source: x/installing/xfree86/xfree86-config.xml@ 07ba0069

<sect2>
<title>Configuring XFree86</title>

<para>Edit <filename>/etc/ld.so.conf</filename> and add 
<filename>/usr/X11R6/lib</filename>.
Run <screen>ldconfig</screen></para>

<para>Add <filename>/usr/X11R6/bin</filename> to your PATH environment 
variable in <filename>.bash_profile</filename>.  The statement should
look something like <userinput>PATH=$PATH:/usr/X11R6/bin</userinput>
and be placed before the <userinput>export PATH</userinput> statement.

Run
<screen>source ~/.bash_profile</screen></para>

<para>Set up your mouse 
<screen>cd /dev
ln -s psaux mouse</screen>

Adjust the symbolic link as necessary for other types of mice.  For instance, 
a serial mouse on the first serial port would be linked to ttyS1.
</para>

<para>Create the XF86Config file with
<screen>cd ~
XFree86 -configure</screen>
The screen will go black and you may hear some clicking of the monitor.  This
command will create a file, <filename>XF86Config.new</filename> in your home
directory.
</para>

<para>
Edit <filename>XF86Config.new</filename> to suit your system.  The details 
of the file are located in the man page <userinput>man XF86Config</userinput>.
Some things you may want to do are:</para>
<itemizedlist>
<listitem><para>Section "Files". Change the order of the font paths searched. 
You may want to put
100dpi fonts ahead of 75dpi fonts if your system normally comes up closer
to 100 dots per inch.  You may want to remove some font directories completely.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Section "Module".  Remove or comment out some of the modules.  The "glx"
and "dri" sections are not operational until we install DRI below.  Leaving
modules in does not hurt anything.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Section "InputDevice".  You may want to change the keyboard autorepeat rate 
by adding 
<userinput>Option "Autorepeat" "250 30"</userinput>.
</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>
Section "Screen".  Add a DefaultDepth statement such as:
<userinput>DefaultDepth 16</userinput>. In the SubSection for your default
depth, add a modes line such as: 
<userinput> Modes "1280x1024" "1024x768"</userinput>.
The first mode listed will normally be the starting resolution.
</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>

<para>
Test the system with
<screen>XFree86 -xf86config ~/XF86Config.new</screen>
You will only get a grey background with an X-shaped mouse cursor, but it 
confirms the system is working.  Exit with Control-Alt-Backspace.  If the 
system does not work, take a look at 
<filename>/var/log/XFree86.0.log</filename> to see what went wrong.
</para>
<para>
Move the confiuration file to its final location
<screen>mv ~/XF86Config.new /etc/X11/XF86Config-4</screen>
</para>
<para>
Create <filename>.xinitrc</filename>
<screen><userinput>cat &gt; ~/.xinitrc &lt;&lt; "EOF"
# Begin .xinitrc file
xterm  -g 80x40+0+0   &amp;
xclock -g 100x100-0+0 &amp;
twm
EOF</userinput></screen>
This provides an initial screen with an xterm and a clock that is managed by a 
simple window manager, Tab Winow Manager.  For details of twm, see the 
man page.
</para>

<para>
Start X with 
<screen>startx</screen>
to get basic funtional X Windows System.
</para>
</sect2>