MandrivaUsers.org > Can't boot because I uninstalled (all) fonts

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 04:06 PM

Yap, I uninstalled every font from my system, and now I cant start the graphic server, it complains about missing FIXED font, and lets me in text mode. ¿How do I install it again from the command line? (I know my root password) ¿In which package file is it?

Help me please!

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 04:19 PM

try urpmi task-X11 you might need to run XFdrake (mind the capitals) after that too

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 04:34 PM

I don't have an internet connection from my computer... I do have the 2008.0 DVD. Can I do something without Internet connection?

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 04:39 PM

pop it in and see what happens, iirc the dvd could already be set up as a media source.

else see here to set up the dvd:

http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/Tools/urpmi#urpmi.addmedia

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 04:49 PM

Ok, I'll go home to try it, hope it works. Thanks. (Any other help is still welcome)

David Batson

Jul 3 2008, 05:00 PM

I more or less did the same thing once. See how I fixed it, and what I should have done in the following post.

http://forum.mandriva.com/viewtopic.php?p=428139#428139

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 07:14 PM

I ran urpmi task-X11 and it said that that package is already installed.

I've saw the advice David Batson posted and seems a little complicated, or at leas not as easy as installing something, I'd like something like urpmi something else; I just uninstalled something that was in my DVD so I should be able to recover it in some easy (but command line) way, may be someone knows which is that default 'fixed' font that X11 can't find and in which package it is.

Anyway, I'll try the David Batson way right now. But hope there is a easier solution. Keep helping, please.

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 09:29 PM

did you run XFdrake?

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 09:35 PM

Ok, the X graphic servers complains because can't find default font 'fixed', and also said it uses /etc/X11/xorg.conf configuration file, so I read that file, and checked its man page, and discovered that it searches fonts in the directories that FilePath specifies, but my xorg.conf file doesn't have any FilePath, so, as the man page says, it should be looking fonts in

/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc ,
/usr/lib/X11/fonts/TTF ,
/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1 ,
/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi
/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi

but, surprise, I don't have the /usr/lib/x11/fonts directory (nor its subdirectories) so I guess this is the reason why it can't find the 'fixed' default font.

Can anyone check its /etc/X11/xorg.conf file and check if it does have any FilePath specification and, if it doesn't, do you have the /usr/lib/X11/fonts directory and its subdirectories?

Should I create those directories and put some symlinks or files there? HELP PLEASE.

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 10:08 PM

did you run XFdrake!?

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 10:16 PM

Yes, I did run XFdrake, it ran in text-mode and I disabled Composite just to test if it makes it better, reviewed the settings (graphic card, resolution, refresh rate) and everything seems ok.
When I went to Test it didn't say anything and went back to the main XFdrake text dialog (I think the test didn't succeed).

By the way the complain message is: can't find the default font 'fixed', and I uninstalled and reinstalled the fonts, so IMHO the problem should be there...

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 10:22 PM

did you actually delete the fonts and not uninstall them with a package manager?

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 10:38 PM

I didn't delete any file directly.

I uninstalled all the fonts from the "Fonts and Windows import wizard" tool of "Configure my Computer" tool. When I quit the "Configure my computer" I couldn't start the "Install and remove software" tool, (it just didn't started, without even an error message), fortunately the krusader twin-pane file manager did work, althougth with a rare ugly font, from that I went to my 2008.0 DVD and from the /media/main... directory (I can't remember the exact path) installed everything that had a font relative file name (i.e. *font*.*) with the "Install software" tool. (I don't remember if it asked my root password), I restarted krusader and it worked fine, with its habitual font, restarted my computer and... I saw that error message.

David Batson

Jul 3 2008, 10:46 PM

IIRC, I reinstalled the fonts from the DVD. Use your DVD for the medium, search and make sure the following is installed:
1) libfreetype6 (might also need freetype and freetype-tools)
2) libcairo2
3) libxft2

Depending upon what you did, you may want some other font packages as well.

EDIT: I just remembered you are using the command line. See the following: http://wiki.mandriva.com/en/Tools/urpmi

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 10:50 PM

QUOTE (Roberto Oropeza @ Jul 3 2008, 11:38 PM)

I didn't delete any file directly.

I uninstalled all the fonts from the "Fonts and Windows import wizard" tool of "Configure my Computer" tool. When I quit the "Configure my computer" I couldn't start the "Install and remove software" tool, (it just didn't started, without even an error message), fortunately the krusader twin-pane file manager did work, althougth with a rare ugly font, from that I went to my 2008.0 DVD and from the /media/main... directory (I can't remember the exact path) installed everything that had a font relative file name (i.e. *font*.*) with the "Install software" tool. (I don't remember if it asked my root password), I restarted krusader and it worked fine, with its habitual font, restarted my computer and... I saw that error message.

that actually deletes the fonts, not uninstalls them

try
rpm --all-matches --nodeps x11-font && rpm -e task-x11 && urpmi task-x11

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 10:58 PM

The files libfreetype6, libcairo2, libxft2 are in the usr/lib directory and when I try to install *each* font it says "the xxxxxx package is already installed"

I keep thinking it is strange that I don't have the directory /usr/lib/X11/fonts and its subdirectories, that is where xorg.conf man page says it searches the fonts.

I'll go to try to ensure that the packages are really installed from the DVD by uninstalling them and reinstalling them, it can't go worse any way, I'm very worried by now, hope there exists a solution

.

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 11:03 PM

Ok, i'll try the ' rpm --all-matches .... ' ffi solution, hope it works, thank you. I'll be back.

ffi

Jul 3 2008, 11:03 PM

I posted too fast
nevermind

ps: do not forget the --no-deps flag !!! else almost your entire desktop will be uninstalled too!

David Batson

Jul 3 2008, 11:07 PM

QUOTE (Roberto Oropeza @ Jul 3 2008, 04:58 PM)

I keep thinking it is strange that I don't have the directory /usr/lib/X11/fonts and its subdirectories, that is where xorg.conf man page says it searches the fonts.

I just checked and I don't have that directory either. My fonts are located in /usr/lib.

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 3 2008, 11:24 PM

I did

CODE

rpm --allmatches --nodeps ......

And it complained like this:

CODE

rpm: --allmatches may only be specified during package erasure

(note it was --allmatches and not --all-matches, and the rpm --help says --allmatches its probably wrong if the package name matches multiple files)

QUOTE

I just checked and I don't have that directory either. My fonts are located in /usr/lib.

Thank you, and does your /etc/X11/xorg.conf has some FilePath or FileName section

ffi

Jul 4 2008, 07:22 AM

QUOTE (Roberto Oropeza @ Jul 4 2008, 12:24 AM)

(note it was --allmatches and not --all-matches, and the rpm --help says --allmatches its probably wrong if the package name matches multiple files)

try with -e, ie. -e --allmatches else
these are my installed fonts:

# rpm -qa | grep x11-font
x11-font-alias-1.0.1-12mdv2008.1
x11-font-adobe-utopia-75dpi-1.0.1-5mdv2008.1
x11-font-misc-misc-1.0.0-7mdv2008.1
x11-font-bh-75dpi-1.0.0-5mdv2008.1
x11-font-cursor-misc-1.0.0-5mdv2008.1
x11-font-adobe-75dpi-1.0.0-5mdv2008.1
x11-font-bh-lucidatypewriter-75dpi-1.0.0-5mdv2008.1
x11-font-bitstream-75dpi-1.0.0-5mdv2008.1

uninstall them all and reinstall them

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 4 2008, 01:59 PM

Ok, I'll uninstall those fonts and reinstall them, after that I'll try

CODE

rpm -e task-x11 && urpmi task-x11

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 4 2008, 05:52 PM

Now I can use the X server, finally I can see my desktop!!!. For the record, what finally gave me back my desktop was uninstalling all my fonts (as ffi told me) and uninstalling and reinstalling again the x11-task package, right now I've only installed the fonts asked by x11-task. I uninstalled my fonts one by one with various commands like

CODE

rpm -e --nodeps x11-font-xxxxx

But I've lost my window manager and my compizfusion 3D effects, yap, nor tittle bar nor window sizers in GNome (which is the one I constantly use).

In KDE the window manager is working, but the 3D effects aren't working, and the screen display is very bad: I can't look at my desktop cause hurts my eyes, it seems it's blinking at a high frequency all the time, and when I use XFdrake the configuration is the same as in gnome.

The tool that usually let me use 3D effects now says my computer doesn't support them (metisse and compizfusion choices are disabled)

So now I would like to recover my GNOME window manager and the 3D desktop effects, at least the GNOME window manager because I can't even move my windows. What should I do?

(I don't know if it deserves another topic, but I think the main reason for this problem is the same as my original post, namely, removing/uninstalling all my fonts)

ffi

Jul 7 2008, 11:57 PM

which graphics card do you use?

useally setting up the repositories and then running XFdrake is enough to set things up ,for nvidia at least but for other cards your mileage may vary...

show your /etc/X11/xorg.conf :

Roberto Oropeza

Jul 12 2008, 12:21 AM

Sorry for not being here so long time, I had to travel... but now I'm back (and my problems too)

My graphic card is NVidia GForce/4xxx, and the 3D desktop effects worked very well in the same hardware before, I didn't change the hardware.

This is my etc/X11/xorg.conf:

CODE

# File generated by XFdrake (rev 230776)

Section "Extensions"
    Option "Composite"
EndSection
# File generated by XFdrake (rev 230776)

# **********************************************************************
# Refer to the xorg.conf man page for details about the format of
# this file.
# **********************************************************************

Section "ServerFlags"
    #DontZap # disable <Ctrl><Alt><BS> (server abort)
    AllowMouseOpenFail # allows the server to start up even if the mouse does not work
    #DontZoom # disable <Ctrl><Alt><KP_+>/<KP_-> (resolution switching)
EndSection

Section "Module"
    Load "dbe" # Double-Buffering Extension
    Load "v4l" # Video for Linux
    Load "extmod"
    Load "type1"
    Load "freetype"
    Load "glx" # 3D layer
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Keyboard1"
    Driver "kbd"
    Option "XkbModel" "pc105"
    Option "XkbLayout" "es"
    Option "XkbOptions" "compose:rwin"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
    Identifier "Mouse1"
    Driver "mouse"
    Option "Protocol" "ExplorerPS/2"
    Option "Device" "/dev/mouse"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
    Identifier "monitor1"
    VendorName "Compaq"
    ModelName "Compaq QVision 210"
    HorizSync 31.5-82.0
    VertRefresh 50.0-90.0

    # TV fullscreen mode or DVD fullscreen output.
    # 768x576 @ 79 Hz, 50 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     50.00  768  832  846 1000   576  590  595  630

    # 768x576 @ 100 Hz, 61.6 kHz hsync
    ModeLine "768x576"     63.07  768  800  960 1024   576  578  590  616

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1152x864_120"  176.01  1152 1240 1368 1584  864 865 868 926  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1152x864_100"  143.47  1152 1232 1360 1568  864 865 868 915  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1152x864_85"  119.65  1152 1224 1352 1552  864 865 868 907  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1152x864_75"  104.99  1152 1224 1352 1552  864 865 868 902  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1152x864_60"  81.62  1152 1216 1336 1520  864 865 868 895  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1152x864_50"  66.85  1152 1208 1328 1504  864 865 868 889  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1024x768_120"  139.05  1024 1104 1216 1408  768 769 772 823  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1024x768_100"  113.31  1024 1096 1208 1392  768 769 772 814  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1024x768_85"  94.39  1024 1088 1200 1376  768 769 772 807  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1024x768_75"  81.80  1024 1080 1192 1360  768 769 772 802  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1024x768_60"  64.11  1024 1080 1184 1344  768 769 772 795  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "1024x768_50"  51.89  1024 1064 1168 1312  768 769 772 791  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "832x624_120"  91.20  832 896 984 1136  624 625 628 669  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "832x624_100"  74.03  832 888 976 1120  624 625 628 661  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "832x624_85"  61.56  832 880 968 1104  624 625 628 656  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "832x624_75"  53.20  832 872 960 1088  624 625 628 652  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "832x624_60"  41.55  832 864 952 1072  624 625 628 646  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "832x624_50"  33.95  832 856 944 1056  624 625 628 643  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "800x600_120"  83.95  800 856 944 1088  600 601 604 643  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "800x600_100"  68.18  800 848 936 1072  600 601 604 636  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "800x600_85"  56.55  800 840 928 1056  600 601 604 630  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "800x600_75"  48.91  800 840 920 1040  600 601 604 627  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "800x600_60"  38.22  800 832 912 1024  600 601 604 622  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "800x600_50"  31.15  800 824 904 1008  600 601 604 618  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "640x480_120"  52.41  640 680 744 848  480 481 484 515  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "640x480_100"  43.16  640 680 744 848  480 481 484 509  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "640x480_85"  35.71  640 672 736 832  480 481 484 505  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "640x480_75"  30.72  640 664 728 816  480 481 484 502  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "640x480_60"  23.86  640 656 720 800  480 481 484 497  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "640x480_50"  19.40  640 648 712 784  480 481 484 495  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "480x360_120"  28.98  480 504 552 624  360 361 364 387  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "480x360_100"  23.84  480 504 552 624  360 361 364 382  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "480x360_85"  19.59  480 496 544 608  360 361 364 379  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "480x360_75"  16.74  480 488 536 592  360 361 364 377  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "480x360_60"  12.89  480 480 528 576  360 361 364 373  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "480x360_50"  10.39  480 472 520 560  360 361 364 371  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "320x240_120"  12.38  320 328 360 400  240 241 244 258  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "320x240_100"  9.79  320 320 352 384  240 241 244 255  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "320x240_85"  8.26  320 320 352 384  240 241 244 253  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "320x240_75"  6.93  320 312 344 368  240 241 244 251  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "320x240_60"  5.26  320 304 336 352  240 241 244 249  -HSync +Vsync

    # modeline generated by gtf(1) [handled by XFdrake]
    ModeLine "320x240_50"  4.17  320 304 328 336  240 241 244 248  -HSync +Vsync
EndSection

Section "Device"
    Identifier "device1"
    VendorName "nVidia Corporation"
    BoardName "NVIDIA GeForce FX - GeForce 8800"
    Driver "nv"
    Option "DPMS"
    Option "RenderAccel" "false"
    Option "AddARGBGLXVisuals"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
    Identifier "screen1"
    Device "device1"
    Monitor "monitor1"
    DefaultColorDepth 24

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 8
        Modes "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 15
        Modes "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 16
        Modes "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection

    Subsection "Display"
        Depth 24
        Modes "1152x864" "1024x768" "832x624" "800x600" "640x480" "480x360" "320x240"
    EndSubsection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
    Identifier "layout1"
    InputDevice "Keyboard1" "CoreKeyboard"
    InputDevice "Mouse1" "CorePointer"
    Screen "screen1"
EndSection

By the way, I also lost my window decorator in GNOME, I would like to see them again... even if not with the 3d effects. Thanks.

Roberto Oropeza

Aug 10 2008, 03:47 PM

Happy again! I recovered my decorators copying the configuration files from a user whose window-decorators were Ok and may decorators came back.

Then, I found my video-card box and realized I had selected the wrong driver for my video-card, selected de right one and my 3d effects were back too.