XFREE 401 INSTALL

submitted by: Collins Richey (richey3@wt.net)
Many thanks to other contributers listed below.

This procedure has been tested on eDesk2.4 (full install) with KDE 1.1.3 (unmodified). My pc is a k6/2 300 with 64M memory and SiS 530 video card. Except as noted below, I encountered no errors. I do not use run level 5, but I assume this will work also.

This is a plain and simple step-by-step. Please refer to the XFREE 4.0 INSTALL item for more extensive information.

Getting the source

Mike Andrew has had good results with the sources supplied by Douglas Hunley. I, myself, used the standard Xfree86 sources at the following url. Since this is the pristine source, you will be positioned to apply patches, if needed.

ftp://ftp.xfree86.org/pub/XFree86/4.0.1/source/

You need to download the following 3 files to your favorite download directory. The download takes 3.5-4 hours on a 56K link.

Installing the source

• Take whatever steps you need for backup. I have an alternate bootable system on my pc, so I ran the install cold turkey. YMMV.
• su to root
• copy the 3 tgz files to /usr/src and unpack (tar xvfz eachone)
• remove the 3 tgz files
• cd to resulting directory xc
• read the INSTALL.TXT file, if you like. I got these steps. from the Easy Build Instructions. I modified no config files.
• make World >& world.log. If curious, switch to another konsole/xterm/etc.and tail -f /usr/src/xc/world.log. This step runs about 1hr20mins on my pc.
• make install >& install.log. If desired, tail -f as above.
• make install.man >& man.log. If desired, tail -f, as above.
• Unless you are really curious, you could delete the log files, if everything worked.

Prepare to run XFREE 401

• run xf86config and answer the questions - yes to write to /etc/X11/XF86Config (the new home for the config file)
• preserve your old /etc/XF86Config file, if desired, but in any case you must
  cd /etc
  rm XF86Config
  ln -s X11/XF86Config XF86Config
• if you try startx now, it won't work (missing libXaw library). You must do the following to rebuild the loader configuration data.
  /sbin/ldconfig -v
• Now you can startx or kde and enjoy. I did not need to reboot.

Other Notes

• Mike Andre reported
  
  for redhat systems you must delete the reference to font servers in that file, specifically
  FontPath "unix/:-1"
  
  
• Andrew Matthews reported the correct syntax for getting a Wheel Mouse to work
  
  Section "InputDevice"
  
  # Identifier and driver
  
  Identifier "Mouse1"
  Driver "mouse"
  Option "Protocol" "IMPS/2"
  Option "Device" "/dev/psaux"
  Option "ZAxisMapping""4 5"
  
  
• Mike Julien reports
  
  For those running 3dfx Voodoo 3 2000-3000 card the new drivers at http://linux.3dfx.com work very well with 4.01..Quake3 plays very well with them...with XFree86 3.3.6 I could manage 51fps (with the display options all turned off)...with 4.01 I managed to get 45+fps ...so I guess the it's comming along pretty good.

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