Xorg Issues Under Slackware10.0

Terje · 08-02-2004, 08:22 PM

Hello.

After ditching WinXP and using Debian3.0r2 for a while, I've made the switch to Slackware10.0 (bareacpi.i kernel 2.4.26) -- but there are a couple of annoying wrinkles I can't seem to iron out.

How do I get the graphic login screen to default to the KDE graphic login. Even though I've set it the way I want it in KDE, the login screen -- when I've tried run level 4 -- comes up as some generic-looking, blue background with a yellow flower in the lower right corner, buttons to select language/session in the lower left corner, and an input box for login in the center. I much prefer the KDE login because it allows user selection, shutdown/restart of xserver, and reboot/shutdown options. Unless/until I get to a more useable graphic login, I'm stuck at run level 3. <sigh>

The other issue I'm having is that nothing I do makes my monitor standy/suspend/off now. It always worked flawlessly under WinXP and Debian, so I've ruled out the monitor. After reading several threads in these LQ forums, I've tried several things without success. After the screensaver activates, or I lock the screen, the only thing that changes is that the screensaver freezes after a period that I haven't timed. Moving the mouse brings up the password prompt, and everything else is normal.

I've uncommented the appropriate lines to enable these features in /etc/X11/xorg.conf, but nothing changed. Adding the line...
Option "DPMS"
...had no effect. Using the command...
#xset force [standby/suspend/off]
...was equally ineffective. When I do...
#xset q
...it shows that DPMS is enabled, and lists the correct values I've set for the timing of standby, suspend, and off. Even after all of that, the monitor stayed on for over six hours today while I was out -- the screensaver was frozen, but the monitor was still on.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Terje

gbonvehi · 08-02-2004, 08:31 PM

Well, to run KDM instead of GDM you have to edit the initlevel 4 script /etc/rc.d/rc.4 and comment the lines that run GDM or move the after KDM.

About turning off the monitor I really don't know what to say.

insyte · 08-03-2004, 03:31 AM

Had the same problem before regarding suspend/shutdown.

Don't really know how I fixed it but the problem disappeared after a kernel compile to 2.6.7 (after I tinkered with the power options).

carboncopy · 08-03-2004, 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Terje

I've uncommented the appropriate lines to enable these features in /etc/X11/xorg.conf, but nothing changed. Adding the line...
Option "DPMS"
...had no effect. Using the command...
#xset force [standby/suspend/off]
...was equally ineffective. When I do...
#xset q
...it shows that DPMS is enabled, and lists the correct values I've set for the timing of standby, suspend, and off. Even after all of that, the monitor stayed on for over six hours today while I was out -- the screensaver was frozen, but the monitor was still on.

Any help is greatly appreciated!

Terje

My guess is that apmd module is not loaded automatically in Slackware default settings. And I am quite sure.

So, just modprobe apm[d] and try the xset force again. If that switch off your monitor, you found the problem. If not, come back here.

perry · 08-03-2004, 04:14 AM

if you cannot get the apm module to work, you may have to specify acpi=force in your lilo.conf

Code:

# LILO configuration file
# generated by 'liloconfig'
#
# Start LILO global section
append="hdc=ide-scsi"
boot="/dev/hda"
#compact        # faster, but won't work on all systems.
prompt
timeout="50"
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
#vga="773"
# Normal VGA console
# vga = normal
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x64k
vga=791
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x32k
# vga=790
# VESA framebuffer console @ 1024x768x256
# vga=773
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x64k
# vga=788
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x32k
# vga=787
# VESA framebuffer console @ 800x600x256
# vga=771
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x64k
# vga=785
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x32k
# vga=784
# VESA framebuffer console @ 640x480x256
# vga=769
# ramdisk = 0     # paranoia setting
# End LILO global section
# Linux bootable partition config begins

image="/boot/vmlinuz"
	root="/dev/hda5"
	label="slackware_acpi"
	append="acpi=force"
  read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking

image = /boot/vmlinuz
  root = /dev/hda5
  label = slackware
  read-only # Non-UMSDOS filesystems should be mounted read-only for checking
# Linux bootable partition config ends
# Windows bootable partition config begins

other = /dev/hda2
  label = windows
  table = /dev/hda
# Windows bootable partition config ends

once you make the additional entry, you do the following:

Code:

root@slackware:/home/perry#
root@slackware:/home/perry# cd /sbin
root@slackware:/sbin# lilo
Added slackware_acpi *
Added slackware
Added windows
root@slackware:/sbin#

the acpi will cause your system to respond to suspend requests.

to setup KDM, comment out the GDM request:

Code:

#! /bin/sh
#
# rc.4		This file is executed by init(8) when the system is being
#		initialized for run level 4 (XDM)
#
# Version:	@(#)/etc/rc.d/rc.4	2.00	02/17/93
#
# Author:	Fred N. van Kempen, <waltje@uwalt.nl.mugnet.org>
# At least 47% rewritten by:  Patrick J. Volkerding <volkerdi@slackware.com>
#

# Tell the viewers what's going to happen...
echo "Starting up X11 session manager..."

# Try to use GNOME's gdm session manager:
#if [ -x /usr/bin/gdm ]; then
#  exec /usr/bin/gdm -nodaemon
#fi

# Not there?  OK, try to use KDE's kdm session manager:
if [ -x /opt/kde/bin/kdm ]; then
  exec /opt/kde/bin/kdm -nodaemon
fi

# If all you have is XDM, I guess it will have to do:
if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
  exec /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm -nodaemon
fi

# error
echo
echo "Hey, you don't have KDM, GDM, or XDM.  Can't use runlevel 4 without"
echo "one of those installed."
sleep 30

# All done.

now another way to do this would be to do a chmod -x /usr/bin/gdm as root if you want to save yourself the editing... however you won't be using gdm until you change it back...

incidentally, have you checked out http://art.gnome.org login screen section, the beauty of gdm is that you can have a really pretty signon screen. (you make changes to gdm with gdmsetup)

- perry

kevmccor · 08-05-2004, 08:37 PM

If your screensaver is Xscreensaver, have a look at /etc/X11/app-defaults/XScreenSaver.
You want something like this:

*dpmsEnabled: True
*dpmsStandby: 0:12:00
*dpmsSuspend: 0:15:00
*dpmsOff: 0:20:00

Edit this file with a text editor as root to change these values. There is another method described in the man page, something with xscreensaver-demo, if I recall. I don't think XScreensaver gets its dpms info from the X server, but its activity would prevent dpms from kicking in.

synaptical · 08-05-2004, 09:27 PM

you shouldn't need apm or acpi for DPMS. i don't have either compiled in my kernel, and my monitor shuts down fine (although i am using arch). in slack, i could never get that function to work until i compiled and installed XFree manually. but if you use xscreensaver and have DPMS set in your X config file, you should disable it in the XScreenSaver config file to avoid conflicts, as kevmccor suggested.

jjge · 08-12-2004, 11:37 AM

I cannot get xset to work, on Slackware 10.

One of the things I tried was:

bash-2.05b# ldd /usr/X11R6/bin/xset
libXmuu.so.1 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libXmuu.so.1 (0x4002c000)
libXxf86misc.so.1 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libXxf86misc.so.1 (0x40030000)
libXfontcache.so.1 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libXfontcache.so.1 (0x40033000)
libXext.so.6 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libXext.so.6 (0x40035000)
libX11.so.6 => /usr/X11R6/lib/libX11.so.6 (0x40044000)
libc.so.6 => /lib/libc.so.6 (0x4010c000)
libdl.so.2 => /lib/libdl.so.2 (0x4023b000)
/lib/ld-linux.so.2 => /lib/ld-linux.so.2 (0x40000000)

The last line looks rather particular; however:

bash-2.05b# ls -l /lib/ld-*
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 83268 2004-05-25 06:44 /lib/ld-2.3.2.so
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 11 2004-07-21 21:52 /lib/ld-linux.so.2 -> ld-2.3.2.so
bash-2.05b#

this looks normal, doesn't it?