Re: Installing/running X11

From: TIM KELLERS <trkellers_at_gmail.com>
Date: Sat, 03 Feb 2024 16:15:41 UTC
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    <p>If you just want to get an X system up and running without
      initially getting buried in all of the extensive FreeBSD
      documentation, try using the port at:
      /usr/ports/sysutils/desktop-installer.</p>
    <p>From the description:</p>
    <p>"Desktop-installer is a post-install script to assist in setting
      up a FreeBSD<br>
      desktop system using any of the mainstream desktop systems.  It
      automatically<br>
      installs essential software and configures subsystems such as
      dbus, CUPS, etc.<br>
      for typical use."</p>
    <p>You don't have to use it to install the sometimes weighty full
      desktop environments.  You can use it to install/configure a very
      basic X environment (think TWM).  It is script and menu driven and
      it works well enough to install a working desktop environment even
      on FreeBSD-CURRENT.</p>
    <p>I'm a ports user mainly and while desktop-installer uses packages
      to do its installation, I found that looking at the edits that are
      made to rc.conf, and packages that are installed are very
      instructive to how the X system is configured on FreeBSD.</p>
    <p>I learned a great deal about how X works in FreeBSD by using this
      installer, then deleting the packages, seeing what broke and what
      worked and reinstalling what I wanted to have from ports.  It will
      work without diving that deep (or crazy) into desktop magic on
      FreeBSD.</p>
    <p>Tim<br>
    </p>
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    <div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 2/3/24 11:01 AM, Alexander Burke
      wrote:<br>
    </div>
    <blockquote type="cite"
      cite="mid:b702f1f0-10ef-40b6-a0bd-b2ce413e4e73@alexburke.ca">Hi
      Paul,
      <br>
      <br>
      Forgive me if I'm mistaken, but I'm starting to get the feeling
      that you might not have paid as much attention to the wealth of
      documentation on FreeBSD as perhaps you could have. There's
      nothing wrong with just diving in, but a bit of guidance in
      unfamiliar waters is never a bad thing!
      <br>
      <br>
      The most general/basic advice is here; in this case, jump to step
      9:
      <br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/">https://freebsdfoundation.org/setting-up-a-desktop-environment-from-scratch/</a>
      <br>
      <br>
      Going up a notch in detail is the excellent FreeBSD Handbook. The
      Desktop section has separate subsections for the KDE, GNOME, XFCE,
      MATE, Cinnamon, and LXQT desktop environments. Look around for
      reviews and screenshots and pick one; they are listed here in
      approximate descending order of popularity:
      <br>
      <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/">https://docs.freebsd.org/en/books/handbook/desktop/</a>
      <br>
      <br>
      I also cannot speak highly enough of vermaden's fabulous blog,
      which has generally been my first or second port of call when I
      had questions before I turned to the mailing lists. Here's his
      page collating all of his entries regarding setting up a FreeBSD
      desktop:
      <br>
      <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/">https://vermaden.wordpress.com/freebsd-desktop/</a>  (scroll down past
      the screenshots)
      <br>
      <br>
      There's also the FreeBSD Forums, which are very searchable:
      <br>
      <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://forums.freebsd.org/">https://forums.freebsd.org/</a>
      <br>
      <br>
      Given your level of experience, I recommend sticking to packages,
      and not touching the port system. You can explore the various
      packages which exist at Freshports:
      <br>
      <a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="https://www.freshports.org/">https://www.freshports.org/</a>
      <br>
      <br>
      Important to remember is that packages are simply precompiled
      ports. They're a lot easier to deal with than ports.
      <br>
      <br>
      Cheers,
      <br>
      Alex
      <br>
      <br>
      On 2024-02-03 15:48, Paul M Foster wrote:
      <br>
      <blockquote type="cite">Folks:
        <br>
        <br>
        For context, I have a fresh install of version 14. I've made
        myself part of
        <br>
        the wheel and video groups. I've installed drm-kmod, xdm,
        xf86-video-intel,
        <br>
        xfce, xorg and xterm. I've added hald_enable="YES",
        dbus_enable="YES" and
        <br>
        kld_list="i915kms" to /etc/rc.conf.
        <br>
        <br>
        At this point, advice diverges significantly. Some sites say I
        should be
        <br>
        able to just run startx and all will be fine. Some want you to
        run xorg
        <br>
        -configure. Some want you to hack X11 config files.
        <br>
        <br>
        What I can tell you is that X won't start with startx. For one
        thing, it
        <br>
        outputs these errors:
        <br>
        <br>
        (EE)
        <br>
        Fatal server error:
        <br>
        (EE) no screens found(EE)
        <br>
        (EE)
        <br>
        <br>
        Also, for what it's worth, service dbus start works. But service
        hald start
        <br>
        doesn't. The error is:
        <br>
        <br>
        hald does not exist in /etc/rc.d or the local startup
        directories
        <br>
        (/usr/local/etc/rc.d), or is not executable.
        <br>
        <br>
        I have no idea how to proceed.
        <br>
        <br>
        Paul
        <br>
        <br>
      </blockquote>
      <br>
    </blockquote>
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