6.1. Starting Xdm, the display manager

To start the display manager, log in as root on the console and type: ``xdm -nodaemon''.

You can start xdm automatically on bootup by disabling the console getty and adding the following code to /etc/rc.local:

  if [ -x /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm ]; then
    echo -n ' xdm'; /usr/X11R6/bin/xdm
  fi

To disable the console getty, change ``on'' to ``off'' in the console entry in /etc/ttys:

 ttyv0	"/usr/libexec/getty Pc"	pc	off secure

Under NetBSD 1.4 with the wscons console driver, you must enable a virtual console for the X server first. To do this follow these steps:

• Make sure the device file exists. If not, ``cd /dev ; ./MAKEDEV wscons''.
• Next, make sure your kernel wants to do wscons. (see below).
• Next, make sure ``wscons=YES'' in /etc/rc.conf.
• Next, make sure /etc/wscons.conf exists. The relevant bits:

  #screen	0	-	vt100
  screen	1	-	vt100
  screen	2	-	vt100
  screen	3	-	vt100
  screen	4	-	-
  screen	5	-	vt100
  

Note that the binary distributions of XFree86 for NetBSD don't include support for the XDM-AUTHORIZATION-1 protocol.