Hello all,

i recently installed debian on my desktop, and i have no X.
i ran XF86Config, trying to select a correct config for my video card and got no screens found.
As that was unsuccessful, i want to use vesa driver, but i don't see the option in the XF86Config!

I tried to do it manually, some screen with a glitched imagem was shown, but i got "failed to initialize core devices" right after that.

Please help me!

What graphics card do y' have?

Try
dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

Sorry. It's a radeon 9500 non-pro.

Hey it worked, I now have kde almost getting started. Now the screen appears but when "initializing input devices" appear, it crashes.

It says something about "/etc/X11/xkb" but i don't have /etc/X11 directory.
And another problem occurs, something related to my mouse: if i have an USB mouse (intel), what optin should i choose when i do "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" refering to the mouse?

These 2 reasons cause the X server to crash.


Please help me ... (again)

xkb refers to your X keyboard map. When you reconfigure X this time, try changing some keyboard options.

But i still don't have /etc/X11 directory. I think something is missing here...

What version of Debian? woody, sarge, or sid?

what kernel?

woody. 2.4.22 i think. The one that came with 3.0r2.

That's strange. The X config file is usually in /etc/X11.

Try to find where your XF86Config-4 file is located. Do (as root) "updatedb". Then do "locate XF86Config-4".

At the console screen, do a 'su', become root, and type:

modconf

once in that screen look for modules dealing with usb.

I don't know if kernel 2.4.18 has support for usb, edit /etc/modules and type:

mousedev

reboot

if it doesn't, buy a cheap PS/2 mouse ($6), dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86, upgrade to sid, install a kernel-image-2.4 or 2.6 and THEN you can use your usb mouse.

If you don't have /etc/X11 directory, it is possible that you haven't installed all the necessary xserver elements. This can be easily fixed by launching Aptitude and installing the "x-window-system" meta-package. You can also install "discover", "mdetect", and "read-edid" packages to get some auto-detection options during "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86".

To get usb PS/2 mouse working, you need to have either "usbmgr" or "hotplug" package installed. If you have the device usbmouse in /dev directory, use /dev/usbmouse as the mouse device in X configuration.

Usb mouse also needs kernel modules "hid", "input", and "mousedev" loaded. If the "lsmod" command doesn't list them, add these modules to /etc/modules and reboot.

Ok, after doing updatedb, i noticed that /etc/X11 exists afterall.
And i guess my keyboard is properly configured by now. My usb mouse is the only device giving me headaches by now...

I'll try those option on the post above mine, before proceeding to a new kernel install. I'll post feedback here

## EDIT ## I don't have /dev/usbmouse ... The closest to that is /dev/usb/ which cointains "usbmouse0" 1 2 3 , and "scanner 0" 1 2 3...

I've done everything you said, and still couldn't make things work... any ideas?

It would be helpful if you'd tell the kernel version you use (the output of "uname -r").

If you've got the device /dev/input/mice, you can use that for your usb mouse.

Here are some of the kernel modules you'll probably need: usbcore, usb-uchi (or usb-ochi), hid, input, mousedev. Run "lsmod" and tell us if any of these are missing.

I assume that you have installed the "hotplug" package as suggested?

Ok, answering to your questions:

1- Kernel Version 2.2..20-idepci
2- I've got /dev/input/mice and used it in the config and i get the folowing error:
Cannot open directory (I've chosen that in the "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86" options)
3- Every module you refered is missing in my lsmod.
4-Yes, i have hotplug and tried usbmgr first, as you suggested.

What should i do now?
Kernel upgrade? :S