hi, i installed sarge on my computer, and X was working on the default 800*640 screen resolution. then i went to ATI's web page and i foumd a utility to identify which version of x i got. it came up with an answer that i do have 4.3. then i downloaded the driver that was for me. after converting the rpm to deb using alien, i installed it an then i did the fglrxconfig. everything seems ok, but i cannot get a x screen, only text mode. anyone that could help me? my card is a Radeon 9200 SE.

Hi,

You hopefully have backed up your X configuration file before doing this. If so, then switch to a console (eg, Ctl+Alt+F3), login as root and switch the current file (eg, /etc/X11/XF86Config-4) with the backup file. This will allow you to start X with the old configuration until you get the drivers working correctly.

Here are the instructions you will need:
http://serios.net/content/debian/ati/

You should be able to follow one of the two methods' full instructions.

unfortunately i did not do any backup.what's next?

It should have made an automatic backup copy. Try listing it:

ls -l /etc/X11/XF*

If you get an entry /etc/X11/XF86Config-4~ beside the /etc/X11/XF86Config-4, then you can try switching those files and restarting X.

Failing that, if you know your settings, you can edit the XF86Config-4 file by hand to correct the graphics-card driver settings.

Otherwise, you can use this:
# dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86
(ie, run as root)

That will reconfigure your X server, regenerating the XF86Config-4 file. You'll have to give in information about all of the X config though, including keyboard, mouse, monitor, etc. so it is the longest although probably surest route.

If you get confused about the location of your graphics card, switch to another console (Ctl+Alt+F3 for example), and run the command lspci. My location for example is "PCI:1:0:0".

Hope that helps, don't forget to backup that file from now on and you should be able to follow the instructions from the linked site above for the drivers.

Cheers

could someone help me reinstall the drivers and tell me what exactly to do?

Just as michapma said: dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86 that will give you the options to get x working again.
If you don't know much about installing drivers and modules why don't you just use the ati installer? The way you did it is asking for trouble. If you want to install the driver with a deb so you can remove it use:

http://xoomer.virgilio.it/flavio.sta...installer.html

Michampa, that link to http://serios.net/content/debian/ati/ is mega-tre-bien! Thx a few hundred quid.