Problems with starting X server in Debian
 

I'm running Debian (Sarge) and after several months of running Debian without a problem I have run in to some issues. Trying to install SuperKaramba I ran into some issues. I updated and upgraded my system to attempt to get through the configure errors -- without success. Even so, it didn't cause any problems with my system after a reboot. Then I installed 'kdebase-dev' to get through a configure error and I think I might've goofed some settings up in that. My XF86Config-4 file still looks exactly right to me but my X server won't start, saying it cannot find screens. Also after installing 'kdebase-dev' I acquired and installed all the python packages which installed without a hitch and then followed that up by installing SuperKaramba. It also installed without error. I rebooted my system and it started complaining about being unable to start X server. Here is what I get when I try to startx:

(==) Log File: "/var/log/XFree86.0.log", Time: Wed Feb 8 00:06:50 2006
(==) Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4"
Couldn't open RGB_DB '/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb'

(EE) No devices detected.

Fatal server error:
no screens found

X10: fatal IO error 184 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0" after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

So then when I type 'echo $DISPLAY' it returns nothing. So I type 'export DISPLAY=:0.0' and then 'echo $DISPLAY' returns ":0.0" ... Also in my home dir I have a file '.xinitrc' with "exec startkde" in it. I think I inadvertantly installed 'xserver-xfree86-dbg 4.3.0.dfsg.1-14sarge1' and some form of 'xorg' ... I have no idea what xorg is for or if it's necessary for running X from XF86Config-4. Also if I try 'dpkg-reconfigure' or any other means of reconfiguring my settings I get "cannot connect to X server" ... Every "solution" (if they can be called such) I've found has done absolutely nothing for my current situation. One more thing... I'm using an nvidia video card and I had the drivers working for it before this little mess happened. Don't know if that has anything to do with it but thought I'd mention it. If anyone could help me out I would be greatly appreciative. Thanks.

Never ran Sarge, but writing this on ubuntu(based on debian).

Using config file: "/etc/X11/XF86Config-4" this means you are using http://www.xfree86.org/.

Couldn't open RGB_DB '/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb'
Does that file exist? Where is it referenced? In Ubuntu, it is called /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb.txt and contains rgb values for textual definitions of colours:

xor007@milkyway:~$ cat /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb.txt |more
! $Xorg: rgb.txt,v 1.3 2000/08/17 19:54:00 cpqbld Exp $
255 250 250 snow
248 248 255 ghost white
248 248 255 GhostWhite
245 245 245 white smoke
245 245 245 WhiteSmoke
220 220 220 gainsboro
255 250 240 floral white
255 250 240 FloralWhite
253 245 230 old lace
253 245 230 OldLace
250 240 230 linen
250 235 215 antique white
250 235 215 AntiqueWhite
255 239 213 papaya whip
255 239 213 PapayaWhip
255 235 205 blanched almond
255 235 205 BlanchedAlmond
........

Seems it is not properly referenced.

... I have no idea what xorg is for or if it's necessary for running X from XF86Config-4.
xorg (http://www.x.org/)is another version of the X server, that has replaced xfree86 in all recent distributions, including the Ubuntu breezy I am running. In all the distributions running xorg taht I tried, the configuration file is /etc/X11/xorg.conf. I am not sure about Sarge. Never tried to run both, not sure if it is possible. Suspect you have both xfree86 and xorg installed, and have messed up file references/config files.

I hope this helps you.

'/usr/X11R6/lib/X11/rgb.txt' exists but the file is empty. I forgot to mention, I also installed the 'libqt' packages.

Libqt can not stop X from starting. By the way you don't need any part of xorg for xfree86. The rgb file shouldn't be empty. Try to use this rgb file(mine):

http://xor.is-a-geek.net/rgb.txt


Also if I try 'dpkg-reconfigure' or any other means of reconfiguring my settings I get "cannot connect to X server" ...

Remove (rename) the existing config file before trying. I also hope you didn't change permissions in the /tmp for the font server.

What if I were to "devestate" the system by removing all of the X11 folders and then running apt-get... do you think it would try and repair itself or should I just reinstall Debian?