Configuring X for Your Hardware

README for XFree86 3.3.1 on OS/2 : Configuring X for Your Hardware
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## 11. Configuring X for Your Hardware

After you have added the required settings and setup a working network, run the `xf86config` program to create a standard configuration file in `Y:\XFree86\lib\X11\XConfig` from a windowed or full screen OS/2 text session:

> `

>     [C:\] xf86config

> `

The `xf86config` program will ask a number of questions. You will need the information obtained from the SuperProbe program here. The program should be self explanatory; if you have problems to understand something though, seek assistance in the newsgroups.

It is possible, but strongly discouraged for the non-expert, to edit the `XConfig` file with a text editor. In a few situations, as described in the FAQ, this might even be mandatory. This file is not a hacker's area, such as the Win95 registry, but it has in common with it that you can easily cause damage.

For details about the `XF86Config` file format, refer to the XF86Config(4/5) manual page.

If you know the configuration process from Linux or other XFree86 platform, you will encounter a few differences:

- The configuration file is named `XF86Config` in Unix environments.
- There is no configuration for the mouse type or device. The mouse device name is fixed to OSMOUSE, and this cannot be changed. If you have a three-button-mouse, install the correct OS/2 driver for it, such as

  > `

  >     DEVICE=D:\OS2\BOOT\PCLOGIC.SYS SERIAL=COM1
  >     DEVICE=D:\OS2\BOOT\MOUSE.SYS TYPE=PCLOGIC$

  > `

  for a MouseSystems compatible mouse, for instance.
- The X server does not read the native OS/2 keyboard map, so you need a xmodmap file for a non-us keyboard. Fortunately, it is the same you use for Linux. Alternatively, for standard keyboards, you can also use the XKB extension which is offered during the `xf86config` dialogue, provided your language is available.
- There is no support for the Wacom and Elographics input devices yet.

In most cases, an existing `XF86Config` file for the same XFree86 version from Linux or another platform may be used without changes. There is one prominent exception: some S3 805 based VLB cards put their video memory in odd locations. The X server can search for this memory by experimentally mapping and unmapping possible memory regions. In XFree86/OS2, the OS may run out of memory tiles during this process. If this happens, you must find out the location of the memory yourself and add it as an option

> `

>     	MemBase 0x12345678

> `

to the XConfig file.

Once you've set up a XF86Config file, you can fine tune the video modes with the `xvidtune` utility.

README for XFree86 3.3.1 on OS/2 : Configuring X for Your Hardware
Previous: Remarks on the Network Configuration
Next: Running X