problems with xfree

[morpheus]

I have a few problems with xfree on my Powerbook. I've installed xfree 4.2.99.3 and was able to create a valid XF86config file with Xeasyconf. I'm also able to start X as root, but when I try it as a normal user I get the following error message

Code: Select all

Fatal server error:
PAM authentication failed, cannot start X server.
        Perhaps you do not have console ownership.

I tried to solve this by changing the permisson of the files /dev/console and /dev/vc/* but it didn't work.

Another problem is that I cannot switch to the console when I've started X. I usually use the combination <ctrl><option><fn><f1...>. What would be the right combination for X?

The third problem is that I cannot stop the X server by pressing <ctrl><alt><backspace> like I do it on my PC. What is the proper combination here?

Thanks

[axxackall]

I have a few problems with xfree on my Powerbook. I've installed xfree 4.2.99.3 and was able to create a valid XF86config file with Xeasyconf.

I you sure about the version? I thought the latest stable release (at least for PPC) is 4.2.1. Did you try a stable release? Does it work? If yes then the problem is with too experimeental version. If not then something wrong in genereal with your setup and we would ask you more questions about that. But first of al, try to dowgrade to the stable relase and tell us if it works.

[morpheus]

I'm sure about the version. I installed 4.2.1 but I was not able to create a XF86config-4 file with Xeasyconf. I'm using a PowerBook with a Radeon Mobility 9000 and I read somewhere that I have to use the cvs-version of xfree. So I emerged 4.2.99.3 and now I can create a config-file and can start X. The only problem is that I can only start it as root.

[Gerk]

I found the exact same issue with that build as well, but didn't find a way to resolve it yet. It complains about console ownership and no matter waht I did it wouldn't give in to me.

Also, fwiw, that version was very unstable for me as well, I crashed it several times within an hour doing the most innocent things.

[axxackall]

I have PB Pismo with rage 128, but if you want i can send you my XFConfig as Xeasyconf does not work on your case. Then you may try to edit it manually to adjust for Radeon Mobility. IMHO it will take just a couple of lines about video driver, as all sync/timing is not there (in my case it picks the mode automatically).

Alternatively, someone with iBook Radeon mobility may publish/send you own XFConfig.

This way I think is more robust than experimenting with non-finished software. Unless you do QA work for Xfree development team, what I would appreciate as I am eager to use Xfree 4.3 funny rendering

[sa]

hi, not sure if this helps but, this permission problem of yours is also happening to x86 people too. the way i overcame it was by using xdm instead of manually startx'n.

[morpheus]

many thanks. this works fine for me.

[Swishy]

mmm Im getting the same issue on x86 as well , however I can get into kde via gdm/kdm/xdm as a user , but I can use any other wm it just sends me back to the locin screen .....any ideas???

Cheers
Dale.

[sa]

hi,
The 4.2.99.3 sources were updated in portage yesterday the 21st, I just rebuilt the ebuild and now X is able to start from a regular user.


cya,
sa

[Swishy]

sweet thanks sa..

Dale.

[rt_clik]

I was having difficulties getting to my VTs the other day, but I can *now* get to my VTs with this key combo:

CTRL-CMD-Fx (where CMD=that crazy Apple key, and x=the VT you wish to display).

Please note: I used a previous 4.2.99 build (cvs) to build my XF86Config-4 file, then went down to 4.2.1 current stable (config file still works), so I'm not using this particular version of X on my TiPB 1GHz -- but I believe this still applies.

I could swear this was working differently a while back on my old PB, but I can't say for sure, as I've been doing a lot of PCing lately.

Hope this is of some help.