cant start x11 on virtual box for minix 3.2.0

[barry]

Hi I am bharat,
I have just installed the minix 3.2.0 stable build on VirtualBox 4.1.12.
I have tried starting the x window manager using xdm that dint work
then I tried to start it using startx, but after the CheckdevVideo line
it freezes. I have waited for 1/2 hr untill I killed the startx process.
I am beginner so it is better I have some GUI before I get used to
the CLI. Can you guys please help me out.

Thanks in Advance.

regards
Bharat (barry)

[pikpik]

Hi,

On Apr 14, 10:46 am, barry wrote:

> I have just installed the minix 3.2.0 stable build on VirtualBox 4.1.12.
> I have tried starting the x window manager using xdm that dint work
> then I tried to start it using startx, but after the CheckdevVideo line
> it freezes. I have waited for 1/2 hr untill I killed the startx process.

Unfortunately, the X11 package for MINIX 3.2.0 currently doesn't work
when running in VirtualBox. This is a known problem. If you'd like a
graphical interface from X11, you might want to use MINIX directly on
hardware, in VMware, or in Qemu/KVM.

> I am beginner so it is better I have some GUI before I get used to
> the CLI. Can you guys please help me out.

Actually, you'll probably learn a lot more if you use the CLI. But
that's up to you.

> Thanks in Advance.

You're welcome,
pikpik

[barry]

hi,

>Actually, you'll probably learn a lot more if you use the CLI. But
>that's up to you.

yeah your probably right. Thank you anyways.

regards
Bharat

[Ravi]

Hi,

I am using Minix 3.2 in VirtualBox and facing the same problem.
How can I increase the size of console and change the console font in Minix3. Is there a way to enable console colors ini Minix for syntax highlighting?

Thanks.

[pikpik]

Hi,

On Apr 24, 6:19 am, Ravi wrote:

> I am using Minix 3.2 in VirtualBox and facing the same problem.

Using a different virtual machine system will allow X to work
properly.

> How can I increase the size of console

While I haven't done this, there seems to be a way using the "console"
boot parameter:

http://groups.google.com/group/minix3/browse_thread/thread/4ae8577028996b63

Please note that this option is easiest set by appending it to an
entry in /boot.cfg.

There may be other ways, however, again, I haven't tried them:

- man stty

- man tget

- man termcap

> and change the console font in Minix3.

The "loadfont" manual page, accessed via "man loadfont," looks most
relevant.

> Is there a way to enable console colors ini Minix for syntax
> highlighting?

I'm not sure, however it is possible to use existing color settings
for GNU Nano, for example.

I hope this helps,
pikpik

[Antoine LECA]

> On Apr 24, 6:19 am, Ravi answered to Barry:
It is considered good style to start a new thread to ask a new question.

>> How can I increase the size of console

The usual answer is to use X11 or remote connection using ssh or telnet

pikpik wrote:
> While I haven't done this, there seems to be a way using the "console"
> boot parameter:

It will not work: "console=" was dealt as part of the old booting
process (in bootimage.c, calling set_mode() which effectively set up the
video mode using VGA BIOS, just before bootstrapping MINIX.)

Furthermore, this required adequate support for "enhanced text modes"
from the VGA BIOS, and it seems this is not high priority for the VM
makers (since almost all the guests are using graphic modes, or frame
buffers which is basically bypassing the VGA BIOS.) For example, while I
was able to switch to 50-line mode (using console=8003), I did not use
it since the characters were distorted and not readily legible.

> There may be other ways, however, again, I haven't tried them:

The basic point here is the lack of any driver support to change the
graphic device settings. Of course this can be done (and I guess XFree86
does exactly that), but it was never put into MINIX since the
above-mentioned "console=" fitted the need so far.
Also, assuming enough pressure, it should not be difficult to bring back
the console= feature into the NetBSD-based boot loader.

>> and change the console font in Minix3.
>
> The "loadfont" manual page, accessed via "man loadfont," looks most
> relevant.

Also, keep in mind that only fixed-width (not Indian) single-byte (not
CVJK, nor variable-length like UTF-8) character sets can be handled.

>> Is there a way to enable console colors ini Minix for syntax
>> highlighting?

As far as I know it is enabled by default (with TERM=minix), for both
termcap and terminfo based programs.

Of course it requires programs to make use of colours ;-)
(i.e. normal vi does not highlight syntax at all, while vim does.)

Antoine