Attempting to install Debian in VMware - no GUI?

**Gadren** · 11-11-2005

I thought that, since I'm using VMware to test out lots of distros, I'd try my hand at Debian..

Surprisingly, most of the install wasn't that hard, but I think I may have made an error when selecting my video card type -- I selected vega or vga or something; I use an nVidia card, should I have selected nv?

Also, it seems as if something didn't fully download using apt, although most of it installed (thank you, pppoeconf!).

So, now, I seem to be stuck with a command line, and I don't know what commands to use to try and get a GUI going or anything. Sorry for sounding so flustered here, but can anyone help me? If needs be, I can get any specific info you need.

**eerok** · 11-11-2005

Originally Posted by Gadren

I think I may have made an error when selecting my video card type -- I selected vega or vga or something; I use an nVidia card, should I have selected nv?

That's easy enough to fix. As root, edit /etc/X11/XF86Config-4 (or in the off chance you have xorg, then /etc/X11/xorg.conf), look for 'Section "Device"' and change the 'Driver' entry to "nv"

The easiest way to edit is

Code:

# nano /etc/X11/XF86Config-4

As for the rest, you better tell us exactly what gui packages you tried to install. It's obvious you got the x base packages since debconf at least tried to set up x for you ... but what else did you get?

What happens when, as a user (not root) you try

Code:

$ startx

**Gadren** · 11-11-2005

When I boot up:
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/3...2005time17.jpg
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/9...2005time18.jpg

When I try to edit that config file, nothing comes up:
http://img372.imageshack.us/img372/4...2005time19.jpg

And when I try to startx,
http://img475.imageshack.us/img475/3...2005time17.jpg
(oops -- this image shows me as root, but I tried it as a user, with the same results)

All I installed was the default packages for a desktop system -- I don't know all of what was installed, but I know it included KDE and GNOME.

**eerok** · 11-12-2005

This will show if the system thinks you have the core x stuff installed (though it appears you don't):

Code:

# dpkg -l | grep x-window

Offhand I'd say that you installed something that failed to properly pull in x as a dependency. If the above command showed no result, try this:

Code:

# apt-get install x-window-system-core

**Gadren** · 11-12-2005

Thanks for the quick reply... the dpkg gave no result, so I ran the apt-get, but I got an error about that package not being part of the resource tree, or that the package may be obsolete.

**junkman4547** · 11-12-2005

Apparently you did not choose to have any desktop environment installed. This happens if you simply press <return> without first press <space> to select it. You options now is either install a desktop environment or do a reinstall. This time when asked if you want desktop environment, make sure you press <space> to select it first, then press <enter> to accept the choice. As for the issue of wrong graphic card or if the default setup did not give you the resolutions you need. Just do

(as root)
#dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xfree86

**Gadren** · 11-12-2005

Hmm...odd, I had made sure to select Desktop Environment this time, and another time with installing Debian using DVD ISOs. X still isn't running, even when I changed my video card type to nv.

**Gadren** · 11-25-2005

Sorry for the double-post, but I've received no response...

Here's the error messages I got from the X server...can someone help me make sense of them?

http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9...2005time00.jpg
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/1...12005time1.jpg
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/2...12005time2.jpg
http://img296.imageshack.us/img296/9...12005time3.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/9...2005time00.jpg

http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/1...12005time1.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/2...12005time2.jpg
http://img502.imageshack.us/img502/9...12005time3.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/9...2005time00.jpg
http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/1...12005time1.jpg

http://img300.imageshack.us/img300/2...12005time2.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9...2005time00.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/1...12005time1.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/2...12005time2.jpg
http://img509.imageshack.us/img509/9...12005time3.jpg

**qumran** · 11-25-2005

You can try to do it using this method:
http://home.comcast.net/~andrex/Debi...ia/debian.html

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