Configuring X for Your Hardware

README for XFree86 on FreeBSD : Configuring X for Your Hardware
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## 4. Configuring X for Your Hardware

The `XF86Config` file tells the X server what kind of monitor, video card and mouse you have. You must create it to tell the server what specific hardware you have.

It is strongly recommended that you use either the `XF86Setup' utility (which requires the VGA16 server to be installed), or the `xf86config' utility to generate an XF86Config file.

In order to protect your hardware from damage, the server no longer will read `XF86Config` files from a user's home directory, but requires that it be in `/etc/XF86Config`, `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/XF86Config.`hostname or `/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/XF86Config`.

You'll need info on your hardware:

- Your mouse type, baud rate and its `/dev` entry.
- The video card's chipset (e.g. ET4000, S3, etc).
- Your monitor's sync frequencies.

The easiest way to find which device your mouse is plugged into is to use ```cat`'' or ```kermit`'' to look at the output of the mouse. Connect to it and just make sure that it generates output when the mouse is moved or clicked:

> `

>      % cat < /dev/tty00

> `

If you can't find the right mouse device then use ```dmesg|grep sio`'' to get a list of devices that were detected upon booting:

> `

>      % dmesg|grep sio
>      sio0 at 0x3f8-0x3ff irq 4 on isa

> `

Then double check the `/dev` entries corresponding to these devices. Use the script `/dev/MAKEDEV` to create entries if they don't already exist:

> `

>      % cd /dev
>      % sh MAKEDEV tty00

> `

If you plan to fine tune the screen size or position on your monitor you'll need the specs for sync frequencies from your monitor's manual.

README for XFree86 on FreeBSD : Configuring X for Your Hardware
Previous: Installing The Display Manager (xdm)
Next: Running X