XFree86 on IBM Thinkpad 380XD

Forum: System
Topic: XFree86 on IBM Thinkpad 380XD
started by: kenboyles72

Posted by kenboyles72 on Aug. 22 2006,06:42

I downloaded xfree86.dsl, followed instructions in info, copied XF86Config-4_neomagic_2160(which is the chipset for my display) to /ect/X11 and renamed it XF86Config-4. restarted x and i get an error:

OS Kernel: Linux version 2.4.26 (root@Knoppix) (gcc version 2.95.4 20011002 (Debian prerelease)) #1 SMP Sa Apr 17 19:33:42 CEST 2004
Markers: (--) probed, (**) from config file, (==) default setting,
(++) from command line, (!!) notice, (II) informational,
(WW) warning, (EE) error, (NI) not implemented, (??) unknown.
(==) Log file: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Tue Aug 22 00:45:04 2006
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
Parse warning on line 120 of section Keyboard in file /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
Ignoring obsolete keyword "LeftAlt".
Parse error on line 120 of section Keyboard in file /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
"Meta" is not a valid keyword in this section.
(EE) Problem parsing the config file
(EE) Error from xf86HandleConfigFile()

Fatal server error:
no screens found

If you want to take a look, the complete error log and XF86Config-4 files are here: < http://www.easttexasmicrotech.com/xfree86.html >

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Aug. 22 2006,21:05

Delete/Comment out all lines with contain "Meta" in the "Keyboard" section.

Posted by kenboyles72 on Aug. 23 2006,02:25

I disabled xkbrd totally, now i get an error:

Data incomplete in file /etc/X11/XF86Config-4
Device section "NeoMagic" must have a driver line.

Fatal Server Error:
no screens found

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Aug. 23 2006,03:42

It seems as if that 'sample' file is out of date.. probably meant for an older version of XF86 - you might be better off finding a newer one?

Anyways, try moving the Driver line from Screen to Device section.

Posted by kenboyles72 on Aug. 23 2006,04:20

moved the driver line, now get error: module "svga" not found ............... Server error no screens found. i'll search again and see if i can find another sample file.

Posted by kenboyles72 on Aug. 23 2006,05:29

finally got it figured out. i downloaded xf86config.dsl and loaded it. i thought it would automatically start some config proggy, didn't know ya had to run "xf86config" from terminal. after that, setup was pretty easy and Xfree86 is now running

Posted by ^thehatsrule^ on Aug. 24 2006,23:57

Just wondering - which video driver are you using now (maybe just standard vesa)?
If you don't want to go through the config file, I suppose you could attach it somewhere, if you don't mind.

Posted by kenboyles72 on Aug. 27 2006,02:09

scratch XFree86 on the lappy, ain't really worth it. The generic Xfdev drivers with a resolution of 800x600, does pretty good or better that XFree86, as far as I can tell. I was trying to get a better refresh on the lcd, but it don't support very good refresh. So, I'll just stick to Xfdev.

Edit:
I did get my sound working though, did an apt-get for sndconf. The sound really ain't all that great. But then again, it wasn't all that great with Win98se installed. I'm not complaining to much about it, I love DSL. If it wasn't for some of my programs that have to run on Windoze, my main pc would be running some distro of linux (most likely Ubuntu). The thing about DSL is, I get the feel of running linux. It's a little harder, well maybe more manual config than the other distros, but thats the way I'd prefer to learn it. The more you know about term commands, the easier it would be on the bigger, more "user friendly" versions. Besides, if I just totally screw up the system, it's not that much to reinstall. Since I have all my apps and edited config files backed-up on another partition (learned that from running Windoze), it don't take but about 15-20 min to have it back to where it was before.

Posted by NoobieDoobieDo on Feb. 14 2008,15:12

DSL 4.2.5
Thinkpad 240
neomagic 2160

I'm having a similar issue. I got xfree86.dsl installed then it complained about Meta in the cfg file so I removed it. Then it complained about no driver line, so I added one. Now it's saying that the driver "neomagic" isn't valid for the chipset "neomagic" :\

Posted by curaga on Feb. 14 2008,16:37

Please post your XFree86.conf at pastebin.com and link it here, so we can take a look.

Posted by roberts on Feb. 14 2008,19:29

Quote (NoobieDoobieDo @ Feb. 14 2008,07:12)

The Thinkpad 240/NM2160 is very well supported by DSL by booting with fb800x600

At the first first boot prompt type:
boot: fb800x600