This is probably testing the lower bounds of newbie questions, but I can't seem to find anyplace on the web that tells me the difference between an XF86Conrfig file and an XF86Config-4 file. Are they the same thing?

I am trying to update my video driver, but the info I'm using wants me to modify my XFConfig-4, and I can only find an XFConfig on my machine.

Is this a harmless difference, or am I looking at the wrong thing?

Many thanks for your help - MMcK

There should be a log file in /var/log (XF86somehtin) will tell you what config file you are using, if there is more than one log check the dates and or times to see which is the more recent. About 10 lines down it will say which config file it is using.

The file you need to modify is the /etc/X11/XF86Config , in some distros the XF86Config file is a symbolic link to XFb6Config-4.

(liberal use of bold to emphasize difference in file names )

Here's what happened. When XFree86 was first released (as beta), a lot of people wanted to keep their stable XFree86 3.36 around in addition to testing the new version. The powers-that-be decided that the thing to do would be to add XF86Config-4 to be used with version 4.0, while leaving XF86Config around to be used with version 3.x.

So, the way XFree86 4.x works is this: first, it will look for and use XF86Config-4, and if that file is not found, it will look for and use XF86Config. It is not (generally) set up as a symlink -- they are two separate files, either of which may be used by XFree86 4.x in that priority order.

Therefore, if you have both files and are using XFree86 4.x, it will use XF86Config-4 and ignore the other. This can be confusing because the configuration program xf86config will output the config file XF86Config, even if you are using XFree86 4.x. If you want to use that file, you can either rename it to XF86Config-4, or you can delete XF86Config-4 to cause XF86Config to be used.

That's just what I wanted to find out. I think I can now proceed to the next step (and probably make my system un-bootable )

- MMcK

thanks for the explanation Dave