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<A HREF="OpenBSD.html"><EM>README for XFree86 on OpenBSD</EM></A>
 <b>:</b> <EM>Running X</EM><BR>
<b>Previous:</b> <A HREF="OpenBSD6.html"><EM>Configuring X for Your Hardware</EM></A><BR>
<b>Next:</b> <A HREF="OpenBSD8.html"><EM>Kernel Support for X</EM></A>


<HR NOSHADE>
  <H2><A NAME="10"></A>7. Running X</H2>
<p>8mb of memory is a recommended minimum for running X.  The server,
window manager and an xterm take about 4 Mb of memory themselves.  On
a 4Mb system that would leave nothing left over for other applications
like gcc that expect a few meg free.  X will work with 4Mb of memory,
but in practice compilation while running X can take 5 or 10 times as
long due to constant paging.</p>


<H3><A NAME="11"></A>7.1. Starting xdm, the display manager</H3>
<p>To start the display manager, log in as root on the console and type:
``<code>xdm -nodaemon</code>''.</p>
<p>You can start xdm automatically on bootup un-commenting the following
code in <code>/etc/rc.local</code>:</p>
<p>
<blockquote><code>
<pre>
  if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
    echo -n ' xdm'; /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm
  fi
</pre>
</code></blockquote>
</p>
<p>On the default OpenBSD 2.2 installation, you will need to create
the virtual console device for the X server:
<blockquote><code>
<pre>
cd /dev
 ./MAKEDEV ttyC5
</pre>
</code></blockquote>
</p>

<p>Note that the binary distributions of XFree86 for OpenBSD don't include
support for the XDM-AUTHORIZATION-1 protocol. </p>

<H3><A NAME="12"></A>7.2. Running X without the display manager</H3>
<p>The easiest way for new users to start X windows is to type: ``<code>startx
&gt;&amp; startx.log</code>''.  Error messages are lost unless you redirect them
because the server takes over the screen.</p>
<p>To get out of X windows, type: ``<code>exit</code>'' in the console xterm.
You can customize your X by creating <code>.xinitrc</code>, <code>.xserverrc</code>,
and <code>.twmrc</code> files in your home directory as described in the xinit
and startx man pages.</p>

 <HR NOSHADE>
<A HREF="OpenBSD.html"><EM>README for XFree86 on OpenBSD</EM></A>
 <b>:</b> <EM>Running X</EM><BR>
<b>Previous:</b> <A HREF="OpenBSD6.html"><EM>Configuring X for Your Hardware</EM></A><BR>
<b>Next:</b> <A HREF="OpenBSD8.html"><EM>Kernel Support for X</EM></A>



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