[nmglug] startx not runnig please a little help

[Sam Noble]

now I have no network, : )
but I am learning a lot!

:)
Welcome to GNU/Linux!
While I'm not sure I agree with the 'No Pain No Gain' attitude(that is
to say that I wouldn't be sad if everything in GNU/Linux suddenly 'just
worked' for everyone all the time); it is definately a good sign that
you're taking all this in stride.

i downloaded the driver from nvidia

A few thoughts:
1: This is a technologically _much_ better driver for this chipset; but
it is also not 'Free Software' in the GNU/Free Software Foundation
sense. So if you don't need the accelerated graphics (mostly 3D for
games and the like) You can stay one step closer to being a 'Saint in
The Church of Emacs' by forgoing this driver.*
2:Assuming you decide to use this driver, note that the slick installer
which you downloaded does not make the necessary changes to your
XF86Config-4 file. You still have to do that by hand. (notably changing
Driver 'nv' to Driver 'nvidia') You should be sure to check out the
README filefrom the website.
ftp://download.nvidia.com/XFree86/Linux-x86/1.0-5336/README
I think this is the same one that gets installed locally with the
driver. But I can never remember where it tucks it away.
(/~usr/~share/~doc/<package_name_with_absolutely_no_reference_to_'nvidia'>/README ?)
3:I'm not really sure but I don't think this will fix you're problem.
The 'No Screens Found' Error means that none of the 'Screen' Sections of
your XF86Config work. Screen sections in XF86Config reference the
'identifiers' for other sections, like 'Device' (video chipset) and
'Monitor'  and then have subsections for 'Display' which list the Color
Depth and Resolutions to use.
What I'm getting at is that it doesn't narrow the problem down very
much, as it could be in a Device, Monitor,Display,Screen or probably
other section and only a few of those are going to be changed by
switching drivers.
On the other hand the trick with Knoppix that Mars mentioned, (Or
showing us your /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 so we can try to spot the problem)
probably will get (at least 2D) X running.
And then after that would be a better time to try to switch drivers.

so apt-getted the new kernel,

Yeah for most uses the 2.2 in Woody is pretty ancient. For future
reference. You can install a 2.4 kernel during a debian install by
typing bf24 at the boot: prompt on the first page of the installer.

 changed lilo to boot it

That initrd=/initrd.img line hosed me a couple times in the past. Good
game getting that.

now I have no network, : )

The modules not being loaded maybe? You could compare an lsmod run while
booted into your 2.2 kernel to one run on your new kernel?

Hope some of this late night rambling is helpful.

sam

*note: Sam is a voracious user of the non-free proprietary Nvidia
drivers and will never become a saint in the church of emacs. But
despite this and his use of vi he still thinks all GNU/Linux users
should be aware of these decisions. ;)
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