maybe xorg server?: gnome is not starting without a screen connected?

Eric Gunther egunther at warwick.net
Sun Mar 12 18:20:51 UTC 2017


On Sat, 2017-03-11 at 23:20 +0100, Simon Eigeldinger wrote:
> Hi Eric,
> 
> This is basically just a normal desktop pc.
> it is headless because it has no screen.
> a keyboard is connected though.
> 
> on the arch wiki i read that this is a problem with auto configuring
> the 
> screen.
> the server can't find a screen on all graphics adapters so it seems
> to hang.
> but yeah we will see.
> Maybe someone else can chime in here.
> 
> 
> but i might call a gnome mailing list.
> maybe someone there has an idea what to do.
> 
> greetings,
> Simon
> 
> Am 11.03.2017 um 22:23 schrieb Eric Gunther:
> > On Sat, 2017-03-11 at 20:26 +0100, Simon Eigeldinger wrote:
> > > Hi Eric,
> > > 
> > > I understood before as well.
> > > I tested Fedora, Ubuntu Gnome, OpenSUSE, Paldo, Debian Testing,
> > > Manjaro
> > > and some more i can't remember at the moment.
> > > 
> > > Though i don't understand why the system should stop booting
> > > without
> > > a
> > > screen connected. Because a half booted machine doesn't make
> > > sense.
> > > 
> > > Screen auto detection isn't a bad thing but not booting is as
> > > well.
> > > 
> > > Greetings,
> > > Simon
> > > 
> > > 
> > > 
> > > Am 11.03.2017 um 19:44 schrieb Eric Gunther:
> > > > On Sat, 2017-03-11 at 19:11 +0100, Simon Eigeldinger wrote:
> > > > > Hi Eric and all,
> > > > > 
> > > > > I guess we need to get that implemented into the server
> > > > > itself.
> > > > > Because contacting all the distros might be to difficult.
> > > > > that
> > > > > might
> > > > > be
> > > > > a workaround but i think we need to get that fixed.
> > > > > 
> > > > > Greetings,
> > > > > Simon
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > > Am 11.03.2017 um 14:06 schrieb Eric Gunther:
> > > > > > On Fri, 2017-03-10 at 20:52 +0100, Simon Eigeldinger wrote:
> > > > > > > Hi all,
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > I am a blind person from austria.
> > > > > > > I am using the computer often without a screen.
> > > > > > > I figured out on many distros there are issues with the
> > > > > > > desktop
> > > > > > > without
> > > > > > > a screen.
> > > > > > > Seems the desktop isn't coming up when no screen is
> > > > > > > connected?
> > > > > > > I read in the arch wiki that this is caused by the screen
> > > > > > > auto
> > > > > > > config
> > > > > > > function of the server.
> > > > > > > can that be worked around?
> > > > > > > I wanted to install a system on a machine but the live
> > > > > > > dvd
> > > > > > > seems
> > > > > > > not
> > > > > > > to
> > > > > > > come up because of this.
> > > > > > > Is there something i can specify at boot? for example
> > > > > > > some
> > > > > > > parameters
> > > > > > > i
> > > > > > > can enter at the boot menu?
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > For people using no screen this is pretty frustrating.
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > greetings and thanks for helping,
> > > > > > > Simon
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > ---
> > > > > > > Diese E-Mail wurde von Avast Antivirus-Software auf Viren
> > > > > > > geprüft.
> > > > > > > https://www.avast.com/antivirus
> > > > > > > 
> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > > xorg at lists.x.org: X.Org support
> > > > > > > Archives: http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg
> > > > > > > Info: https://lists.x.org/mailman/listinfo/xorg
> > > > > > > Your subscription address: %(user_address)s
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > As a somewhat amature user of X, I spent some time last
> > > > > > night
> > > > > > looking
> > > > > > at info on this.  I think you want a 'headless' setup.
> > > > > >  Although in
> > > > > > your case I am not sure this is appropriate.  Often people
> > > > > > will
> > > > > > login
> > > > > > to a machine like this over the internet via ssh.  So you
> > > > > > need
> > > > > > another
> > > > > > computer to login to the 'headless' one.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > What I found is that you probably have to modify xorg.conf
> > > > > > or
> > > > > > 10
> > > > > > -monitor.conf in the /etc/X11/ and /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/
> > > > > > directories
> > > > > > respectively.  This does not seem like a good soultion,
> > > > > > particularly in
> > > > > > the case of a liveDVD.
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > I think the best solution would be to email a maintainer of
> > > > > > the
> > > > > > liveDVD
> > > > > > or support for the distribution that your trying to use,
> > > > > > whether it
> > > > > > be
> > > > > >  forum, mailing list, or irc(chat).
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > Have a good day,
> > > > > > 
> > > > > > eg
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > xorg at lists.x.org: X.Org support
> > > > > > Archives: http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg
> > > > > > Info: https://lists.x.org/mailman/listinfo/xorg
> > > > > > Your subscription address: %(user_address)s
> > > > > > 
> > > > > 
> > > > Hi Simon,
> > > > 
> > > > 
> > > > I think you may have misunderstood.  The proper (As far as I
> > > > know)
> > > > way
> > > > to set up when having dificulties is with the configuration
> > > > files.
> > > >  As
> > > > far as contacting all the distros, I was going to ask;  which
> > > > liveDVD
> > > > are you trying to run?  In any event I was saying that you
> > > > should
> > > > probably talk to the maintainer/support/community of that*
> > > > distro.
> > > >  Also I think it is unlikely, but probably not impossible, to
> > > > issue
> > > > parameters at boot that will assist you.
> > > > 
> > > > Greetings,
> > > > 
> > > > Eric Gunther
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > xorg at lists.x.org: X.Org support
> > > > Archives: http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg
> > > > Info: https://lists.x.org/mailman/listinfo/xorg
> > > > Your subscription address: %(user_address)s
> > > > 
> > > 
> > 
> > Hi Simon,
> > 
> > I am a desktop opensuse user and I believe they have a very
> > supportive
> > community, I'm not involved but that has been my impression.
> > 
> > a quick search led me here:
> > https://lists.opensuse.org/opensuse/2009-11/msg00383.html
> > 
> > which I think is related.
> > 
> > furthermore this may help:
> > 
> > https://en.opensuse.org/openSUSE:Communication_channels
> > 
> > Honestly, I think its a bit quirky that a system wont work without
> > a
> > monitor but I have to point out initially you said that it would
> > not
> > get to the desktop.  So it is booting fine presumably.  The command
> > line interface is usefull for many tasks.
> > 
> > Since you mention screen auto detection, I have seen mention of
> > saving
> > a file with EDID info in it.
> > 
> > another quick search and take this for example:
> > 
> >  http://kodi.wiki/view/Creating_and_using_edid.bin_via_xorg.conf
> > 
> > All of this though requires some sort of configuration, either from
> > the
> > command line or from a text editor ( I think ).  As I mentioned
> > before
> > the common case is that people will login to a headless machine via
> > ssh.  This can come with additional difficulties.
> > 
> > 
> > "half a booted machine doesn't make sense"
> > 
> > Thing is that your computer is telling you the same thing.
> > 
> > "that might be a workaround but i think we need to get that fixed."
> > 
> > You may have some luck at this mailing list or other xorg mailing
> > lists
> > as well, I really don't know.  From my end though, this is not
> > something I am capable of.
> > 
> > here may help:
> > 
> > https://www.x.org/wiki/XorgMailingLists/
> > 
> > 
> > good luck and,
> > 
> > Have a good day,
> > 
> > eg
> > _______________________________________________
> > xorg at lists.x.org: X.Org support
> > Archives: http://lists.freedesktop.org/archives/xorg
> > Info: https://lists.x.org/mailman/listinfo/xorg
> > Your subscription address: %(user_address)s
> > 
> 
Hi Simon,


That is what I understand.  I think getting the monitor info is what is
making the computer not work, yes.  I did look at the kernel boot
parameters somewhat and I know that "nomodeset" is a commonly used one
for monitor/display issues.

Also, just a thought, this may help
"The purpose of BLINUX project is to improve usability of the LINUX
operating system for the user who is blind"

http://www.leb.net/blinux/


Have a good day,

eg



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