startx error in Slack 8.1
 

I ran 'xf86config' and configured it the best I could. Now when running 'startx' i get the following error

Here is a screen shot of my error log

http://localrockstars.com/images/xserver_error.gif

What graphics card. The log sais bad video bios checksum. I'm not sure how to fix this, but in any case it's a issue with your graphics card as far as i can see, someone more knowledgable might be able to help more.
A wild guess is that the X server is thinking that video card is already in use, since your running linux in VMware.
Sorry i could provide no help...
-NSKL

NSKL, thanks for the reponse! I have a Geforce 2 MX card. Hope this helps.

Thanks!

Well, I do not know if it helps much. But I have seen some programs that when run under Windows MUST have full screen control because of the sharing of the resource. Running X under VMWare in Windows might be such a case. So if you haven't tried yet, then maybe give full screen mode a try.

Other than full screen mode, see if VMWare will provide VESA emulation to session and config X for VESA. There should be default config in /etc/X11 directory called XF86Config-vesa. Just copy (cp) the file to XF86Config and then attempt to startx.

I do not think there are many here in this forum that would be running Slack under Windows. Most would be booting directly to Slack. But the X windows system is not unique for Slack either. So you might try a search of LQ using "VMWARE" and see what posts are from any of the forums.

Good luck.

it's trying to load the vesa driver is what's happening - I got that error too before I installed the nvidia drivers and edited with vi the XF86Config file.

lynx http://www.nvidia.com
click drivers, Linux IA32, space down to the latest (Dec.11) Nvidia driver, download the source GLX and kernel files

print out in windoze the readme file and follow the instructions or I've reproduced the basic instructions below:

$ tar xvzf NVIDIA_kernelxxx.tar.gz
$tar same for GLX one
$ cd NVIDIA_k*
$ make install
$ cd back to where the tar files were
$ cd NVIDIA_GLX*
$ make install

now go edit the XF86Config file as the readme says. In a nutshell you need to uncomment the Load "glx" line and make sure the Device driver line says driver "nvidia"

I hightly recommend you print out the lengthy readme file from windoze and stick it in your cheatsheet binder for more details.

Note: to make XF86Config file editing easier I just run /usr/X11R6/bin/xf86config and select "0" vesa when i get to video driver and answer the rest correctly, then I do the necessary nvidia edits it's just easier for me.

You need to install the vmware svga driver from vmware tools.

Thanks everyone!! I'll give all these things a try!

Try running xfree86setup instead of xf86config or xf86setup in Slackware. xfree86setup automates the video card configuration process.
That tidbit of info came from this thread.

had the same prob,. i fix mine by opening /etc/X11/XF86Config changing the "Device" driver from "vesa" to "nv" from there you should be able to startx and download nvidia drivers.