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Re: [LUG] Messed up config file



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Mike Tidball wrote:
> I originaly edited the files with a text editor accesed from the desktop.
> The files names were somethink like
> etc/X11/X86Config,etc/X11/X86ConfigYastsave and another I cant remember
> without going back in Suse.I'm having to do this in windows,windows can't
> read see any of the linux files or I would use windows to edit them.
> So' after logging in as root and cd'ing to the etc/X11 directory what
can I
> type to open and edit those files?

Have to say SUSE drove me nuts with all that Yast2 and Sax2, and config
tools that put dire warnings in files saying "this file was
autogenerated in some mysterious way any edits may be lost".

This isn't the "*nix" way, the *nix way is more like the Debian
installer, "Hi, I see you editted the file /x/y/z since it was
installed, I have an updated versions do you want to keep yours, use
mine, or see the difference between them to help you decide?".

Most X problems can be fixed by....

Reading /var/log/XFree86.0.log, this log file is written when the
default X server starts up on your local box. It writes down everything
it thinks it has discovered about your graphics environment. Which
driver is running, what resolutions and features are supported, even
typos in some config files are reported here on occaison (not that I
make any typos you understand! ;).

Every time you restart X it is rewritten.

Editing /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 (or /etc/X11/XF86Config on boxes with XF86
version 3 or earlier).

Fiddling around with what driver is actually called (which the Nvidia
installation instructions should help you sort out).

You may find it more useful to let tools like Sax2 edit XF86Config-4 for
you, but if you get one that works, even if not very well, don't be
afraid to make a backup copy!

> I'm just going to try typing vi <filename> and emacs <filename> to see
what
> happens.

Suggest you try mastering these editors (as an unprivileged user) before
editting important system files with them. Emacs has a built in tutorial
to cover the basics. In vi "Escape" followed by ":q!" usually drops you
back to the command line without writing any changes, this is
surprisingly useful wen you've goofed editing important files.

*nix derivatives are usually quite happy to let root edit directory
inode contents directly and other evils, which can really mess your
system up big time. Thus root must not only know how to use an editor,
he must never make any typos either ;-) This is why most sane people
don't use a root shell much, if ever, however most of us are insane and
go with the convenience of a root shell, and type carefully!

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