CONFIGURE X
( How To Get Your X Back )


If you have Mandrake, PCLos, SuSE, Ubuntu, Debian or Slackware . . First read the notes for the automatic x setup tools at the end of this post !


In case of pure disaster you can lose your X, and mess up your X-Config file. This tells you how to fix that.
In the case of a failing X you get thrown back to the prompt in a text console in runlevel 3, just to check that do:

This because the following actions should absolutely not be done in another run level. ( In Ubuntu and Debian please boot up in "safe mode" )


We stay logged in as root and first do:

The screen will go black for a few seconds because it will generate an new xorg.conf file, it will put a “xorg.conf.new” in root's home directory ( /root ). . . . so check this with:

If the file is indeed there we can first check if it works with this command:

You should get a gray ( or blue ) screen with an X-shaped mouse cursor, this means it´s working. If so we get back to the prompt with:
< Ctrl+Alt+Backspace >

Now we back up the old xorg.conf file, just to be sure we can compare later if needed:

Next we move the new xorg.conf file to its place:

I hope all went smooth up until now, because then we can:

I know “startx” is possible too, but I do like a “fresh” start



NOTES: Automatic X setup tools:

1). In Mandrake and PCLos the command is "XFdrake" ( as root ) . . .
2). In SUSE just type "sax2" as root on the commandline ( "sax2 -a" will do it automatically )
3). In Slack you can try "xorgsetup" ( If that fails then try "xorgconfig" )
4). In Debian and Ubuntu ( as root ) "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg"


Bruno


-- Jan 2 2004 ( Revised Dec 17 2008 ) --