[lug] Problem starting XFontServer - newbie

[D. Stimits]

Aaron Braeckel wrote:
> 
> I have done so.  When I manually start xfs then try running startx it has
> the same problem.  When I search for the xfs process (using ps -A) I can't
> find the xfs process even though it displays ok when I run 'xfs start'.
> Also if I run 'xfs restart' or 'xfs stop' it fails.  I assume that xfs has
> an error that doesn't cause 'xfs start' to give a failed message but never
> starts the process.  I don't know where xfs logs to or what possible causes
> there could be for xfs to fail but not display as such.
> 
> >Make sure that xfs is running.
> >
> >From the command prompt type:
> >
> >/etc/rc.d/init.d/xfs start
> 
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------------
> -------
> I'm running RedHat 6.2 on a dual Pentium system.  I have another machine
> with almost the same hardware and configuration.  Whenever I try to run
> startx on one of the machines I get the following error:
> 
> _FontTransSocketUNIXConnect: Can't connect: errno = 111
> failed to set default font path 'unix/:-1'
> Fatal server error:
> could not open default font 'fixed'
> 
> Earlier in the output it prints:
> 
> Warning: The directory "/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType" does not exist.
>          Entry deleted from font path.
> 
> The really confusing thing to me is that the other machine has an identical
> XF86Config file to the machine that is having problems.  I have done a file
> comparison to make sure.  Neither of the machines has a
> /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/fonts/TrueType file or directory but one starts up X and
> one doesn't.  Does anyone know what might be going on?  Thanks in advance
> for any help.
> 
> Aaron Braeckel
> 

Sometimes font directories get permissions changed and seem broken since
the user running the font server isn't allowed access. Check permissions
of your directories such that your regular user can cd to each of them,
and read the files.

If this doesn't do it, consider running mkfontdir, which rebuilds an
index file that is needed to point at the different font files. (see man
mkfontdir)

D. Stimits, stimits at idcomm.com