WARNING: The information in this page is grossly out-dated. I will leave the pages up in case they might be of some use.

NOTE: I have not used NetBSD for more than 2 years! I have not used MacOS or Mac hardware in more than three years. If you have questions, you are probably better off e-mailing the NetBSD mailing lists rather than me.

Warning! These Instructions are Out-dated!

The color X server of choice for most people should be the OSFA (One-Server-For-All) X Server by Ken Nakata.
Read the README here.
Download the X server here.

Kernel

If you have internal video, then you should be able to use a GENERIC kernel. If you have a Nubus video card, then I recommend the SLOTMAN kernel by Paul Goyette. Read the README file and then select the appropriate
Read the README here.
FTP site to download the SLOTMAN Kernels.

One of the biggest limitations of running NetBSD on the Mac is that as of this writing, there is still no support for color X on the internal video. In order to run X in color, you have to have a Nubus video card and run a special set of software to get it to work. We are also limited by the fact that the most recent X11 distribution does not currently have a color X server. However, if you are adventurous, have a Nubus video card that is supported by NetBSD, and follow these instructions, you should be able to get color X running. Please note that you are limited to 256 colors and to running color X in 640x480 mode.
The remainder of these instructions assume that you have a Macintosh already running NetBSD. They also assume that you have a supported Nubus video card. Please check the Hardware Info Sheet to see if your video card is supported or not.

Kernels and Kernel Support

1. A GENERIC kernel and the color video LKM (loadable kernel module)
2. The SLOTMAN kernel

Color Video LKM

Download Video LKM (8k)

Use the su command to become root. From the / directory, run the following command:

tar zxpvf video-lkm.tar.gz

Note: These commands assume that the video-lkm.tar.gz file is in the / directory. If they are not, they you have to specify the full path like

tar zxpvf /path/to/video-lkm.tar.gz

This command should untar the video_lkm_combined.o file and put it in the /usr/lkm dirctory. This would be a good time to verify that the file exists there.

Still as root, edit the /etc/lkm.conf file as follows:

# path options entry postinstall output when
/usr/lkm/video_lkm_combined.o - video_lkm_cmd - /var/run/video -

Finally, you will need to reboot your Mac into NetBSD again.

SLOTMAN Kernel

Also, please check the Hardware Info Sheet to see if your video card is supported or not.

Once you download the kernel, you install it in the / directory and reboot.

Setting up the X Colorkit

• I am running NetBSD 1.3x

• I am running NetBSD 1.2x

For NetBSD 1.3x

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.3/mac68k/binary/sets/xbase.tgz
ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.3/mac68k/binary/sets/xfont.tgz
ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.3/mac68k/binary/sets/xserver.tgz

The following files are optional, but highly recommended:

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.3/mac68k/binary/sets/xcomp.tgz
ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.3/mac68k/binary/sets/xcontrib.tgz

Then, get the color X server. The URL is:

Xmac68k_color.tar.gz (669K)

This color X server was prepared by Colin Wood .

Use the su command to become root. From the / directory, run the following commands:

tar zxpvf xbase.tgz
tar zxpvf xfont.tgz
tar zxpvf xserver.tgz
tar zxpvf xcomp.tgz
tar zxpvf xcontrib.tgz

Note: These commands assume that the x* files are in the / directory. If they are not, they you have to specify the full path like

tar zxpvf /path/to/xbase.tgz

Now still in the / directory, execute the following command:

mv /usr/X11R6/bin/Xmac68k /usr/X11R6/bin/Xmac68k.bw

This will save a copy of your distribution monochrome X server. Now, you are ready to extract the color X server. Still in the / directory, run:

tar zxpvf /path/to/Xmac68k_color.tar.gz

If you do a directory listing /usr/X11R6/bin, check the permissions on the Xmac68k file and make sure they are like this:

-rwsr-xr-x 1 root wheel 1360043 Dec 3 09:16 Xmac68k

If they are not, then do the following:

chmod 4755 /usr/X11R6/bin/Xmac68k

That's all there is to it. Now, you can log in as yourself and try typing startx to fire up X. What I usually do is use this command:

startx >& xlog.txt

This directs the error output to a logfile called xlog.txt. This way, if you have any problems, you can examine the xlog.txt file to see where things went wrong (or send a copy to the mac68k list to get help).

For NetBSD 1.2x

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.2/mac68k/X11/xbase
ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.2/mac68k/X11/xserver

The following file is optional, but highly recommended:

ftp://ftp.netbsd.org/pub/NetBSD/NetBSD-1.2/mac68k/X11/xcomp

Then, get the color X server. The URL is:

ftp://ftp.macbsd.com/pub/NetBSD/X/colorkit/Xmacbsd.960512.gz

Note that this is NOT a tar file, just a gzipped file. Use the su command to become root. From the / directory, run the following commands:

tar zxpvf xbase
tar zxpvf xcomp
tar zxpvf xserver

Note: These commands assume that the x* files are in the / directory. If they are not, they you have to specify the full path like

tar zxpvf /path/to/xbase

Now change to the /usr/X11R6/bin directory. Execute the following command:

mv Xmac68k Xmac68k.bw

This will save a copy of your distribution monochrome X server. Now use gunzip to decompress the Xmacbsd.960512.gz file. The resulting file should be named Xmacbsd. Still in the /usr/X11R6/bin directory, do the following:

cp /path/to/Xmacbsd ./Xmac68k

If you do a directory listing, check the permissions on the Xmac68k file and make sure they are like this:

-rwsr-xr-x 1 root wheel 1360043 Dec 3 09:16 Xmac68k

If they are not, then do the following:

chmod 4755 Xmac68k

That's all there is to it. Now, you can log in as yourself and try typing startx to fire up X. What I usually do is use this command:

startx >& xlog.txt

This directs the error output to a logfile called xlog.txt. This way, if you have any problems, you can examine the xlog.txt file to see where things went wrong (or send a copy to the mac68k list to get help).

Final Notes

• This doesn't really relate to color X, but in general, X works much more efficiently with a three-button mouse. I am using a Microspeed Deluxe Three-Button Mouse. It works very well with NetBSD.

• You should still follow all of the other procedures listed in the FAQ, especially, the section on setting up X to get your X window system running properly. This will include putting the /usr/X11R6/bin directory in your path and setting up the ldconfig.

Back to my Mark's MacBSD How-To Index.

Last updated, 98-09-19.

URL for this page: http://www2.giganet.net/~mark/NetBSD/howtos/color-x-howto.html