Xorg & XVesa¶
author: | kultex, jozee, linea, seawolf |
---|
By default, SliTaz v3 uses Xorg 7.4 with the xorg-xf86-video-vesa v2.0.0 driver. This basic driver can cause problems with certain hardware combinations and can sometimes result in a very low resolution. Occasionally, X does not start at all and instead falls back to the log-in screen or to a text-based prompt. There are some simple solutions that can yield major improvements:
- check that you have enough RAM to run the default ISO. If not, use the Low RAM ISO instead.
- try the XVesa ISO (a.k.a. TinyX)
- install a more specific driver for your graphics card
- customise your Xorg configuration file (
xorg.conf
)
Good introductions to Xorg Configuration can be found at The FreeBSD Handbook and X Configuration from Ubuntu.
Tip
Up to v7.3, the Ctrl+Alt+Backspace key combination could be used to quit the X server. To enable it in version 7.4 and later, type the following command from any X terminal emulator:
# setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp
Important
Throughout this page, commands preceeded with a hash sign (#
) should be executed as the root user.
This is best under a terminal window.
Otherwise, the dollar symbol ($
) denotes a regular (tux) user.
Using Xorg & Vendor-Specific Drivers¶
When you are using SliTaz as your main system, it’s recommended to use Xorg over XVesa. You will get a much better display and performance than when using Xvesa tinyX.
AGP Cards¶
All AGP video cards need extra kernel modules to function under Xorg. Check if you have an AGP video card with lspci; if so, install the necessary modules in the linux-agp package before using Xorg:
# tazpkg get-install linux-agp
Load the modules using the SliTaz hardware detection tool:
# tazhw detect-pci
You can now use the SliTaz X configuration tool to detect your settings:
# tazx
Select the appropriate driver for your video card from the list.
DRI / DRM Problem¶
Sometimes, the auto-detection is not enough.
Cards that require DRI / DRM are supported under SliTaz, but v3 has a couple of bugs!
The file /dev/dri
should be a directory and not a file and, to get DRI working correctly, we have to add tux
to the group video
or modify permissions in the Xorg configuration file:
# tazpkg get-install linux-drm
# tazpkg get-install mesa-demos # for glxinfo and glxgears
# rm /dev/dri
# mkdir /dev/dri/
# addgroup tux video
The drm
module is not loaded by tazhw so you have to do it manually:
# modprobe drm
Tip
All modules, which are loaded by tazhw and yourself to make your changes permanent, have to be added to the SliTaz Control Box under Initialization in Load Modules.
Intel cards¶
The xorg-xf86-video-vesa 2.0.0 driver has a lot of trouble with Intel chips. For example, on a 82945GM chipset it does not display 1280×1024 and 1024×768, but 1600×1200 is not a problem.
Use tazx to select the intel
driver, then tazhw detect-pci, solve the dri
problem and load drm
and restart X — normally that’s it (perhaps you must change your xorg.conf
too).
Some users may need to add the intel_agp
module to the xorg.conf
file:
Section "Module"
# ...
Load "intel_agp"
# ...
EndSection
for the driver to work.
Depending on the hardware, the mode-setting feature must be turned on or off.
To turn it off append one of the following to the kernel
line in the GRUB boot-loader configuration:
nomodeset
i810.modeset=0
i915.modeset=0
If mode-setting is off by default and should instead be turned on, append one of the following:
modeset
i810.modeset=1
i915.modeset=1
Trident cards¶
Use tazx to select the trident
driver, install mesa-dri-trident
# tazpkg get-install mesa-dri-trident
and restart X
nVidia cards¶
SliTaz provides automatic configuration for nVidia cards.
There are two drivers available, the Xorg-provided nv
and the nVidia-provided, non-free nvidia
.
The nv
driver should be tried first as this has been compiled for SliTaz, whereas the nVidia-supplied driver is a binary blob that tries to fit each and every Linux distribution.
Free Driver (nv)
To set-up the free nVidia drivers, use the SliTaz Hardware Configuration tool:
# tazhw setup nvidia
Alternatively, you can do this process manually:
Download the following packages: mesa, mesa-demos, linux-agp, xorg-xf86-video-nv
# tazpkg get-install xorg-xf86-video-nv # tazpkg get-install mesa # tazpkg get-install mesa-demos # tazpkg get-install linux-agp</code>
Load the kernel modules
# tazhw detect-pci
Replace the standard
vesa
driver withnv
# sed -i 's/vesa/nv/' /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Non-Free Driver (nvidia)
To set-up the non-free nVidia drivers, use the SliTaz Hardware Configuration tool with the --non-free
switch:
# tazhw setup nvidia --non-free
Alternatively, you can do this process manually:
Download the following packages: mesa, mesa-demos, linux-agp, nvidia
# tazpkg get-install nvidia # tazpkg get-install mesa # tazpkg get-install mesa-demos # tazpkg get-install linux-agp
Load the kernel modules
# tazhw detect-pci
Attempt to configure the card with nVidia’s tool:
# nvidia-xconfig
To test if rendering is working,
# glxinfo | grep render
To change nVidia’s settings, use nVidia’s Settings tool:
# nvidia-settings
Hiding the Logo
To hide the nVidia logo when the system boots, add the following to /etc/X11/xorg.conf
at the end of the Device
section:
Option "NoLogo" "True"
ATI cards¶
SliTaz provides automatic configuration for ATI cards.
There are two drivers available, the Xorg-provided radeon
and the ATI-provided, non-free catalyst
.
The ati
driver should be tried first as this has been compiled for SliTaz, whereas the ATI-supplied driver is a binary blob that tries to fit each and every Linux distribution.
Free Driver (radeon)
To set-up the free ATI drivers, install the AGP & DRM modules, then use the SliTaz Hardware Configuration tool:
# tazpkg get-install linux-agp
# tazpkg get-install linux-drm
# tazhw setup ati</code>
— but perhaps this is not enough — check /var/log/Xorg.0.log
to see if other modules must be loaded: See DRI / DRM Problem
Alternatively, you can do this process manually:
Download the following packages: xorg-xf86-video-ati, mesa-dri-ati, mesa-demos, linux-agp
# tazpkg get-install xorg-xf86-video-ati # tazpkg get-install mesa-dri-ati # tazpkg get-install mesa-demos # tazpkg get-install linux-agp # tazpkg get-install linux-drm
Load the kernel modules
# tazhw detect-pci
To install the free ATI driver radeon, replace
vesa
withradeon
in the/etc/X11/xorg.conf
file:# sed -i 's/vesa/radeon/' /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Non-Free Driver (catalyst)
To set-up the non-free ATI drivers, use the SliTaz Hardware Configuration tool with the --non-free
switch:
# tazhw setup ati --non-free
Modifying the Xorg Configuration¶
Normally Xorg will start successfully, but perhaps not with the correct resolution.
See the Adding Resolutions tips at the end of this page or sometimes search the Internet for the xorg.conf
for your card and your monitor — or use another LiveCD and copy the working configuration file to SliTaz.
Configuring X¶
While X will do it’s bets to auto-configure itself for your graphics card set-up, sometimes it needs a tweak.
Its configuration file, /etc/X11/xorg.conf
, is the place to customise the configuration.
The best example of this is switching drivers or adding resolutions it doesn’t detect.
Adding Resolutions¶
Include
HorizSync
andVertRefresh
(refresh timings) in theMonitor
section:Section "Monitor" Identifier "Monitor0" VendorName "Monitor Vendor" ModelName "Monitor Model" HorizSync 28-64 VertRefresh 60 EndSection
Include a
DefaultDepth
in theScreen
section:Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen0" Device "Card0" Monitor "Monitor0" DefaultDepth 24 EndSection
Add an extra
Modes
to the line in theDisplay
sub-section:SubSection "Display" Viewport 0 0 Depth 24 Modes "1024x768" "800x600" EndSubSection
Also, add the default Font paths in the
Files
section:Section "Files" ModulePath "/usr/lib/X11/modules" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/misc/" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/TTF/" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/OTF" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/Type1/" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/100dpi/" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/X11/75dpi/" FontPath "/usr/share/fonts/truetype/ttf-dejavu" EndSection
If you have DRI/DRM enabled, it may be easier to change its permission so all users can use it, rather than adding each to the
video
group. Append the following section:Section "DRI" Mode 0666 EndSection
Tip
You can use xrandr to identify your monitor(s). This utility is in the xorg-xrandr package:
# tazpkg get-install xorg-xrandr
See the Debian RandR 1.2 Wiki for more information.
Restarting Xorg¶
For changes to take effect, you need to restart Xorg. This can be done by logging out of your session and back in again. Choose Logout from the Menu and select the Logout X session button. If you see the SLiM log-in manager, Xorg has restarted successfully!
Using XVesa and Generic Drivers (TinyX)¶
The SliTaz-3.0-xvesa.iso uses the XVesa system instead of Xorg, which offers a more generic driver at the cost of performance. It boots on nearly all computers and laptops, but can only display a 4:3 resolution.
To find out which resolutions are possible with your card, type:
# Xvesa -listmodes
Here’s a selection of resolutions for an example Intel Atom Board:
VBE version 3.0 (Intel(r) 82945GM Chipset Family Graphics Chip Accelerated VGA BIOS)
DAC is switchable, controller is VGA compatible, RAMDAC causes snow
Total memory: 7872 kilobytes
0x015A: 1600x1200x24 TrueColor [8:8:8:8]
0x011B: 1280x1024x24 TrueColor [8:8:8:8]
0x0118: 1024x768x24 TrueColor [8:8:8:8]
0x0112: 640x480x24 TrueColor [8:8:8:8]
0x0115: 800x600x24 TrueColor [8:8:8:8]
This output shows widescreen resolutions cannot be displayed with XVesa.
If X does not start with the default SliTaz ISO, you could use the XVesa ISO to install your default Xorg driver. When you are asked for your resolution at boot-time, scroll down the window and find the option to install your Xorg driver before XVesa is started. However, don’t use tazx and tazhw setup ati or nv on the XVesa ISO to install your Xorg driver because you will end up with a blank and confused screen!