Tiny Core Linux

General TC => General TC Talk => Topic started by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 01:33:12 AM

Title: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 01:33:12 AM

Brand new to TC+.

Running TC+ installed on an ancient IBM 600e. The colors in Firefox are NOT what is on the website. Somehow FLWM is changing the colors. How do I fix that?

Also, can I run a different window manager, like flux (which I installed).

Exiting to a prompt puts up a green screen and hangs the machine but reboot and shutdown work OK.

Thanks.

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: curaga on January 17, 2012, 08:06:52 AM

Many of the old graphics cards like your Neomagic are not fully Vesa compliant. Please use either Xorg or Xfbdev.

If you have fluxbox installed onboot, and flwm is still used, remove flwm from your onboot.lst.

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 10:41:20 AM

Thanks. I thought the colors were a result of the window manager and I thought TC+ used X. I never heard of Versa.

Can you give me a hint on how I use xorg or xfbdev with TC+? Do I just install them like I did Firefox? Will I have to config either of them?

Years and years ago I ran Slackware Linux where I had to do all of that kind of editing, but forgot all of the X stuff I used to know as I run Apple OS X as my main machine for past 7 yrs.

I'm trying to get something to run well on this old IBM as I'm going to use it as a travel laptop (built like a tank!) I wish I could find a wireless card for it. Don't think one is made.

Mepis worked fine, but was terribly slow. TC+ is much faster and boots quickly. Now if I can just get the colors correct.

And why does "exit to prompt" hang the machine. That makes no sense, but it isn't important.

Thanks,

Al

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: gerald_clark on January 17, 2012, 10:56:20 AM

Spend some time in the wiki.
http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_microcore (http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:install_microcore) is a discussion of adding X to microcore ( just core now ).
One of the Xorg packages can be substituted for Xvesa.

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 11:11:12 AM

Read the Wiki. I see there is Xlibs and Xprogs. Do I install them both? Do I need to put them in "on boot?" Is there more in the Wiki than the page you gave me? Looking around, don't see it.

I notice that TC does an auto-boot. It does not start with a boot screen offering me options like the CD does.

Thanks.

Al

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: curaga on January 17, 2012, 12:18:11 PM

The hang on exit to prompt is due to Xvesa too.

The FAQ has an entry on Xfbdev:
http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/faq.html#framebuffer (http://distro.ibiblio.org/tinycorelinux/faq.html#framebuffer)

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 12:33:26 PM

Thanks. Read the info on framebuffer. Is it the "same" as X or is it a replacement for Xorg? I know Xorg works on the old Thinkpad because Mepis used it. So I'd like to go that route. I'm just not sure what I do to make it happen.

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: curaga on January 17, 2012, 12:35:12 PM

Boot in text mode
Install Xorg-7.6 (ab Xorg-7.6)
Reboot

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 12:38:11 PM

How do I boot in text mode? TC+ just auto boots to the FLWM... no log in or boot screen.

I did find this: http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:using_xorg_over_xvesa (http://wiki.tinycorelinux.net/wiki:using_xorg_over_xvesa)

Can I do this from a terminal screen (as root) since I can't get to a system prompt?

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: curaga on January 17, 2012, 12:47:14 PM

Installing an X server while another is running can cause issues. From X:

- "Download only" Xorg-7.6
- Mark it onboot in appsaudit
- Reboot

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: al3 on January 17, 2012, 01:58:22 PM

Wow. I did exactly as you said and it's a huge improvement. Firefox is still not rendering some "background" colors... like on a table listing with alternating white and yellow backgrounds, but for the most part the other colors are fine.  Maybe there is some other font or whatever I should get? But no big deal.

I really appreciate your help.

Al
PS: What is the small-footprint email program that is most popular? Claws? What works for PDFs? Xpdf?

Title: Re: Why are colors strange in Firefox? Can't exit to prompt either.
Post by: curaga on January 17, 2012, 02:15:07 PM

I like Sylpheed and Epdfviewer.