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Why is the Xservers local console line commented out on install?

 
Jeffrey L. Cooke
Occasional Advisor

Why is the Xservers local console line commented out on install?

I have found several references in this forum to the problem with X servers starting due to the login console being commented out. But I don't see any explaination and I have this happen in my lab all the time. Is there anything I can do to PREVENT this from happening? What is the cause?

I suspect that the installation routines are detecting no graphics capabilities, but I can find no documented evidence of this.
3 REPLIES 3
Sameer_Nirmal
Honored Contributor

Re: Why is the Xservers local console line commented out on install?

Hi,

As a part of CDE product installation and auto-configuration thereafter , there is a routine which checks for the system for the availablity of a bitmap (VGA) display adpater. If you don't have one , then the local display line in the Xserver file is commented out. I doubt this behaviour could be modified. I think this behaviour is logically appropriate.

CDE login manager/server is using X server which requires a bitmap display. Even after the commenting out that line , the CDE login server runs in the background waiting to server network display ( X client on a remote host ) requestes.
Jeffrey L. Cooke
Occasional Advisor

Re: Why is the Xservers local console line commented out on install?

I have a graphics adapter installed on the machine and when I run 'ioscan -fn' a graphics capability is reported; however, it is NOT my console. I have an attached ascii terminal.

So, I guess my questions are: (1) can I not use a graphics terminal and expect HP-UX 11.23 to detect and use it as the console? (2) when I have an ascii terminal as console, why is my graphics capability not detected?

The basic problem seems to be that during install, the machine doesn't recognize that I have a graphics head installed, attached, and turned on.

I will have to double-check (because it's been a couple of weeks now), but when I uncomment the Xserver console line, CDE starts up on the graphics display.

Thanks in advance.
Sameer_Nirmal
Honored Contributor

Re: Why is the Xservers local console line commented out on install?

Hi again..

>my questions are: (1) can I not use a >graphics terminal and expect HP-UX 11.23 to >detect and use it as the console?

Yes you can use the Graphics terminal as console provided you have supported keyboard
and mouse directly attached to the system board and "Active console" in EFI is selected ( pointing to the graphics card device ). You can set the "active console " in EFI Boot options Maintenance Menu.

>(2) when I have an ascii terminal as >console, why is my graphics capability not >
>detected?

Under this situation the graphics driver and devices files are enabled for the graphics card by the system which you see in "ioscan". But since the local console is "ascii" , the CDE can't start on it and the line in Xserver is commented.

As far as the CDE startup on local console with graphics ared is concerned, its all depends how the setup is made during initial installtion.
So in your case , you might be installing OS without making use graphics card through EFI and attaching keyboard/mouse.

The Xserver console line is always setup during CDE initialisation as a part of OS installation as I said before.
Depending on the setup , the local console capability is detected and the line is commented or un-commented. One thing is sure , one has to change this line manually depending on the CDE requirement on the local console after installtion if required.