KDM won't load, returns error: no screens found

[kd5byb]

Good morning all!

I'm a new Linux/Knoppix/Debian user. I've used computers that are DOS, Win95, Win98, WinXP based since like forever, but this is my first foray into Linux. Been running Knoppix 3.7 and just lately 3.8 and finally decided I wanted to load it to my HD.

After partitioning, formatting, and installing, I remove the CD and try to load from the HD. All goes well, until it tries to load KDM. The screens goes blank for a second, and I'm left at the root@LinuxBox prompt. If I dump KDM's errors to a file, the file has a lot of "no symbols found" errors, then returns a Fatal Server Error: no screens found.

If I slap the CD back in, the system boots fine. I beleive the problem is with the \etc\X11\XF86Config-4 file. Other boards have noted that this files doesn't install correctly, and that "all you have to do" is replace the one on \dev\hda1 with the one from the CDROM. But how do I get at the one on the CD-ROM? I can't find the \etc\X11\XF86Config-4 file on the Knoppix 3.7 (or 3. CDROM. I cannot even delete the one that's on the hda1!!!

Is there any easier way to fix all this? I love the Knoppix/Debian concept, but I'm at my wits end.

Thanks in advance!
ben

[marhleet]

at the root@LinuxBox prompt, have you
kxconfig
to see what knoppix has auto detected ?

[kd5byb]

Ah ha! GREAT suggestion. I didn't even know that there was a setup utility like this for KDM.

Okay, I ran kxconfig and it seemed to have found everything okay.

Video Card: NVidia Riva TNT (actually, it's a Diamond Viper V330, which is a Nvidia Riva 128 chipset)
Monitor: Envision monitor that I'm using
Keyboard: found it
Mouse: well, it's telling me that my PS2 mouse is USB, but it works!

I beleive everything autodetected just fine.

But, you got me thinking! I took a look at the KDM error log, and found that in addition to the "no screens found" error, that it was saying that it couldn't start in 16 bit resolution. So, I used kxconfig to change my resolution to 24 bit, and guess what?

IT'S WORKING!!! Just finished rebooting, as I had initially set it to 640x480 resolution mode, which stinks. It's now loaded up and running like a champ in 1024x768, which is about the maximum capability of my monitor.

THANKS MUCH!
ben

[marhleet]

licks index finger, draws another line on the wall under my name.
smiles smugly to self.