Configuring

X Window System

Submitted By
Kiran Subramaniam S
III Year BE/CSE
AC07UCS033
Configuring
X
Window
System


What is X?
X is the standard graphical user interface for Linux. Like
other graphical user interfaces such as Microsoft Windows and
Mac OS X lets you interact with programs by using a mouse
(or other pointing device) to point and click, providing a
simple means of communicating with your computer.

Originally implemented as a collaborative effort of Digital

Equipment Corporation and Massachusetts Institute of
Technology, X was first released in 1987. Subsequently, the X
Consortium, Inc. became responsible for the continued
development and publication of X.

Despite its age, X is a remarkable and very modern software

system: a cross-platform, network-oriented graphical user
interface. It runs on a wide variety of platforms, including
essentially every variety of Unix. X Clients are available for use,
for example, under Windows 3.x, 9x, and NT. The sophisticated
networking capabilities of X let you run a program on one
computer while viewing the graphical output on another
computer, connected to the first via a network. With the advent
of the Internet, which interconnected a sizable fraction of the
computers on the planet, X achieved a new height of importance
and power.

Most Linux users run XFree86, a freely available software

system compatible with X. XFree86 was developed by the
XFree86 software team, which began work in 1992. In 1994,
The XFree86 Project assumed responsibility for ongoing
research and development of XFree86.

2

Configuring
X
Window
System


Installing X
Getting a proper X Window System up and running used to be a
real challenge on Linux, almost a rite of passage. Today, device
drivers are available for a much wider array of hardware, and
configuration tools to assist in the setup process have greatly
improved. While still tricky at times - especially with unusual
hardware - X setup and configuration is no longer the daunting
process it once was, and should be relatively easy.

You'll go through two stages before you have X successfully

running. The first stage involves installing the needed programs
that enable X to run. These can be grouped into several
categories:

• Basic XFree86 program

• X servers

• Window Managers

• Applications

• Fonts

This stage is very straightforward and can even be done as part

of the basic installation process, if you select the relevant X
packages during that step.

In the second stage you configure X to run properly on your

system. This is a matter of identifying an X server compatible
with your graphics card, and tuning the server for your graphics
card. If you have a common card and all the documentation for
it, this second stage will be relatively simple. Missing
information makes the process harder, but not impossible.

Once you've installed the necessary packages, you're ready to

configure X.

3

Configuring
X
Window
System


Configuring X
When you install the xserver-common package, xf86config is
automatically launched. However, you can launch the program
any time you like. To do so, log in as root and type the
command:
xf86config
Below is shown the beginning of the xf86config dialog. As you
can see, xf86config is a text-mode program; it does not support
use of the mouse and it presents its questions teletype-style,
using black-and-white text.

In working with xf86config, you may find that your

Backspace key doesn't work as expected. If so, use Ctrl-
Backspace instead.

The beginning of the xf86config dialog

4

Configuring
X
Window
System


Next, xf86config asks you to specify the type of mouse

attached to your system, as shown above. Type the number
associated with your choice, and press Enter. For non-mouse
pointing devices found on many laptops, you should most likely
select PS/2 Mouse.

Specifying the mouse type

If you selected the Logitech MouseMan mouse, you should

enable its third button by responding y to the question asking
whether ChordMiddle should be enabled, as shown in figure
below.

Specifying the ChordMiddle option

5

Configuring
X
Window
System


If your mouse has only two buttons, you should enable

emulation of a three-button mouse by responding y to the
question asking about Emulate3Buttons, as shown in below
figure. If you enable this option you can simultaneously press
both the buttons of your mouse to emulate pressing the third
button.
Specifying emulation of a three-button mouse

Next, you must specify the device file associated with the
mouse, as shown in below figure. The install program should
have associated your system's mouse with the device
/dev/mouse, which is the default choice. Simply press Enter to
continue.

Specifying the mouse device

As described by the output shown in below figure, X provides

special support for using extended keyboards. If you use a
special keyboard layout to support national characters, you can
type y to use xkb, which simplifies changing the keyboard map.
After making your choice, press Enter to continue.

6

Configuring
X
Window
System


Specifying use of the keyboard extension

As shown in below figure, xkb supports a variety of keyboard

encodings, or keymaps. Type the number that corresponds to the
type of keyboard attached to your system, and press Enter.

Specifying the keymap

7

Configuring
X
Window
System


Next, as shown in below figure, you must specify two

characteristics of your system's monitor: its vertical refresh rate
(VertRefresh) and horizontal sync rate (HorizSync). You can
find these values by:

Consulting your monitor's documentation

Consulting the file /usr/doc/xserver-common/Monitors.gz,

which may list your monitor. Use gunzip to uncompress
the file and ae or another text editor to view it.

Viewing the monitor's manufacturer's web support page

Posting a question to the newsgroup comp.os.linux.setup

Contacting the monitor manufacturer's technical support group

and requesting the information

To specify the monitor's characteristics, press Enter.

8

Configuring
X
Window
System


Preparing to specify monitor characteristics






First, you must specify the horizontal sync rate of your monitor,
as shown in figure below. Type the number associated with your
choice and press Enter. If you're unsure of your monitor's
horizontal sync range, but certain that it supports 800×600
resolution, specify range 2. To specify a range other than those
listed, you can select choice 11; if you do so, you'll be prompted
to enter the low and high values of the horizontal sync range.

WARNING: Often, otherwise similar monitor models have

different horizontal sync rates. It is crucial that you accurately
determine the horizontal sync rate of your monitor. If you
configure X to use an inappropriate horizontal sync rate, you
can permanently damage your monitor.

9

Configuring
X
Window
System


Specifying the horizontal sync rate

Next, as shown in figure below, you must specify the vertical

sync (refresh) rate. Type the number associated with your choice
and press Enter. If you're unsure of your monitor's vertical sync
range, specify range 1, which is the most conservative. To
specify a range other than those listed, you can select choice 5;
if you do so, you'll be prompted for the low and high values of
the vertical sync range.
Specifying the vertical sync rate






You must now specify identification and description strings for

your monitor, as shown in figure below. You can enter any text
you like. Press Enter after typing each string.




10

Configuring
X
Window
System


Specifying the monitor identification and description strings




Next, you must specify your video card and its characteristics.
The explanations provided by xf86config, shown in figure
below, point out that you can choose to select your card from a
database. However, even if you do so, you'll be given the
opportunity to specify non-standard values. Unless you have a
specific reason for doing so, you should not override the values
in the database. Moreover, you should be careful to choose only
the database entry that exactly matches your card; cards having
similar model names may have significantly different hardware
characteristics.

Preparing to examine the card database






11

Configuring
X
Window
System


Below figure shows the screen you use to choose your card.
Simply type the number associated with your card and press
Enter. If you suspect that your card appears on a subsequent
page, press q to page forward through the database. If you
accidentally page past your card, simply continue moving
forward; when the program reaches the last entries of the
database, it cycles back to the beginning.

Examining the card database

After you choose your video card, xf86config reports your

choice. As in below figure, xf86config may provide
instructions, such as "Do NOT probe clocks." It's a good idea to
write these down so that you remember to observe them even
after they've scrolled off the screen.

12

Configuring
X
Window
System


The selected card definition

Next, you must specify the X server you want to use, as shown
in figure below. Consult Table C.1 to determine the appropriate
server. Type the number associated with the server and press
Enter to continue. If you specify choice 4, you'll be prompted to
specify which accelerated server you want to use. If you're in
doubt, specify server 3, the XF86_SVGA server; unless your video
card or monitor are quite old, they're likely to support 256-color
SVGA.

Specifying the server















13

Configuring
X
Window
System


Specifying the modes

Finally, as shown in figure below, xf86config is ready to write

the configuration file it has prepared. Generally, you should let
it write the file to /etc/X11/XF86Config; simply type y and press
Enter. However, if you prefer, you can type n and specify a
different directory or filename.

Writing the configuration file






Once the file has been written, you're ready to start X.

14