Hey all

I've ran into this frustrating problem. I am using Elementary os and I am working on getting bspwm working. I have done the setup following the bspwm for dummies wiki article. All is smooth until I try to launch the bspwm session. runing startx results in an error..

Fatal server error:
Server is already active for display 0
If this server is no longer running, remove /tmp/.X0-lock
and start again.

### And Then..

_XSERVTransSocketUNIXCreateListener: ...SocketCreateListener() failed
_XSERVTransMakeAllCOTSServerListeners: server already running

Fatal server error:
Cannot establish any listening sockets - Make sure an X server isn't already running

I have figured that this has something to do with running lightdm so I log out and when logging into bspwm from lightdm it returns to a new lightdm screen.

Any ideas?

delete your display manager . just use xinit

Playing with it a bit more the Display manager has nothing to do with it. it has to do with the sockets.

well i don't personally like preconfigured systems, they are preconfigured for a reason... if you want to test bspwm , why not just use debain bare bone, and just install X + bspwm and other software that u use only , instead of a developer selecting it for you.

E-OS is a desktop known for their desktop and some programs they have included .. or alot of people say a shit down clone of OS X .... i mean just saying.. pop on a bare bone distro, like crux, archlinux , debian, slackware or whatever .. linux have alot of choices.. or better yet slap on FreeBSD 10 dude :)

I'm not sure if this is your problem but I run into trouble with the bspwm socket not being removed after being shutdown incorrectly. Check /tmp before you run bspwm and delete the socket if it is there. `ls /tmp | grep bspwm` (I automate this with a check in my .xinitrc). Again this may not be the issue. I've never run bspwm with a DM so it's hard to say.

I've found display managers tend to be finicky about a lot of window managers - I spent far too long trying to get gdm to play ball with dwm before deciding that actually, I didn't need one. What does a DM do? Setting up X to autostart after you log on in a tty is very easy, just do that.

@ kirby I fully agree on that.

I never used DM , because honestly DM is to much like windows / os x style .


UNIX has a login its call tty login, so a DM is just pointless .. and i also like to configure my entire system and having console access , because that is what UNIX is about. X11 is just the coat of the system to get GUI, other than that the userland is what is the most important part of the entire system. DM is just problems after problems.. and using a WM like bspwm ur best bet is to use a bare bone OS and put what u want and set it up with xinit.

to me why bother doing more work on a pre configured os , when u can do ur own setup with ur own wm of choice with ur own configurations.

Cheers!

Guys, let's stay on topic. Only answer if you have anything to help mintybacon.

sorry for staying off-topic


my last reply

cheers!