This is an old revision of the document!
Table of Contents
Xorg & XVesa
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. Occaisionally, 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.
setxkbmap -option terminate:ctrl_alt_bksp
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
Intel cards
The xorg-xf86-video-vesa 2.0.0 driver has a lot of trouble with Intel chips. For exmaple, 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. For free nvidia drivers, do:
# tazhw setup nvidia
For non-free nvidia drivers (supplied by NVIDIA), do:
# tazhw setup nvidia --non-free
To setup non-free nvidia manually:
First download: 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 modules
# tazhw detect-pci
To configure nvidia automatically
# nvidia-xconfig
To test if rendering is working
glxinfo | grep render
To change nvidia settings
# nvidia-settings
For no logo at bootup, add the following to xorg.conf
Option "NoLogo" "True"
To setup free nvidia manually:
First download: 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
Load modules
# tazhw detect-pci
Replace vesa with nv
# sed -i 's/vesa/nv/' /etc/X11/xorg.conf
ATI cards
For free ati drivers (preferred), do:
tazpkg get-install linux-agp tazpkg get-install linux-drm tazhw setup ati
- but perhaps this is not enough - check /var/log/Xorg.0.log to see if other modules must be loaded: See DRI / DRM Problem
For non-free ati catalyst drivers (known to be not so good), do:
tazhw setup ati --non-free
To setup free ati manually:
First download: 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 modules
# tazhw detect-pci
The free ati driver is called radeon, replace vesa with radeon
# sed -i 's/vesa/radeon/' /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Modifying the Xorg Configuration
Normally Xorg will start successfully, but perhaps not with the correct resolution. See the tips at the end of this page or sometimes search the net for the xorg.conf for your card and your monitor - or use another LiveCD and copy the working conf file to SliTaz.
Configuring X
This is how we can get a 1024×768 resolution: if your display is stuck at a low resolution, say 800×600, just add edit “Modes” in step 2b below.
I edited the following sections in xorg.conf (/etc/X11/xorg.conf):
1) Include HorizSync and VertRefresh in section “Monitor”
Section "Monitor" Identifier "Monitor0" VendorName "Monitor Vendor" ModelName "Monitor Model" HorizSync 28-64 VertRefresh 60 EndSection
2a) In Section “Screen”; added Default Depth
Section "Screen" Identifier "Screen0" Device "Card0" Monitor "Monitor0" DefaultDepth 24
2b) In Sub-section Display: added “Modes”
SubSection "Display" Viewport 0 0 Depth 24 Modes "1024x768" "800x600" EndSubSection
3) Also, added default Slitaz Font path in Section Files
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
You can use xrandr to identify your monitor(s) Debian RandR 1.2 Wiki
# tazpkg get-install xorg-xrandr
XVesa ISO (TinyX)
You can download the slitaz-3.0-xvesa.iso here: SliTaz-3.0-xvesa.iso
It boots on nearly all computers and laptops, but you 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 my 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]
So widescreen resolutions cannot be displayed with the slitaz-3.0-xvesa.iso.
If X does not start with the default SliTaz.iso (falls back to slim), you could use the xvesa.iso to install your default xorg driver. Because when you are asked for your resolution at boot, you can scroll down the window and find the possibility to install your xorg.driver before X is started. But 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 black screen.
Page Review Section | |
---|---|
Quality | Good |
Review | Minor Updates |
Priority | Medium |
Problems | add a forum post link |
OR add a lab issue tracker link | |
How to Improve | How about other xorg-cards? |
More details or references on Xorg.conf |