Multiple X servers problem

[Koutsos]

I log in my kde desktop using kdm and from a Konsole I use a command like the one following to start a new xserver running the program I want (usually a game) :

xinit /usr/path/to/my/script/file -- /usr/X11R6/bin/X :1 -xf86config XF86Config-800x600-16 vt12

where XF86Config-800x600-16 is a config file for my new x server running in console 12.

This works fine the first time I use the command. But, if I shut down the program/game and return to my kde desktop, it is impossible to use the same command again (xserver seems to be starting, but it then "crashes" and I get back to my desktop).
What I do not understand is why it will not work the second time ... even if I try starting a whole different program with a similar command, that will fail too.

Thank you in advance for any ideas/suggestions

PS. I'm a linux newbie and my terminology might not be correct, so plz bear with me.

[KiTaSuMbA]

what's the exact error?
With such little info, I'll dare make a wild hypothesis: it leaves .xlock files behind so the next Xsession "thinks" there is already an X running on that display and quits...
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[lx]

Maybe you need to remove the /tmp/.X1-lock file?

Ps. doesn't this accomplish the same task

[Koutsos]

Thank you both for helping me out on this

I restarted my pc, logged in kde and fired up the xinit command. As usual, the program I started appeared properly. I shut it down and checked for .X1-lock file in tmp. It was not there, so this is cleaned up properly. Now, KiTaSuMbA asked for the exact error ... well, there is no obvious one, simply I return to my kde desktop. But, I compared the two log files from XFree86.1.log, the successful and the failed one.

In the "succesfull" log there are no errors or warnings other than APM which does not work on my PC (smp one). In the failed log, I get this extra warning:

(WW) NVIDIA(0): Failed to initialize AGP

So, it appears as the AGP module fails to initialize the second time. I do not know if this is what kills the new xserver, but this is the only error I could find. Could this be it ? And why does it start properly the first time, but fails the second ?

If there is some other file that I can get info from, plz let me know .. the log files is all that I could think of.

TIA

PS. lx , the sorter version of the command works exactly the same, you are right.

[lx]

AGP can be the cause, but it states (WW) and not (EE), and I have used multiple X server (stopping c.q. restarting) without problems didn't check AGP.

Ps just checked it, although my programs runs multiple times, I also get the AGP warning the second time, strange......... Could missing AGP cause the program to fail? Does the X log state an error, cause if not, it's probably the programming bailing out. Try running xterm or something simple as script, to check if it's an X problem.

** Ps I start from a normal terminal window, not X. **
Just checked it and I could start my script multiple times from gnome-terminal from within X.

Cya lX.
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[Koutsos]

The error log states only a warning (WW) and that's it. I tried running simpler apps in my scripts and they restart multiple times just fine. So, to me it appears as an agp problem .... any ideas how to fix this ? I load agp as a module if that makes any difference .... thank you

[KiTaSuMbA]

All things considered, it "must" be the agp (I'm assuming that the game uses GLX while a simple app won't) . Which leaves us with a second question: why the second Xsession refuses to use AGP? kernel modules are not reloaded for each process using them (you just see the "used by" entry in lsmod increase)... or at least they should be designed to do so. Is it a problem specific to the NVIDIA drivers? Could it be worked around by adding a second "device" in XFree86Config to use with the second screen? Does it work, using on both "devices" the nvidia driver or should one of them try to load the standard nv one (and of course no glx)?

These are questions I don't have answers for... You could experiment them, but be warned, it can get ugly and crash really hard the Xserver.

Hope it helps a bit...
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[lx]