Very Newbie question...

[evpgt]

Hi, I use debian linux and installed it for the first time last night. I also installed XFree86. I can get to a blank grey screen with a "x" cursor/pointer but I'm not sure what to do now. I am starting it be typing either "./X" or "./XFree86" in /usr/X11R6/bin#

Thanks,
Evan :confused:

[Lorithar]

*grins*

Now you know that X works on your system....

What you have at this point is the display engine... now you need a window manager and/or a desktop. Gnome and KDE are desktop managers. There are dozens of window managers out there ... each of which can enhance your experience ... I get the idea that Gnome/sawfish combo is quite popular, and for my other half and any other users on my system its what I put up for them .. myself .. I like blackbox without a desktop manager ..

there is on your system a file called xinitrc ... which should be copied to your home directory as .xinitrc and modified to suit your preferences... I know debian installs one or the other of KDE or Gnome, but as I don't use it I don't know what it is... likely once you copy .xinitrc to your home directory and start X by typing
startx
at the command line you will find out.

[mis]

Originally posted by evpgt:
<STRONG>Hi, I use debian linux and installed it for the first time last night. I also installed XFree86. I can get to a blank grey screen with a "x" cursor/pointer but I'm not sure what to do now. I am starting it be typing either "./X" or "./XFree86" in /usr/X11R6/bin#

Thanks,
Evan :confused:</STRONG>

Debian comes with Gnome not KDE. go into your home directory and do this

vi .xinitrc

In there put

exec gnome-session

then :wq to save. Then startx should get you going. Have fun, Debian rocks.

Mis

[evpgt]

Alright, I made the file but it won't show up. There must be some attribute thrown onto it and I'm not sure how to take it off.
Also, startx doesn't work on my system for some reason. /usr/X11R6/bin/ is in my path, so that's not the problem. I just get an error: "bash: strartx: command not found"

[ 09 May 2001: Message edited by: evpgt ]

[DMR]

Filenames beginning with a dot are hidden by default. Use ls with the -a option to see them.

[ 07 May 2001: Message edited by: DMR ]

[evpgt]

OK...

I think the problem may have been that I downloaded the /debian/stable/main instead of /debian/potato/main. Well, I started all over and now the potato dist. is installed with XFree86.
BUT I STILL CAN"T USE "STARTX." I added the file as instructed above with "exec gnome-session" in it. But this doesn't do me any good since I can't use startx.

What am I doing wrong??

[evpgt]

Umm...Am I the only one that startx has not worked for???

[FoBoT]

Originally posted by evpgt:
<STRONG>I just get an error: "bash: strartx: command not found"
</STRONG>

try

./startx

[goao]

type which startx
see where your path takes you.

yours in geekdom,

goao :cool:

[Fimbulvetr]

Umm...Am I the only one that startx has not worked for???

No :) No way :D and not a chance :p

I might get flamed, but for the begginers I like to suggest Redhat, I am still a beginner, and started with that and though it does a lot of stuff for you, it still gets you running, and doesnt frustrate you half to death and cause to to give up linux for months.
It assumes all kinds of stuff, and you dont have much control over things unless you hack like mad, but still it gives the headstart you need to start using linux. I tried Freebsd for my first and I was so pissed from lack of doc./help that I gave up for about 6 months. Redhat cured that, and know I can competently do some/most things required for everyday linux use, except for the q's I ask here.

[goao]

type which startx
see where your path takes you.

yours in geekdom,

goao :cool:

[evpgt]

now i can run startx but I get an error wanting a ******lib***.so.6 file. (I can't remember the exact name. It's in my /usr/X11R6/lib directory which IS in the path. Why me???

Thanks,
Evan

[Coral Sea]

Maybe you should try a mainstream non-Debian distro like RedHat or Mandrake. If you insist on Debian, try Storm Linux (still available but with kernel 2.2.16) or...cough, cough...Corel (bastard son of Microsoft). Storm and Corel have X 3.3.6 nicely glued together so that X lights up like it should. You can always upgrade the kernel and X afterwards.

[frag79]

Debian doesn't come with any desktop enviroment, unless you install it. Do you remember installing one in the installation? Try apt-get install task-gnome-desktop, or apt-get install blackbox if you want something lighter. If you want KDE add deb ftp://kde.tdyc.com/pub/kde potato main crypto to your /etc/apt/sources.list and do apt-get install task-kde. If you go with gnome, put exec gnome-session in your .xinitrc file, for kde put startkde, fot blackbox, simply put blackbox there.

Mike