Setting up CDE server on 11

[David Preston_4]

I have a new server RP5470 that I am setting up, and I only do this every few years. The system does not have a GUI monitor, just standard console, but I would like to run X win from my desk top to access it. I was able to do this back on 10.20, but can't seem to make it work on 11.i Do I need to have a physical graphics card first? or is there a document I havent been able to find yet that has all the answers?

Dave

[Rick Garland · Accepted solution]

Running X from your desktop will require some sort of X emulator (assuming you are running winbloz on your desktop)

The CDE is usually installed by default unless you purposely choose not to install.

Exceed and Reflections are 2 of the popular commercial emulators. There are other freewares available on the net.

[Peter Godron]

Dave,
you say you had it working under 10.20 but not 11i.
What sort of error/problem are you getting?
I assume you have X type software package, which you used to connect under 10.20?
Regards

[David Preston_4]

On further review I think I screwed up my emulator.

sorry
Dave

[David Preston_4]

Well if any of you kind folks are still watching this message, I have an update.
I have tried 3 or 4 different windows / x win emulators, and with any of them I get about to where I should get the CDE login window and then it fails without any visible error messsage. the CE from the vendor tried contacting HP and could not get a straight answer about whether you should be able to get access to the cde environment if the server itself does not have the ability, ie hardware (video card, mouse, monitor,...)
Everything I read says that the CDE system should have been loaded by default, and the SW list seems to agree. I have seen the CDE login process started on boot, but I do nt seem to be able to modify the monitor settings, or the x-server settings (using SAM) as there is no file /dev/gvid_info so at this point I am pricing out the hardware but I still want to figure out if this is a hardware limitation, or if there is something simple I am missing. are there any commands I can run to verify that CDE is running? or any files to look for?
I really hate to just give up and wait for the hardware.

Dave

[Rick Garland]

In the /usr/contrib/bin/X11 directory is a file called "dr_dt".

This is a shell script that will provide info as to your environment

[David Preston_4]

ok this is quite verbose, there are 9 warnings and 1 error, I will attach the text file.
dave

[Steven E. Protter]

WARNING: //.dt is not a valid directory or does not exist.

Each user must be able to write and create subdirectories in their home directory.

I've had to restrict priviledges in some of my users home directory but for CDE to work, they must have rights.

If the .dt files/directories exist, see the permissions and ownerships. Check the user home directory and make sure its a location that actually exist and doesn't conflict with roots.

Perhaps add this line to /etc/profile or the .profile for the users. It will correctly set the DISPLAY variable.

DISPLAY=$(who -m -u | awk '{print $8}'):0.0

ERROR: The hostname of your system returned by the command "hostname" does not agree with the name returned by "nslookup". The hostname should be assigned to the environment variable HOSTNAME in the file /etc/rc.config.d/netconf.

If this last error is true, it needs to be fixed immediately for any kind of normal system environment, whether or not CDE is used.

SEP

[Rick Garland]

What SEP says.

One of the most common issues (I believe) is resolution. Always make sure you can resolve forward, backwards, up, down, sideways, etc.

So many applications depend on it, especially HP apps

[David Preston_4]

1) I have changed the netconf file to address that issue, and I am re-booting to reset all variables and such.
2) I have only 1 user that is designed to go after this system using a x-sin environment, all other are basically telnet. this one user has a .dt directory in itsh home directory. the usere is a root user, so I don't think there is any major issue with file permissions. I'll get back to you after the re-boot is finished to see if I make any headway.
Dave

[Pete Randall]

Dave,

Almost certainly this is a name resolution issue. If you still have problems after your reboot, try running "/sbin/set_parms hostname" to make sure it is set properly in all the proper places.


Pete

[David Preston_4]

I re-set the hostname, I even ran the second command - set_parms, but no change in response. the dr_dt no longer has the error, but the x-win won't fire up.
Dave

[Rick Garland]

Is this system on a network? Was it originally a standalone? Was it on a network and then removed from the network? Was it a standalone and then put onto a network?

Can you invoke the FAIL-SAFE mode of CDE when logging in? What happens?

[David Preston_4]

OK server is on a network, the same network it will be on once it is fully live. It was configured at the Vendors, but installed on our network from the beginning.
I guess I have to go back to the hardware thing. is it the lack of on board graphics hardware that is sabbotaging me?
Again I will mention that on 10.20 I was able to start a x emulator and get a login prompt right off the block, but on 11 I have not been able to do that. this server was purchased with 11 installed, but without the graphics card and monitor. (I was told I didn't need it, I wish I knew who said that)
everything is functioning as expected with the single exception that the back-up software I loaded requires a gui interface.
Dave

[Rick Garland]

If you are coming over the network and connecting to the system via the X-emulator on your PC, then the graphics hardware on the HPUX server itself does not matter.

Have you checked with the network folks to see if X traffic is being blocked, in whole or just from this server?

Do a `ps -ef | grep dt` - I would expect that you see some line of output. I am hoping that you see dtlogin.

[Tom Dawson]

David,

As Rick said, you do NOT need a graphics card on the server if you are connecting via the netowrk with an X-emulator.

Also as Rick said, you MUST be able to resolve hostnames in both directions. i.e. If you are trying to connect to serverA from client1, not only must client1 be able to resolve serverA's hostname to an IP address, but serverA must be able to resolve client1's hostname to an IP address. Nslookup will tell you if that is so. Did you possibly have a hosts file entry for client1 on the old 10.20 system?

HTH,
Tom

[Rick Garland]

If you are resolving, check with the network folks. It could very be that they are blocking the X traffic.

[David Preston_4]

Server has a host file which contains the listing for the desktop, and nslookup works from the server. (same as in 10.20)

nslookup does not work from the desktop, but I am using the IP not the server name so that should not matter. (same as before also)

our firewall to the outside is very limited, but that should not affect the internal network. (also no change since 10.20 to 11 conversion)

the only thing I have not yet tried is the DISPLAY line for the .profile for the user, I think that is the next thing to attempt.
Dave

[David Preston_4]

I may have found something, but need some help understanding it.
A friend sent me a document titled "CDE Desktop's X11 Server May Not Start After Update to 11.0"
from the HP docs website. It said to review a file /var/dt/Xerrors.
there are errors in this file, which I don't really understand so I am attaching the file for your review.

Dave

[Robert-Jan Goossens]

Hi David,

You are missing a font server.

# ps -ef | grep xfs

# vi /etc/rc.config.d/xfs
change 0 to 1 like below
RUN_X_FONT_SERVER=1

# /sbin/init.d/xfs start

Try the above steps, start cde and check the output of the /var/dt/Xerrors file

Regards,
Robert-Jan

[David Preston_4]

Sorry for the delay, I still need your help.
1) XFS -
ps -ef|grep xfs
root 35 0 0 Jan 27 ? 8:42 vxfsd
root 1090 1 0 Jan 27 ? 0:00 /usr/bin/X11/xfs -config /etc/X1
1/fs/config -port 7000 -daemon
root 10580 9932 0 09:11:55 pts/ta 0:00 grep xfs
2) I cleared the Xerrors file, and tried the X emulatore again, here is what I got.
/usr/bin/X11/xset: bad font path element (#37), possible causes are:
Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
Directory missing fonts.dir
Incorrect font server address or syntax
/usr/bin/X11/xset: bad font path element (#37), possible causes are:
Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
Directory missing fonts.dir
Incorrect font server address or syntax
/usr/bin/X11/xset: bad font path element (#37), possible causes are:
Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
Directory missing fonts.dir
Incorrect font server address or syntax
/usr/bin/X11/xset: bad font path element (#37), possible causes are:
Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
Directory missing fonts.dir
Incorrect font server address or syntax
/usr/bin/X11/xset: bad font path element (#37), possible causes are:
Directory does not exist or has wrong permissions
Directory missing fonts.dir
Incorrect font server address or syntax
Warning: Missing charsets in String to FontSet conversion
Warning: Cannot convert string "-dt-interface system-medium-r-normal-l*-*-*-*-*-
*-*-*-*" to type FontSet

That is about half the file, it is really similar to the errors in the initial file I sent, it still seems to be font related.
Dave

[Robert-Jan Goossens]

Hi Dave,

What is the output of

# nslookup your_server

# nslookup ip_your_server

Robert-Jan

[Robert-Jan Goossens]

add on question. are you using dns?

# ll /etc/resolv.conf

# cat /etc/nsswitch.conf

# ll /etc/rc.config.d
check for files copies (.orig .old etc)

[David Preston_4]

all responses are in attached file, I had network guy update the DNS settings for inside the firewall, and still no noticable changes.

[Rick Garland]

Dave:

You metioned previously that this was working on another system, a 10.20 system.

Is/Was this system on another port? Is it possible that you can attach the non-working system to the network port in which the 10.20 working system is/was attached to?

I may be off base but I am thinking that some firewall restriction is in place to deny the X traffic.