This article is from a FAQ concerning SCO operating systems. While some of the information may be applicable to any OS, or any Unix or Linux OS, it may be specific to SCO Xenix, Open Desktop or Openserver.

There is lots of Linux, Mac OS X and general Unix info elsewhere on this site: Search this site is the best way to find anything.

X11 and GUI FAQ

I can't finish my SCO install because the GUI doesn't work

This is perhaps the most difficult problem new SCO users can get trapped in. The machine is set to start the GUI automatically, but it either fails completely, or it works partially but they can't login, or they can login but the mouse doesn't work (and they can't figure out how to get out of it without a mouse). As most neophyte users have not yet learned about the magic of alternate screens which lets you switch away from the graphic screen that doesn't work, , they are stuck, and horribly frustrated.

By default, most SCO systems get configured to assume IBM VGA graphics. That's a pretty safe bet, and will almost always give an at least marginally usable 640 by 480 GUI. If it does not, then you need to run "mkdev graphics" (from a character based login, of course) to correct the problem. Here, you'll select a video driver that works with your system. Note it's not necessary to reboot to test your changes: simply login on an alternate screen (ALT-F3, for example) and type "startx".

Macworld Mobile Mac Superguide $9.99

Jump to Comments

Many of the products and books I review are things I purchased for my own use. Some were given to me specifically for the purpose of reviewing them. I resell or can earn commissions from the sale of some of these items. Links within these pages may be affiliate links that pay me for referring you to them. That's mostly insignificant amounts of money; whenever it is not I have made my relationship plain. I also may own stock in companies mentioned here. If you have any question, please do feel free to contact me.

Specific links that take you to pages that allow you to purchase the item I reviewed are very likely to pay me a commission. Many of the books I review were given to me by the publishers specifically for the purpose of writing a review. These gifts and referral fees do not affect my opinions; I often give bad reviews anyway.

We use Google third-party advertising companies to serve ads when you visit our website. These companies may use information (not including your name, address, email address, or telephone number) about your visits to this and other websites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services of interest to you. If you would like more information about this practice and to know your choices about not having this information used by these companies, click here.