Ok I selected X windows and desktop environment as the only optional packages in that first simple package manager but it doesn't want to boot into it.

I booted up w/o eth0 (had to put it into xp box to get online) to see the x server diagnoses and this is exactly what it says: warning: process set to nice value 0 instead of -10 as requested. Then it says the regular mumbojumbo. After that it asks if I want to run configuration for X Windows again...If i pick yes It just hangs on a black screen forever (yes I waited for a very long time and nothing came up).

Also when i use startx it says gives no screen found error.

I tried reconfiguring with dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 but had no luck...infact it asked more questions than the first time like my Nvidia GeForce 2 MX name and bus ID...

I only want this for internet browsing while someone is on my XP box and to run Firestarter which I heard was a great firewall utility, anyway:

I want to make this box a router but have next to no experience with debian...and their documents are so huge I get lost looking for anything.

I really would like to get X windows running so I could use the connection / Open terminal in another window so I can read / work & look up new information if necessary...I hope I wont have to resort to Burning the full CDs...if I do How many CDs of it will I need (there appears to be 7!?!?)

I know I picked the right video driver because I looked up my video card in the debian docs and found it was nv (GF 2 MX)

The best resource I see ppl pointed to over and over from googling is a tldp link (cant post links yet) but it's no longer existant and the link it points to says... "The document or page you requested could not be found."

this is the HOWTO/mini/IP-Masquerade page.

I had a no screens found error, too, I don't know if this will help but from the command line use either emacs, vi, nano, or whatever editor you feel comfortable with. with that editor, open up

/etc/X11/XF86Config-4

that is your configuration file for X, now scroll through or page down rather (sorry) until you find the section on screen (or it may be monitor they are both there) but one section is information about screen resolution, and color depth, ignore that section, the other section is the one you want, when you get to the section you want (this section includes the Hsynch, and vertical sych info for your monitor) see if there is a line similar to this

option="DBMS"

if it is there delete it, if your problem is the sameas mine, this will solve it, your case sounds similar I also have a GeForce 2 MX card, had the same erro message, etc.... good luck hope this works, and don't forget to save the config file after you edit it

--Alex

No luck (btw it was DPMS). Still get (EE) Screen(s) found, but none have a usable configuration. I even found out the bus id with lspci cmd and inputed that but it just doesn't want to launch damnit. thanks anyway.

I'll try doing some searches on that error and if I have no luck by the end of tonight I'll send in my logfile to the submit@bugs.debian.org email.

Try xf86config to see if that works? But it may not update your XF86Config-4 file. In that case you can rename them.

I found out the variant of X config that made my computer hang on a black screen was xf86cfg}

Still looking for a solution, going to keep tinkering settings in the config...hesitant to give up just yet and go get the nvidia drivers because that requires powering down & swapping NICs from from XP box to router then booting in knoppix to download them.

I got a lazy man's solution idea but I shouldn't bother unless I know it'll work. when I installed RH9 before deciding from friends' advice not to use it for my firewall/router It booted into X perfectly. Would the config files be compatible? as in could I just install RH again, email myself XF86Config-4, then replace it in debian?

I might do that as a last resort if putting in drivers fails too.

Looks like I might not have to

XFree86 -config generated a seemingly perfect config except for my mouse, which I can fix easily...we'll see! keke

that should work, before I figured out the DPMS problem I had used a Mandrake onfig file to get X working I did just that emailed the file to myself.

--Alex

DaaaMN...I configed the mouse right and it looked like it was going to launch.....and the signal to the monitor dies.

I'll sit here for a good hour in disbelief...then I'll download the nvidia drivers...and if that fails I'll resort the the config swap idea =[