Configuring X Windows for the Oracle Installer

Expert Oracle Database Tips by Donald BurlesonDecember 8, 2015

Question: I am getting this X Windows error when trying to run the Oracle installer on UNIX:

> Checking monitor: must be configured to display at least 256 colors
> Failed <<<< >>> Could not execute auto check for display colors using command /usr/openwin/bin/xdpyinfo.

How do I start X Windows for the Oracle installer?

Answer: Difficulty starting X Windows is a very common error, starting X on a UNIX/Linux server. . .

***********************************************

>> Could not execute auto check for display colors using

This is an X Windows display issue.

Per the instructions, you may want to connect as "root", just for testing then switch to the "oracle" OS user:

root
>su - oracle oracle
> DISPLAY=192.1.1:0.0; oracle
> export DISPLAY oracle
> echo $DISPLAY 192.1.1.1 oracle
> xclock

See your Systems Administrator to make sure that the X11 Windows software exists (see /etc/init.d) and that the X server process is running on your Oracle server.
Properly set your DISPLAY variable for the "oracle user" (I would do it in your .bashrc file)

[code]
DISPLAY=192.11.1:0.0;
export DISPLAY
[/code]
Test X Windows with the xclock "time" command

[code]
root
> cd /usr/openwin/bin root
> ./xclock [/code]

For complete details on using Oracle X Windows with Oracle on UNIX/Linux, see the book "Oracle Shell Scripting".

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