PPC: How to Install Xpmac

Support knowledgebase (leah_inst_xpmac)
Applies to

SuSE Linux PowerPC: Version 6.4,7.0

PPC: How to Install Xpmac


Xpmac is a Xserver for graphics cards with no XFree86 support. It should be used with the onbord chipsets platinum, valkyie and control in older PowerMacs.

The newer PowerMacs were shipped with ATI Rage128 and Mach64 cards. These chipsets are supported with XFree86 4.0.1 and later. Xpmac is not needed on these chipsets.

Follow these steps to install Xpmac with international keymap support:

Install the package xpmac.rpm from the series xsrv.
Install the XFree86 3.3.6 framebuffer server and make sure the correct keymap is active. (This is easily done by running SaX and using fbdev for the X server.)
Write the active keymap to a file:

xmodmap -pke > xmodmap
Edit the file xmodmap and change one line at the end of the file:
keycode 131 = Shift_L
copy the file xmodmap to /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/Xmodmap
Go to the directory /var/X11R6/bin
Remove the symlink for X
rm X
Replace the symlink X with this command:
ln -sfvb /usr/X11R6/bin/Xpmac X
Xpmac will be activated with the next restart of X.

If you use the kernel version 2.2.16 and later the new input layer is active. This requires a change to the mouse device:

cd /dev
rm usbmouse
ln -sfv  input/mice usbmouse
That is also needed for ADB mice.


See also:
o USB with kernel version 2.2.16 and newer
o PPC: 6.4 - Kernel update

Keywords: PPC, POWERMAC, POWERPC, MAC, XPMAC, ATI, APPLE, MACINTOSH, XFREE86

Categories: Power Macintosh

SDB-leah_inst_xpmac, Copyright SuSE Linux AG, Nürnberg, Germany - Version: 10. Aug 2000
SuSE Linux AG - Last generated: 10. Dez 2001 by sdb (sdb_gen 1.40.0)