Question

Running X-Windows in Gentoo under Parallels

Asked by: qz8dsw

My linux goes back to the days of Redhat 5 and used to be quite good at it.
However as with something you don't use for a long time, you lose touch.
Now I'm helping my son with Gentoo and getting X-Windows going, I'm running mine under parallels (He's running his on a normal stand alone machine).

Now I've got the base way to install X-Windows http://perso.netplus.ch/FCorthay/InstallGentoo/Shortforms/gentoo-kde-2.6.html  
which seemed to be progressing well (Although taking heaps of time to compile).
I get to X -config /root/xorg.conf.new, It definately Runs X Windows, But lord knows what resolution.
I have to pull the top bar in Parallels to the left 3 times to just see the far right side of the screen.
I can't see the bottom at all.

Now I know this will be something to do with X-Windows not detecting the "graphics card" in Parallels (Which is why it set it to "vesa" in the xorg.conf.new) Or just picking the largest screen size my screen handles.
How can I force X-Windows to come back to a nice respectable 800x600 or 1024x768

Thanks in advance,
Terry

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Asked On
2007-08-26 at 21:37:44ID22788465
Tags

gentoo

,

parallels

Topics

Gentoo Linux

,

X-Windows Window Manager

Participating Experts
1
Points
500
Comments
6

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Answers

 

by: gheistPosted on 2007-08-28 at 06:13:05ID: 19782597

1) remove /etc/X11/xorg.conf
2) Run "startx"
do the X11 desktop appear at reasonable size?

 

by: gheistPosted on 2007-08-28 at 06:24:04ID: 19782689

Parallels supports only 640x480 16bit without driver.

Now run X -configure and copy your xorg.conf.new as /etc/X11/xorg.conf

Mount vmtools-linux.iso and run parallels-tools.run off it.

That will install video driver that works. /more detail in Parallels user guide page 90/

 

by: qz8dswPosted on 2007-08-28 at 21:32:47ID: 19788726

Hi gheist,

I tried removing the xorg.conf and doing startx to no avail.
X-Windows screen was still so big it's not funny.

I'm running Parallels Workstation for Windows and it does not have the vmtools-linux.iso with it.
In fact for the vmtools it really only seems to support talking to another windows image. (Sort of defeats the purpose really.)

Thanks,
Terry

 

by: gheistPosted on 2007-08-29 at 08:51:48ID: 19792503

MAc Desktop contains ISO image for Linux

1) Download MAC trial
2) Install PERL from www.activestate.com
3) http://vu1tur.eu.org/tools/ - dmg2iso.pl

Use extracted ISO

For big VESA screen - look into "less /var/log/Xorg.0.log" - what size it was? What Depth?
Do X -configure, and copy xorg.xonf.new into /etc/X11/xorg.conf
Now in Section "Screen":

Behind line
Monitor "Monitor0"
a line
DefaultDepth 16
or
DefaultDepth 24

In SubSection "Display" containing chosen "DefaultDepth" add
Modes "1024x768" "640x480"

(or any other modes from Xorg.0.log)

If no luck further:
QEMU uses cirrus driver.
VMWare graphics driver is shipped with Xorg and XFree86 for very long time.

 

by: qz8dswPosted on 2007-08-29 at 23:45:29ID: 19797910

Hi gheist,

Strangely enough I'd started looking at VMWare as well. LOL!
VMWare has made the whole process seemless and I can get my son going.
(And it's backed up what I was saying to him which Parallels couldn't because of the video option)
It's also nicer on my machine CPU and memory wise when running the VM under a single CPU.

Although Parallels is VERY good generally, for this I think I'll head the VMWare way instead of struggling with Parallels for no good reason.

Thanks,
Terry

 

by: gheistPosted on 2007-08-30 at 00:05:47ID: 19797980

To make picture complete:
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