBSD).

Thanks,
Jonathan.

PS-: Thanks for the lock up config line.

rusty · Nov 5, 2010

Providing you use # portsnap fetch update you should the latest and greatest.

Sure go for x11/xorg-minimal if you want, iirc it just avoids some small ports (setxkbmap perhaps?).

The thing with ports on the dvd is that they were put together at the time of freeze, so you could install the ports you want but if you update using portsnap/csup you'll be upgrading them before you know it, which is why it's advised to install ports with
# portsnap fetch extract
and then build any software you want.

You say x11-drivers/xf86-video-nv isn't suitable but personally I'd install the official Nvidia binary via x11/nvidia-driver

Supported cards.
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux-display-amd64-260.19.12-driver.html

wblock@ · Nov 5, 2010

Johnny2Bad said:
Okay before I do this, I really want a gnome desktop which is launched by the command prompt. From my understanding xorg has to be installed first.

I have read in another post that portsnap sometimes doesn't get the latest files. And actually I have experienced this. csup is a nasty way to fetch the latest ports, but I have done it successfully before. What do you recommend I do and what is the latest version of xorg? Also can I use xorg-minimal? And could I use sysinstall to get it?

csup is fine. portsnap is also fine, and should be faster.

xorg-minimal is okay if you know that a good deal of normal xorg won't be installed. In general, the average user is better off with the full x11/xorg.

(and I emphasize last because NVIDIA is no longer going to support FreeBSD).

Really? Could you point to an announcement?

Johnny2Bad · Nov 6, 2010

I'm sure I read it on some forum. But upon further investigation it seems, that NVIDIA is releasing drivers that will no longer support the older cards. Check this out.

Johnny2Bad · Nov 6, 2010

I install xorg complete from x11/xorg. It took about 7 hours. Does this include the gnome desktop?

I also found that the x11/nvidia-driver is compatible with my NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT.

Now when I run [cmd=]Xorg -config xorg.config.new[/cmd] I get a blank screen and

Code:

No mtrr : Inavalid option

error when alt+cltrl+f1 is pressed. However [cmd=]Xorg -config xorg.config.new -retro[/cmd] works fine. Any suggestions?

Thanks,
Jonathan.

wblock@ · Nov 7, 2010

Johnny2Bad said:
I install xorg complete from /usr/ports/x11/xorg. It took about 7 hours. Does this include the gnome desktop?

No, that's just xorg, no window manager or desktop environment. Those have to be installed separately. (See below.)

I also found that the x11/nvidia driver is compatible with my NVIDIA GeForce 8500 GT.

Now when I run "Xorg -config xorg.config.new" I get a blank screen and "No mtrr : Inavalid option" error when alt+cltrl+f1 is pressed. However Xorg -config xorg.config.new -retro works fine. Any suggestions?

Both tests show that your xorg is working. Now copy your xorg.conf.new to a usable place (/usr/local/etc/X11/xorg.conf).

Then see the Desktop Environments section of the Handbook about installing GNOME.

Johnny2Bad · Nov 7, 2010

Firstly I went to /usr/ports/x11/gnome2 and did a [cmd=]make install clean[/cmd] then when I got to "alpha" options, I changed some option for higher memory access and the mongrel crashed. Then when I tried [cmd=]make deinstall[/cmd] and [cmd=]make reinstall[/cmd] as directed it kept crashing at the same point.

So I decided to be a smarty and use portmanager to install it with the "-f" option, it failed, re-installed Xorg and uninstalled samba along with various other failures.

Is there a quick way to uninstall all installed ports? This time I wont change any of the defaults. And is there a gnome2 port that doesn't install everything?

Cheers,
Jonathan.

wblock@ · Nov 8, 2010

Johnny2Bad said:
Firstly I went to /usr/ports/x11/gnome2 and did a "make install clean" then when I got to "alpha" options, I changed some option for higher memory access and the mongrel crashed. Then when I tried "make deinstall" and "make reinstall" as directed it kept crashing at the same point.

Don't use [cmd=]make reinstall[/cmd] Really. Use [cmd=]make deinstall clean install[/cmd] instead.

Is there a quick way to uninstall all installed ports?

Yes, but don't, because the options you've already set won't be cleared by uninstalling everything, it's a waste of time. Instead, look at the config and rmconfig targets. Now you know how to change the config of the GNOME port.

This time I wont change any of the defaults.

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