xfree86 not working in slackware 8

[zverushka]

HELP!
I installed slackware 8.0, and ran xfree86config. I tried to run startx, but it didn't work, it said that there was no "screen" found. I was utterly confused, I tried running xfree86config again with no luck, so I configured the internet, and now I am on lynx :)

I have an ATI Radeon, 64meg ddr, and a regular 15 inch monitor. everything worked fine in redhat, xconfigurator got everything, and my multisync monitor was autodetected.. what did I do wrong?

[bdg1983]

This is from the post install docs at www.xfree86.org (http://www.xfree86.org)

3.2. After the installation is complete

The next step is to configure the X server. That is covered in detail in an as-yet unwritten document :-(. In the meantime, there are three ways to create a basic X server configuration file for XFree86 4.1.0. One is to run the xf86config utility. Another is to run the xf86cfg utility. The third option is to use the new -configure X server option:

XFree86 -configure


You will need to do one of the above to reconfigure X due to the no screens found error.

[bdl]

FYI - The 'XFree86 -configure' command is great, it'll auto-probe the card and display, giving you a nice *almost complete* /root/XF86Config.new file for you to further edit, configure and test out. One thing missing from the XF86Config.new file is the 'Modes' attribute in the 'Screens' section, so be warned if you do use this command and don't edit the file to add some Modelines, you'll still get the same 'screens not found' error.

an example from the 'Screens' section:

SubSection "Display"
Depth 16
Modes "1280x1024" "800x600" "640x480"
EndSubSection



Once you're done editing the XF86Config.new file, copy it over to /etc/X11/XF86Config-4.
This is the way I've setup X under X4.x.x and it always works great for me, YMMV. Luck!

[Nick Wilson]

Hi
I'm having similar trouble, I'm going to look into the other answers in this post as I think they look like the way forward for me but one thing I can add.
Before I started hearing about the above the above options I tried this: on install, when asked (can't remember the exact Q.) about the xwindows configuration don't chose safe mode choose the screen size that fits your needs, like 800x600 etc.
Personally this has not helped me a great deal but I suspect my situation is very different to yours so try it and see what hapens!

Good luck

Nick