Hi Guys,

Really could use some help with this.

I have a Intel Celeron Linux server, with RedHat 7.2 installed, that I am accessing remotely via a Win98 client PC using SSH (Putty). I did not install the Linux, this was undertaken by a hosting company who are now rather vague about my questions.

I have root command-line access and can log in happily without a problem. The website I am attempting to construct works fine on this Linux platform, the domain and IP resolving correctly.

I have also installed Interbase 7 and IBConsole 1.1.0.13 (remotely) on the Linux machine as rpm packages - which my website requires. Interbase and IBConsole have installed correctly.

However, upon execution, IBConsole complains at not being able to access the X Server - which is clearly not installed. I have spent the past week installing/un-installing various flavours of XFree86, finally settling upon XFree86-4.1.0-25.rpm. This installed without error.

I have run XF86config and selected the video card found on my Win98 PC - a Matrox Millenium G400. This process appears to go through correctly without errors being reported.

There have been no server reboots since the installation of Linux.


But...

** Running the file XFree86 (in /usr/X11R6/bin) produces much output. The last entry is (EE) No devices detected. Fatal server error: No Devices Found.

** Running the file xf86cfg produces much output also. The last entry stating that "XFree86 has found a valid card configuration. Unfortunately the appropriate data has not been added to xf86PciInfo.h"

** Running the file startx produces the error: "No such file or directory (errno: 2): no server "X" in path". However, if I echo $PATH, the path /usr/X11R6/bin is present.

The output also suggests that possible server names include: XFree86 XFree86 displays.

** I understand that startx runs the script .xinitrc but I cannot seem to locate one anywhere?


Is anybody out there able to immediately see what wrong turn I have taken? Or perhaps able to point me in the correct direction? I have read a great deal on the subject, but documentation does not appear to include these errors.

I have also tried Xconfigurator although that fails to start the X server as well, producing error messages before exitting back to the command shell.

Trawling through the internet and trying many different approaches has got me no further forward, although I can gauge that these are common problems.

I have included here all of the information I am aware of. Being new to Linux I realise that what I have described is probably a result of my lack of expertise.

But please, can somebody put me out of my misery? I will be eternally grateful and you will always have friend in the world!

Many thanks,

PaulC

If you installed only the one package, it's not enough. For sure you need XFree-libs package. Here's a list from rpmfind.net for RH 7.2: http://www.rpmfind.net/linux/rpm2htm...dhat-7.2&arch= (note thet you don't need all of them and there are different versions).

Quote:

I have run XF86config and selected the video card found on my Win98 PC - a Matrox Millenium G400. This process appears to go through correctly without errors being reported.

Is it the card installed on the server?

Quote:

** Running the file XFree86 (in /usr/X11R6/bin) produces much output. The last entry is (EE) No devices detected. Fatal server error: No Devices Found. ** Running the file xf86cfg produces much output also. The last entry stating that "XFree86 has found a valid card configuration. Unfortunately the appropriate data has not been added to xf86PciInfo.h" ** Running the file startx produces the error: "No such file or directory (errno: 2): no server "X" in path". However, if I echo $PATH, the path /usr/X11R6/bin is present.

It looks the configuration is incorrect. If possible, please post /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
Or not all needed packages are installed.

Quote:

** I understand that startx runs the script .xinitrc but I cannot seem to locate one anywhere?

Yes, it does. But your error doesn't look like caused by a lack of xinitrc.

Quote:

I have also tried Xconfigurator although that fails to start the X server as well, producing error messages before exitting back to the command shell.

Could you copy the error message?

I cannot solve all of your problems but I can help a little.

When you startx it will run a script program located in .xinitrc. There will be one .initrc file for each user and one for root, i.e.

/root/.xinitrc

/home/user1/.initrc

As far as I know, the purpose of .xinitrc is to tell X Window what window manager to run on top of itself. When you install a package like Gnome or KDE the package will also create an .xintrc file telling X Window to run Gnome or KDE.

To talk about your problem in general, I don't think that running X Window by itself actually does anything useful. I think that you have to install Gnome or KDE (or one of many lesser known window managers) on top of X Window. If it is possible to do something useful with stand alone X Window then you are over my depth in Linux knowledge.

I reread your message and this time I twigged to the fact that IBConsole must be the window manager that you are trying to install. In that case you probably need to set up .initrc as a script to start IBConsole.

Thank you both Mara and Steve for speedy replies to my question.

Your ideas do shed some light on the problems I am experiencing, but still no solution I'm afraid.

1) This is a list of the installed XFree86 based .rpms on the server. Is there anything missing?

XFree86-4.1.0-25
XFree86-ISO8859-15-75dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-ISO8859-9-75dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-devel-4.1.0-25
XFree86-xdm-4.1.0-25
XFree86-xfs-4.1.0-25
XFree86-ISO8859-15-100dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-ISO8859-9-100dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-cyrillic-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-twm-4.1.0-25
XFree86-libs-4.1.0-25
XFree86-75dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-ISO8859-2-75dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-Xvfb-4.1.0-25
XFree86-tools-4.1.0-25
Xconfigurator-4.9.39-2
XFree86-100dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-ISO8859-2-100dpi-fonts-4.1.0-25
XFree86-Xnest-4.1.0-25
XFree86-doc-4.1.0-25
XFree86-xf86cfg-4.1.0-25

2) SuperProbe determined that the video card on the server is Generic VGA.

3) The server is a rack-mounted Linux Box. It is hosted by a third party www.dedicated-servers.co.uk I do not believe there to be any output device attached. I was configuring XFree86 on the basis of my PC client machine - which is a Matrox Millenium G400. Is this incorrect? Should I configure a generic VGA?

4) I ran Xconfigurator and selected "unlisted - XF86_SVGA". An error message is then reported : "Server doesn't exist, can't continue. Tried to use ../../usr/X11R6/bin/XF86_SVGA".

This file does not exist on the server - how should it be installed?

5) When I run Xconfigurator and select the Matrox Millenium G400 option, it reports "There was an error executing the X Server in a probing mode. You should try configuring the video card manually".

6) The following is the file XF86Config-4

# XFree86 4.0 configuration generated by Xconfigurator
Section "ServerLayout"
Identifier "XFree86 Configured"
Screen 0 "Screen0" 0 0
InputDevice "Mouse0" "CorePointer"
InputDevice "Keyboard0" "CoreKeyboard"
EndSection

# By default, Red Hat Linux 6.0 and later use xfs
Section "Files"
FontPath "unix/:7100"
EndSection

# Module loading section
Section "Module"
Load "dbe" # Double-buffering
Load "GLcore" # OpenGL support
Load "dri" # Direct rendering infrastructure
Load "glx" # OpenGL X protocol interface
Load "extmod" # Misc. required extensions
Load "v4l" # Video4Linux
# Load "pex5" # PHIGS for X 3D environment (obsolete)
# Load "record" # X event recorder
# Load "xie" # X Image Extension (obsolete)
# You only need the following two modules if you do not use xfs.
# Load "freetype" # TrueType font handler
# Load "type1" # Adobe Type 1 font handler
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Keyboard0"
Driver "keyboard"
Option "XkbLayout" "us"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
Identifier "Mouse0"
Driver "mouse"
Option "Device" ""
Option "Protocol" ""
Option "Emulate3Buttons" "off"
Option "ZAxisMapping" "4 5"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Ergovision 975TCO95"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"
HorizSync 30.0-95.0
VertRefresh 50.0-150.0
Option "dpms"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "My Video Card"
Driver "mga"
BoardName "Unknown"
EndSection

Section "Device"
Identifier "Linux Frame Buffer"
Driver "fbdev"
BoardName "Unknown"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
Identifier "Screen0"
Device "My Video Card"
Monitor "Ergovision 975TCO95"
DefaultDepth 24

Subsection "Display"
Depth 24
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection

Subsection "Display"
Depth 8
Modes "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection

EndSection
Section "DRI"
Mode 0666
EndSection
[B][I]


Can you see what I might be doing wrong Guys? Everything I try leads me back to the same place.

Many thanks,

PaulC

Yep, that's certainly wrong. The Xserver runs on the
local machine (in this case the rack-mounted server),
not on the machine that tries to invoke it.

I am also afraid that even if you get X up & running
on the rack-mounted box putty won't do the trick of
displaying anything on your box. You'll have to search
for X-Clients for windows (Hummingbird for instance,
just to name a good [and unfortunately expensive]
product...)

As for the physical setup of the rack-mounted thing:
run lspci and forward the output.

Cheers,
Tink

1) This is a list of the installed XFree86 based .rpms on the server. Is there
anything missing?

The way I would answer this question is to use rpm to query the dependencies of each package in the list:
rpm -qR xf86
etc.

I would also run the rpm -qR command against Interbase and IBConsole.


With regards to the video card I think that the key is Mara's question:
Is it the card installed on the server?
You should establish exactly which card is installed on the server. Then we can work on configuring /etc/X11XF86Config One of the ways that I have seen work many times is for you to post your exact hardware spec on the forum and then somebody who has that hardware working will give you a copy of their /etc/X11/XF86Config

Hunting around for .xinitrc try:
rpm -ql Interbase
rpm -ql IBConsole
to see if these packages provide .xinitrc

Thank you Tinkster,

I am beginning to see the error of my ways, although cannot discern whether my lack of an x-client is why I cannot get the X-server to work. It does sound as though the two are seperate problems.

So, here is the output of the command lspci. Does this tell you anything more?


00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 2560 (rev 03)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 2562 (rev 03)
00:1d.0 USB Controller: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24c2 (rev 02)
00:1d.1 USB Controller: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24c4 (rev 02)
00:1d.2 USB Controller: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24c7 (rev 02)
00:1d.7 USB Controller: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24cd (rev 02)
00:1e.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 82801BAM PCI (rev 82)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24c0 (rev 02)
00:1f.1 IDE interface: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24cb (rev 02)
00:1f.3 SMBus: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24c3 (rev 02)
00:1f.5 Multimedia audio controller: Intel Corporation: Unknown device 24c5 (rev 02)
01:05.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL-8139 (rev 10)


Many thanks,

PaulC

Pleasure mate :)

They are ... there's the issue of getting the
XServer up and running as such, and then
there's the second issue of getting the screen
from the server redirected to your box.

The other alternative would be to (once
X is set-up) to install vnc on the server,
I'm pretty sure that there's a free vnc client
for winDOHs.

Yet another alternative would be to install
Linux on your box at home ;)


Yep, actually :)

It tells me that the hardware of your server
is way more recent than the installed linux-
distro ... however, you should still be able
to run an XServer on a VGA resolution
without knowing the hardware.

You could also try to get a more recent
/usr/share/pci.ids
to see what exactly is installed...

Thanks Steve & Tinkster

Some good suggestions there and new avenues to explore.

I may just try to install Linux on my home PC, this would seem to be a distinct possibility...or perhaps switch the server back to Window$ which actually worked OK - mores the pity. The latter being a course of action that I would want to resist.

I will look at VNC as an alternative, which I had briefly thought about. Maybe that will provide a way forward.

Looking again at IBConsole, it would appear to want GLIBC_2.3 which, unfortunately, is not in the XFree86-4.1. This will mean upgrading it to a later version, possible 4.3. However, I am not certain whether this would also require a kernel upgrade to accomodate.

I tend to agree Steve, Mara is onto something. The video card on the server appears to be a generic VGA, therefore I will re-configure with that in mind. I will also take on board your suggestion of re-checking all package dependencies - there may be something missing.

As for my configuration - well, the only information I have is posted already. A rack-mounted linux server, RedHat 7.2 running XFree86-4.1, Intel Celeron Processor 1.8Ghz with generic VGA video card. Does anybody have a working version of /etc/X11/XF86Config to make X-server begin running?

I am sure others must have hit their heads against this problem in the past. I did wonder why the Interbase option was not offered as a part of the installation by my host, but was on their Windows machines..!

Many thanks,

PaulC

Hi Paul!

look at the pci.ids mate :)
The box has an Intel 82845g chipset ;)

I don't have a config for this specific setup, also
not knowing whether the box has got a mouse &
keyboard physically present (which if given in the
xf86config but not physically present will cause X
to fail, too) ...

Neither apache nor the database should need
X, I would think...

One other question, however, is:
why do you need the X server in the first place, or,
what need is there for you to run IBConsole? I cannot
imagine a unix (Linux) database that wouldn't allow
for command-line administration. And quite frankly,
snatching a huge lump of RAM just for a process
that will run once, and going through the installation
of a million dependencies doesn't seem a reasonable
cost to me :}

Cheers,
Tink

umm, hang on a minute.

Since you say you're logging into a remote, rack mounted server with no display, it's a fat lot of use determining what (if any) graphics hardware sits inside it because even if you do, neither you nor anybody else is going to see anything.

PuTTY has a feature called 'X Connection Forwarding', which allows you to run graphical programs on an external host, and forward the display to your local machine. I guess this is what you're looking for.

To get it to work, though, you have to have X11 running on your local machine, and since you have Windows, it's going to be tricky to set it up. You can find a Windows binary for XFree86, the most popular free implementation, at http://www.cygwin.com/xfree/ .

The good news, though, is that I'm pretty sure you don't have to have the actual X Server set up on the remote box, as long as you have Xlibs and all the rest of it installed; I may be very wrong here though as I've not set up this kind of system before.

The tree you're currently barking up is very much the wrong one though.

I agree lezek, judging from some of the responses I have received, I am given to the conclusion that the tree is indeed the wrong one to bark up, though it has been a case of not knowing what I didn't know...if you know what I mean. :-)

Tinkster has switched on the light-bulb in my head though. I have been far too stuck in the Windows mindset and can more than likely achieve what I need via the command line. This appears to be a far better solution for the reasons he has outlined.

As for installing the X-Windows binary on my client PC - I may actually try that at some point - so thank you for that advice. It was kind of what I was looking for when I first posted this request.

Anyway, I believe I know the way forward now. Many thanks to you all...Mara, Jailbait, Tinkster & lezek.

Friends forever!

PaulC

Pleasure mate :}

And keep us informed on how you
proceeded in the end. I'm a hell of
a curious old guy ;)

Cheers,
Tink