XF86Config File

[skip]

Hello,

Simple questions: Where the hell is the XF86Config File? [For Slackware]

I've been searching for the past 30 minutes for it...

Oh and, if I wanted to use XMMS, how would I install it? Since it's in the Slackware package repository.. how do I get it?

Note that my knowledge with Linux is very limited..

Thanks!

[iago]

Try:
find / -name "XF86Config"
or
locate "XF86Config"

However, neither will find it because Slackware comes with X.org, not XF86.  Try /etc/X11/xorg.conf

[skip]

Ahh, I see. Thank you.

My screen is a little box in the middle of my screen. I assumed it was because my NVIDIA video card wasn't installed. So, I did. And, it still is a small box in the middle of the screen.

The following are the instructions given to me to edit my XF86Config file to make my NVIDIA card work properly.

__________________________________________________________________________

(sec-03) EDITING YOUR XF86CONFIG FILE
__________________________________________________________________________

When XFree86 4.0 was released, it used a slightly different XF86Config
file syntax than the 3.x series did, and so to allow both 3.x and 4.x
versions of XFree86 to co-exist on the same system, it was decided that
XFree86 4.x was to use the configuration file "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
if it existed, and only if that file did not exist would the file
"/etc/X11/XF86Config" be used (actually, that is an over-simplification
of the search criteria; please see the XF86Config man page for a complete
description of the search path).  Please make sure you know what
configuration file XFree86 is using.  If you are in doubt, look for a
line beginning with "(==) Using config file:" in your XFree86 log file
("/var/log/XFree86.0.log").  This README will use "XF86Config" to refer
to your configuration file, whatever it is named.

If you do not have a working XF86Config file, there are several ways
to start: there is a sample config file that comes with XFree86,
and there is a sample config file included with the NVIDIA driver
package (it gets installed in /usr/share/doc/NVIDIA_GLX-1.0/).
You could also use a program like 'xf86config'; some distributions
provide their own tool for generating an XF86Config file.  For more
on XF86Config file syntax, please refer to the man page.

If you already have an XF86Config file working with a different driver
(such as the 'nv' or 'vesa' driver), then all you need to do is find
the relevant Device section and replace the line:

        Driver "nv"
    (or Driver "vesa")

with

        Driver "nvidia" 

In the Module section, make sure you have:

        Load   "glx"

You should also remove the following lines:
     
        Load  "dri"
        Load  "GLcore"

if they exist.  There are also numerous options that can be added to
the XF86Config file to fine-tune the NVIDIA XFree86 driver.  Please see
Appendix D for a complete list of these options.

Once you have configured your XF86Config file, you are ready to restart
X and begin using the accelerated OpenGL libraries.  After you restart X,
you should be able to run any OpenGL application and it will automatically
use the new NVIDIA libraries.  If you encounter any problems, please
see the FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS section below.

Reading that, I did this:

# **********************************************************************
# Graphics device section
# **********************************************************************

# Any number of graphics device sections may be present

Section "Device"
    Identifier  "VESA Framebuffer"
    Driver      "nvidia"
    #VideoRam    4096
    # Insert Clocks lines here if appropriate
EndSection

And once that was done, I edited the screen section in the xorg.conf file.

# **********************************************************************
# Screen sections
# **********************************************************************

# Any number of screen sections may be present.  Each describes
# the configuration of a single screen.  A single specific screen section
# may be specified from the X server command line with the "-screen"
# option.
Section "Screen"
    Identifier  "Screen 1"
    Device      "VESA Framebuffer"
    Monitor     "My Monitor"

# If your card can handle it, a higher default color depth (like 24 or 32)
# is highly recommended.

#   DefaultDepth 8
#   DefaultDepth 16
   DefaultDepth 24
#   DefaultDepth 32

# "1024x768" is also a conservative usable default resolution.  If you
# have a better monitor, feel free to try resolutions such as
# "1152x864", "1280x1024", "1600x1200", and "1800x1400" (or whatever your
# card/monitor can produce)

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       8
        Modes "1400x1050" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       16
        Modes "1400x1050" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       24
        Modes "1400x1050" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection
    Subsection "Display"
        Depth       32
        Modes "1400x1050" "800x600" "640x480"
    EndSubsection

EndSection

In Windows, my screen resolution is set as 1400x1050.

And yes, I did try going to "Configure Desktop."

Any suggestions?

[iago]

Try doing that same thing, except to xorg.conf.  I think that the formats are basically the same. 

I don't know much about nvidia, I only have ATI.  But try control-alt-plus/minus (the numpad ones) to change the resolution.  Or maybe it's just alt.  Try different combinations of control-keys with numpad +/-. 

[skip]

Heh. I broke Slackware, but I know what I did to break it, so I can easily fix it.

X doesn't start up anymore. How do I get to the xorg.conf file without starting X?

By the way, I did do it to the xorg.conf file. There was no XF86 Config File, so I did it to the xorg.

[Sidoh]

Run vim in bash without starting X.

[iago]

If you know how to use vim, vim /etc/X11/xorg.conf
If not, try pico /etc/X11/xorg.conf

If you break it and don't know how, check out files in /var/log (ls /var/log).  It'll often tell you what the problem is. 

You can try running xorgconfig as root, it'll ask you what type of video card you have.  It might be easier. 

[Ergot]

Run xorgconfig as root like iago said, that should get the initial setup done quick and easily then you can go back a tweak it.
Did you install the Nvidia drivers? You can only use "nv" if you have the Nvidia drivers from Nvidia.
XMMS should come with a full Slackware install just type "xmms".

[skip]

Hmm... didn't work out...

Oh well, I'll try another distro.