HOWTO: The Computer Classroom July 7, 2001  
 
 

1.2.3 Runlevel

Next, you will configure the monitor. While the server installation does not use a graphical user interface (GUI), the workstations will use a GUI called X Windows, or simply “X.” The first step to configuring X will be to set up the monitor and video card. The Red Hat installer should find your monitor and select it automatically, but if it does not, choose the monitor that best matches your model. The generic VGA selection usually works just fine. Do not mess with the horizontal or vertical numbers unless you know what you are doing.

Next you will configure the X Windows system. The installer will probe for the correct video card, and present you with its selection, both the name of the card and its video RAM. If these are correct, you should test them by hitting the “Test this configuration” button. The screen will go blank for a couple of seconds, then present you with a cursor that you can control with the mouse. If X works, choose “Yes” in the dialog to return to the configuration screen; if it doesn’t work, the installer will automatically return you to the previous screen so that you can try different settings. Before moving on, you want to select “Customize X Configuration.” The next screen will allow you to set the screen resolution based on your graphics card. On older machines, it’s a good idea not to set this too high, as it will slow down complex graphics, but you want to maximize your space. I suggest a resolution of 800x600 at 16 bits for 14-inch monitors, and 1024x768 at 16 bits for 17-inch monitors. This screen will also allow you to test the configuration before proceeding; you should do this.

Hitting “Next” will let you know that the program is about to install and set up the initial services on your system. If all goes well, the system will reboot after about 15 minutes of installation, and present you with a graphical login screen.

 
   
 
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