[plug] XWindows failure on Debian sarge

[Bret Busby]

On Tue, 2 May 2006, Tomasz Grzegurzko wrote:

> 
> # apt-cache search vga
> find something related to xfree & vga stuff, that will give you
> something to go off.
> On my ubuntu system, I see
> "xserver-xorg-driver-vga - X.Org X server -- vga driver" in the
> apt-cache search vga.
>
>
>

They would be the Ubuntu ones, I think.

I couldn't find anything that seemed appropriate using apt-cache search, 
so I used Synaptic on the laptop, and I found that xserver-xfree86 
appears to be the package that contains video drivers, so, I used 
"apt-get remove xserver-xfree86", which also removed the two x-system 
packages, and then I reinstalled them, and used the autodetection of 
the hardware, and then I ran dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86  a 
couple of times (got the mouse connection wrong, the first time, but, I 
got to a grey screen before it collapsed, so it showed that I was on the 
way), and then good old startx, and, away it went.

If I then used <CTRL><ALT><Fx> to change to a console, on then using 
<CTRL><ALT><F7> to return to the XWindows session, I just got a blank 
screen with a flashing, large cursor, when I should have had the 
XWindows screen.

So, I rebooted to check that the reinstallation of the XWindows packages 
was good, and, on rebooting, I got the GUI login screen, and then 
XWindows, and, I tried transferring to a console and back again, and 
that worked, and, my gnome configuration (?) appears to be intact (the 
task bar having the applets and icons as they were before, and, being at 
the bottom of the screen, so, it seems to be all fixed (hopefully).

Thanks for your help. Whilst it may not have worked exactly as 
suggested, it is the guidance and suggestions that got me there. Thanks 
again.

--
Bret Busby
Armadale
West Australia
..............

"So once you do know what the question actually is,
  you'll know what the answer means."
- Deep Thought,
   Chapter 28 of
   "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy:
   A Trilogy In Four Parts",
   written by Douglas Adams,
   published by Pan Books, 1992

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