[SWLUG] Installing Debian - Xserver won't run

[Tony Pursell]

Hi all

I thought it was about time I had Linux up and running again (last time 
was Slackware in '98) so I had a go at Debian a few days ago.  Just 
chose the Xwindows and Desktop options in tasksel.  Ran gdm.  Now it 
tries to start X but fails with the 'I cannot start the X server' message 
box.  I've been through dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xrfee86 many times, 
refining the monitor set up, in particular, and now have the following 
XF86Config-4

### BEGIN DEBCONF SECTION
# XF86Config-4 (XFree86 server configuration file) generated by 
dexconf, the
# Debian X Configuration tool, using values from the debconf database.
#
# Edit this file with caution, and see the XF86Config-4 manual page.
# (Type "man XF86Config-4" at the shell prompt.)
#
# If you want your changes to this file preserved by dexconf, only make 
changes
# before the "### BEGIN DEBCONF SECTION" line above, and/or 
after the
# "### END DEBCONF SECTION" line below.
#
# To change things within the debconf section, run the command:
#   dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
# as root.  Also see "How do I add custom sections to a dexconf-
generated
# XF86Config or XF86Config-4 file?" in /usr/share/doc/xfree86-
common/FAQ.gz.

Section "Files"
	FontPath	"unix/:7100"			# local font 
server
	# if the local font server has problems, we can fall back on 
these
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/misc"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/cyrillic"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi/:unscaled"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Type1"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/Speedo"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/100dpi"
	FontPath	"/usr/lib/X11/fonts/75dpi"
EndSection

Section "Module"
	Load	"GLcore"
	Load	"bitmap"
	Load	"dbe"
	Load	"ddc"
	Load	"dri"
	Load	"extmod"
	Load	"freetype"
	Load	"glx"
	Load	"int10"
	Load	"pex5"
	Load	"record"
	Load	"speedo"
	Load	"type1"
	Load	"vbe"
	Load	"xie"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Keyboard"
	Driver		"keyboard"
	Option		"CoreKeyboard"
	Option		"XkbRules"	"xfree86"
	Option		"XkbModel"	"pc104"
	Option		"XkbLayout"	"uk"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Configured Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"CorePointer"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/psaux"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
EndSection

Section "InputDevice"
	Identifier	"Generic Mouse"
	Driver		"mouse"
	Option		"SendCoreEvents"	"true"
	Option		"Device"		"/dev/input/mice"
	Option		"Protocol"		"ImPS/2"
	Option		"Emulate3Buttons"	"true"
	Option		"ZAxisMapping"		"4 5"
EndSection

Section "Device"
	Identifier	"NVIDIA TNT2 M64"
	Driver		"nv"
	BusID		"PCI:01:00:00"
	VideoRam	32
	Option		"UseFBDev"		"true"
EndSection

Section "Monitor"
	Identifier	"Dell M770"
	HorizSync	30-70
	VertRefresh	50-160
	Option		"DPMS"
EndSection

Section "Screen"
	Identifier	"Default Screen"
	Device		"NVIDIA TNT2 M64"
	Monitor		"Dell M770"
	DefaultDepth	24
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		1
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		4
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		8
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		15
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		16
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
	SubSection "Display"
		Depth		24
		Modes		"800x600" "640x480"
	EndSubSection
EndSection

Section "ServerLayout"
	Identifier	"Default Layout"
	Screen		"Default Screen"
	InputDevice	"Generic Keyboard"
	InputDevice	"Configured Mouse"
	InputDevice	"Generic Mouse"
EndSection

Section "DRI"
	Mode	0666
EndSection

### END DEBCONF SECTION


...When the Xserver fails to start, it has this at the end of XFree86.0.log


(EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

The rest of the log seems OK (I can post the rest, if needed)

The only other thing I have found is this in mdaemon.log:


May 11 18:39:12 polly gdm[288]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X 
error - Restarting :0
May 11 18:39:16 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb1
May 11 18:39:16 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb2
May 11 18:39:16 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb3
May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb4
May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb5
May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb6
May 11 18:39:17 polly modprobe: modprobe: Can't locate module fb7
May 11 18:39:18 polly gdm[297]: gdm_slave_xioerror_handler: Fatal X 
error - Restarting :0
May 11 18:39:18 polly gdm[195]: deal_with_x_crashes: Running the 
XKeepsCrashing script
May 11 18:39:29 polly gdm[195]: Failed to start X server several times 
in a short time period; disabling display :0

I'm currently booting from the idepci kernel on floppy.

Can any one help? Or point me to where I can get help.  My Windows 
98 is so unstable and I'm desperate to get something else up and 
running.

Tony