Quick-Start Guide to XFree86 Setup : Before You Start
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## 1. Before You Start

There are a few bits of information that you will need to have before you can setup the server:

The model name of your video card

  Make sure you know the exact model name of the card. It may help to also know the graphics chipset, RAMDAC, and clock chip used on your card.

The amount of memory on your video card

  Find out how many megabytes of RAM are on your video card.

Whether or not your card is VGA compatible

  Most cards these days are VGA compatible, but for example, if you have and older monochrome card, it might not be.

Your monitor's specifications

  Specifically, you need to know the horizontal sync rate(s), and vertical refresh rate(s). These are important! Consult your monitor's manual.

The protocol used by your mouse

  It will help speed up the process, if you know which protocol is used by your mouse to communicate. Some mice are capable of using two different protocols, although the method of switching between them varies. In some cases, with new Plug-n-Play mice, the protocol can be determined automatically.

Quick-Start Guide to XFree86 Setup : Before You Start
Previous: Quick-Start Guide to XFree86 Setup
Next: What to Do - An Overview