After a normal install attempt with Firefox and Thunderbird, I get this message:
xlib: :connection to :0.0" refused by server"
xlib: authorization key matches an existing client

My translation: it doesn't like kmail or Konqueror

I much prefer Firefox/Thunderbird how do I correct the situation

Monica >

Go into yast & add kernel sources.
in yast go to YOU & do update & select kernel update.
go into Yast, add S/W & add firefox & Tbird
go into You & do another update.
This gets you the latest & greatest!
0.0 refused by server = caused by not having kernel sources that match kernel.
Snakedriver

Cool! Thanks snakedriver!!!

Monica

Hi snakedriver,

You say to go into Yast, add S/W & add firefox & Tbird. How? Use install softare? How to add Firefox and Thunderbird.

Much thanks in advance!

Monica

Use "Install and remove software" in YAST.

I'm not sure if the SUSE 9.1 CD's come with Thunderbird and Firefox on them, but you're better off setting up YAST to update over FTP anyway. Once you get that working, You can just search for TB and FF in the list, check the boxes next to them, and hit "Accept."

I don't recall exactly how to setup YAST with FTP. Hang on a second.

OK, here's how you update over FTP:

In the first YAST panel, hit "Change Source of Installation."

Then hit "Add."

Select "FTP."

Enter (for example) "ftp.suse.com" for the server name and "pub/suse/i386/9.1/" for the directory on the server. Omit the quotes.

You may need to hit "Enable or disable" as well-- I don't recall if new sources are enabled automatically upon creation.

Good luck.

By the way, I think the original issue involving Xlib can be fixed by executing:

xhost +

as root. I don't know exactly what this does, and I hear it may be a security risk-- I think it allows different users to connect to your X server, which could be bad. (Rogue xclock processes? I don't know.) Anyway, it works.

This happened to me when I was installing Thunderbird the other day. I found a thread on the SuSE mailing list. Here's what to do:

open terminal in the Thunderbird directory (or Firefox).
change to root (su and password)
enter "xhost +"
run thunderbird "./thunderbird"
close thunderbird
enter "xhost -"
exit from root

No one knows why this works, but from then on, Thunderbird (or Firefox) should run just fine. It did for me and several people on the SuSE mailing list thread. As for the security risk, you're only open from the time you enter "xhost +" to "xhost -", then you're back to normal, so it shouldn't be a problem. Good luck.

Hi kshaffer!

I tried your idea and it worked perfectly. Just for the sake of silliness, how would a person go about installing a program icon for Tbird or Firefox on the desktop using xhost???

You should not need to do anything with xhost anymore. Once you've done it, Firefox and Thunderbird should work like normal, and messing with that, or running "xhost +" and not returning to normal with "xhost -" can cause some security issues, as mentioned by pingswept.

Here's how to install icons on the desktop (assuming you're using KDE 3.2):

right-click on the desktop where you want the icon
choose Create New > File > Link to Application
In the dialog box that comes up, you want to change 3 things: name, command, and the icon (optional)
name: name it Firefox, or whatever you want
command: under the application tab, put the path to Firefox in the "command" box (you can use the Browse button to find Firefox)
icon: on the opening page of the dialog box, there is a button with a gear icon in it. Click on that button, choose "other icons," and browse to find the ones that came with Firefox (if I remember correctly, they are in /chrome/icons or something like that in the Firefox directory). Or you can put something else there; it's up to you.

You can also drag the icon down to your taskbar, if you want a link to Firefox down there (this is my preference).

Have fun.

Kris

I guess the whole problem with firefox and thunderbird is due to some initial configurations, that want to be performed as root. That's why you need to run them as root the first time only. But then you run into this security feature, that does not allow root to access the x server. For this purpose you need to use the xhost function (or an ssh console, or kdesu, I think it does not matter).

To all who are interested in this issue, have a look here:

http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2001/06/maddin_xhost.html

Running SUSE Enterprise Server 9.1 here.
I also had trouble installing firefox in Xterm while logged in as root. I would receive the error message:
<
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

(firefox-installer-bin:9104): Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:
<

I tried the xhost + trick, but that didn't work! I received a similar error message when attempting that command.
<
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

xhost: unable to open display ":0.0"
<

I was finally able to install it without any problems by running kdesu /path/firefox-installer

AFter I managed to get it installed, I could not launch it from xterm!
Error:
<
Xlib: connection to ":0.0" refused by server
Xlib: No protocol specified

(firefox-bin:9617):Gtk-WARNING **:cannot open display:
<

Any ideas why I couldn't launch the installer through xterm or why I can't launch the browser through xterm?

I did get the browser working by creating a desktop shortcut.

Did you read the link I provided above? If not, do so, you'll find the answer to your question there.

Sorry! I skipped over your comment here the first time:

Just to clarify, this "issue" (or security feature ) is only specific to the SUSE distribution?