I'm having some trouble switching the display resolution under X-windows to 16 or 32bpp. I can only seem to get 8bpp. Slackware 8 came with XFree86 4.0, but this did not work, so I downloaded the XF86_S3 X server and set it up with xf86config. Now Xwindows works, but only in 8 bits per pixel. I tried adding "DefaultDepth 16" in various places in my XF86Config file, but then the X server just said it couldn't parse the line and crashed. This caused the X login manager to fail, which in turn meant I couldn't boot my computer without a boot disk. So what is the correct line?
As a side note, if I go to the command-line login, and then try to "startx" without logging in root, it says the X Server has to be run root. That's why I was using the graphical login.
So... if anyone can think of some solutions for either of these problems, I would much appreciate it!

FallingFrog

First the commandline to start X is split in "client" and "sever" args, separated by "--". IMO, the bpp should be specified as server arg:
"startx -- -bpp 16"
If you gonna test X, spare yourself the trouble and start Linux in console mode: edit /etc/inittab and change the initlevel from 5 (xdm login) to 3 (console login).
Next you need to either set the S3 up *good* tru xf86config, or know how to work the sections in /etc/X11/XF86Config. Set it up, the manually comb tru the bottom of XF86Config where the "screen" dsiplay subsection are. IIRC, if you specified a subsection for your screen resolution with the colourdepth, this should say "DefaultColorDepth 16".

If that turns out fine, add the line ":0 local /etc/X11/X -bpp 16" in /etc/X11/xdm/Xservers, or create a file .xserverrc and put the line "exec XF86_S3 -bpp 16 :0" in it.