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Xserver can't find default font and dies.

Just installed Slackware distribution of Linux 2.0.3? (it's hard to tell with Slackware exactly what version you're getting). When I run startx it dies supposedly because it cannot find the 'fixed' font. I compared the font directories in 2.0.3? with the ones in 1.3.20 (my previous WORKING version of linux). They appear to be the same! So, what's the real problem? Here's the startx output:

XFree86 Version 3.3.2.3 / X Window System
(protocol Version 11, revision 0, vendor release 6300)
Release Date: July 15 1998
If the server is older than 6-12 months, or if your card is newer
than the above date, look for a newer version before reporting
problems. (see http://www.XFree86.Org/FAQ)
Operating System: Linux 2.0.32 i586 [ELF]
Configured drivers:
SVGA: server for SVGA graphics adaptors (Patchlevel 0):
NV1, STG2000, RIVA128, ET4000, ET4000W32, ET4000W32i,
ET4000W32i_rev_b, ET4000W32i_rev_c, ET4000W32p, ET4000W32p_rev_a,
ET4000W32p_rev_b, ET4000W32p_rev_c, ET4000W32p_rev_d, ET6000, ET6100,
et3000, pvga1, wd90c00, wd90c10, wd90c30, wd90c24, wd90c31, wd90c33,
gvga, ati, sis86c201, sis86c202, sis86c205, tvga8200lx, tvga8800cs,
tvga8900b, tvga8900c, tvga8900cl, tvga8900d, tvga9000, tvga9000i,
tvga9100b, tvga9200cxr, tgui9400cxi, tgui9420, tgui9420dgi,
tgui9430dgi, tgui9440agi, cyber9320, tgui9660, tgui9680, tgui9682,
tgui9685, cyber9382, cyber9385, cyber9388, cyber9397, cyber9520,
3dimage975, 3dimage985, clgd5420, clgd5422, clgd5424, clgd5426,
clgd5428, clgd5429, clgd5430, clgd5434, clgd5436, clgd5446, clgd5480,
clgd5462, clgd5464, clgd5465, clgd6205, clgd6215, clgd6225, clgd6235,
clgd7541, clgd7542, clgd7543, clgd7548, clgd7555, ncr77c22, ncr77c22e,
cpq_avga, mga2064w, mga1064sg, mga2164w, mga2164w AGP, oti067, oti077,
oti087, oti037c, al2101, ali2228, ali2301, ali2302, ali2308, ali2401,
cl6410, cl6412, cl6420, cl6440, video7, ark1000vl, ark1000pv,
ark2000pv, ark2000mt, mx, realtek, AP6422, AT24, AT3D, s3_virge,
s3_svga, ct65520, ct65525, ct65530, ct65535, ct65540, ct65545,
ct65546, ct65548, ct65550, ct65554, ct65555, ct68554, ct64200,
ct64300, generic
(using VT number 7)

XF86Config: /etc/XF86Config
(**) stands for supplied, (--) stands for probed/default values
(**) XKB: keymap: "xfree86(us)" (overrides other XKB settings)
(**) Mouse: type: MouseMan, device: /dev/mouse, baudrate: 1200
(**) Mouse: buttons: 3
(**) SVGA: Graphics device ID: "CL542X"
(**) SVGA: Monitor ID: "Arche 214S"
(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 35.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "640x400" needs hsync freq of 37.86 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "640x480" needs hsync freq of 36.46 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "640x480" needs hsync freq of 37.50 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 37.88 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "640x400" needs hsync freq of 43.27 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 43.92 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 48.08 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 48.36 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "640x480" needs hsync freq of 53.01 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 53.51 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 55.84 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 56.48 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 51.02 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 64.02 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 62.50 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 62.42 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 64.25 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 70.24 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 70.88 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 74.59 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 75.00 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 76.01 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 78.86 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 80.21 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 81.13 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 87.50 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 89.62 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 91.15 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 93.75 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 105.77 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 107.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1800X1440" needs hsync freq of 96.15 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1800X1440" needs hsync freq of 104.52 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "512x384" needs hsync freq of 34.38 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "320x240" needs hsync freq of 39.38 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "400x300" needs hsync freq of 35.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "400x300" needs hsync freq of 37.88 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "400x300" needs hsync freq of 48.08 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "480x300" needs hsync freq of 35.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "480x300" needs hsync freq of 37.80 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "800x600" needs hsync freq of 64.02 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 62.50 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 62.42 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 64.25 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 70.24 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 70.88 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 74.59 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 75.00 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 76.01 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 78.86 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1024x768" needs hsync freq of 80.21 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 81.13 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 87.50 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1152x864" needs hsync freq of 89.62 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 91.15 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 93.75 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1600x1200" needs hsync freq of 105.77 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1280x1024" needs hsync freq of 107.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1800X1440" needs hsync freq of 96.15 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "1800X1440" needs hsync freq of 104.52 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "512x384" needs hsync freq of 34.38 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "320x240" needs hsync freq of 39.38 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "400x300" needs hsync freq of 35.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "400x300" needs hsync freq of 37.88 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "400x300" needs hsync freq of 48.08 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "480x300" needs hsync freq of 35.16 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "480x300" needs hsync freq of 37.80 kHz. Deleted.
(--) SVGA: Mode "480x300" needs hsync freq of 48.00 kHz. Deleted.
(**) FontPath set to "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/,/usr/X11R6/lib/
X11/fonts/Speedo/,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/,/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
(--) SVGA: chipset: clgd5429
(--) SVGA: videoram: 1024k
(--) SVGA: clocks: 25.23 28.32 41.16 36.08 31.50 39.99 45.08 49.87
(--) SVGA: clocks: 64.98 72.16 75.00 80.01 85.23
(**) SVGA: Using 8 bpp, Depth 8, Color weight: 666
(--) SVGA: Maximum allowed dot-clock: 85.500 MHz
(**) SVGA: Mode "1024x768": mode clock = 44.900, clock used = 45.075
(--) SVGA: There is no mode definition named "800x600"
(--) SVGA: Removing mode "800x600" from list of valid modes.
(**) SVGA: Mode "640x480": mode clock = 25.175, clock used = 25.226
(--) SVGA: Virtual resolution set to 1024x768
(--) SVGA: Generic SpeedUps selected (Flags=0x30)
(--) SVGA: clgd5429: Internal memory clock register is 0x1c (Standard RAS)
(**) SVGA: clgd5429: Approximate DRAM bandwidth for drawing: 55 of 100 MB/s
(--) SVGA: clgd5429: 262144 bytes off-screen memory available
(--) SVGA: clgd5429: Using hardware cursor
(--) SVGA: clgd5429: Using accelerator functions
(--) SVGA: clgd5429: Using BitBLT engine
(--) SVGA: Using XAA (XFree86 Acceleration Architecture)
(--) SVGA: XAA: Solid filled rectangles
(--) SVGA: XAA: Screen-to-screen copy
(--) SVGA: XAA: Using 8 128x128 areas for pixmap caching
(--) SVGA: XAA: Caching tiles and non-transparent stipples
(--) SVGA: XAA: Horizontal and vertical lines and segments
System: `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb/xkbcomp -w 1 -R/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb -xkm -m us -em1 "The XKEYBOARD
keymap compiler (xkbcomp) reports:" -emp "> " -eml "Errors from xkbcomp are not fatal to the X serv
er" keymap/xfree86 compiled/xfree86.xkm'

Fatal server error:
could not open default font 'fixed'

When reporting a problem related to a server crash, please send
the full server output, not just the last messages

_X11TransSocketUNIXConnect: Can't connect: errno = 111
giving up.
xinit: Connection refused (errno 111): unable to connect to X server
xinit: No such process (errno 3): Server error.

dangermouse011299

ASKER

Edited text of question

ahoffmann

you have set the FontPath in XF86Config file (see output of startx above), check the paths you specified if they are where the fonts reside.

dangermouse011299

ASKER

I can only say that they are the same as in Linux 1.3.20 which
actually works.

olvo

I don't really know what kind of problem do you have, but see if this help:
1. xset +fp font_dir_name
2. xset fp rehash
These commands are used to inform X to lock for fonts in non-standard dir, maybe it could help in your case.

ahoffmann

olvo, how to use xset when X is not running :(
dangermouse, just comparing version numbers is not enough, please check the paths (as in my previous comment)

dangermouse011299

ASKER

Well, that's exactly what I did! I am not sure how else to say it. For example, in Linux 2.0.35:

ls -l /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/ > tmpfile1

in Linus 1.3.20

ls -l /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/ > tmpfile2
diff tmpfile1 tmpfile2

No difference. Repeat for other font directories. Still no difference. Therefore the available fonts are the same. So, why does 1.3.20 work while 2.0.35 does not? I haven't done anything unusual. It's the standard Slackware distribution. Ok? Give me something to work with.

To olvo: Where elses would X look especially if I'm doing the standard kind of setup?

dangermouse011299

ASKER

Adjusted points to 150

mcdonc

Dangermouse,

I had this problem. I had a bad "FontPath" entry in my XF86Config.

Here's my (working) XF86Config section for FontPaths:

FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/misc/"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Type1/"
FontPath "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo/"

The "fixed" font it looks for resides in the "misc" directory.

Make sure this font exists (look for *-fixed-* in fonts.dir within "misc" and make sure that file exists).

Make sure all the other directories you list as a "FontPath" exist and have fonts in them plus a fonts.dir file.

ahoffmann

can you start the bare X server (X), you should get a gray background with a xterm console without window manager

dangermouse011299

ASKER

Ok, I'm a bozo! The font directories were screwed up just like everybody said. I got confused by the Slackware install program. I told it to do a FULL install, but guess what. A FULL install only goes up to 300-something Mbs! In fact it is NOT a FULL install. It's the fake-out-the-poor-slob-trying-to-do-it-quick install. Anyway not all the fonts were installed. I started from scratch and did the NEWBIE install. Finally found a kernel that would boot my box and now it seems to be working. Thanks for not flaming the moron. Now, how can I give some points to ahoffmann and mcdonc?

mcdonc

Just give them to ahoffman, I think he had it first. He'll answer, hoepfully.

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

ahoffmann

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