From: Tony Williams 

Couple of notes which might help. I think Mandrake uses
/etc/X11/XF86Config-4 so make sure to look at the right file.

Some useful shortcut keys :

CTRL-ALT-+ (control and alt and the +/= key) will cycle through the
available resolutions when X is running.

CTRL-ALT-backspace will immediately quit X

CTRL-ALT-F1 will switch away from X to a full screen console.

ALT-F7 switches back to X (Actually, there are a few consoles which you can
select using ALT-F1 through F5 or 6)

You can capture any error messages produced by X by using the command :
startx 2>/tmp/xlog

That'll save all the error messages in /tmp/xlog so you can look at them
  later. Also, you can scroll a console screen with CTRL-PGUP and
CTRL-PGDN, which is handy if you're not logging to a file - that one works
at boot up too.

Hope that's some help.

--
Tony

Rich Holm wrote:
> Open your XF86Config file in /etc/X11.  Scroll down until
> you find the "Screen" section.  Then, look for the "Display"
> SubSection you are using.  Hints to find it:
>
> 1.    If you have a DefaultColorDepth setting under "Screen"
> pick that "Display" section.
>
> 2.    Otherwise, pick the first one.
>
> Look for the "Modes" setting in that "Display" SubSection.
> Make a copy of that line.  Comment out one copy for use
> later.  Make sure "800x600" or "640x480" (yuck!)
is the first
> value on that line instead of "1024x768".
>
> type 'startx' to start X.
>
> BTW, you don't need to reset the machine when X refuses to
> sync from startx.  Are you doing this because you can't see
> the icons?  Just press left-ctrl, left-alt, backspace to kill
> X.  It will take you back to the command line or log you our
> of X at any time.
>
> Cheers,
> Rich
>
>
>
>
> In article , bodi2000{at}deadspam.com says...
>
>>I've successfully installed Mandrake 9, seems to be functional.
>>
>>1 big problem:
>>I installed it using a newish monitor and set it for 1024x768x24. Looked
>>nice.
>>Now I've moved it to its new home and a monitor that doesn't support
>>1024x768. I am now wise enough not to boot into runlevel 5, but running
>>startx gets me a mess with tiny cursors all over and nothing recognizable.
>>(ext3 sure allows boots from a reset nicely)
>>Short of reuniting the box and original monitor, how can I change the video
>>settings X will use? (Plus, I don't actually know how I would change
>>resolution even if I could get X going...)
>>I tried xf86cfg, but the MS optical mouse isn't compatible and the arrow key
>>cursor movements let me see the submenu items that might do what I want but
>>I cannot figure out how to select one.
>>I am not familiar with vi but could probably manage to edit the
>>configuration file if
>>1: I knew the filename and location.
>>2: I knew what changes to make.
>>
>
>
>
>
>>Anyone here game to try and walk a neophyte through this?
>>
>>Plus a small problem. During install, darkx claims to be able to find
>>network printers on Windows machines. It didn't find mine, an HP deskjet
>>shared from Win98se on TCP/IP networking.  Do I need to jump a few hoops to
>>get this to be usable?
>>
>>This is a "look what's in the old parts bin, I could get a
system up with a
>>case and a disc drive" project. Just a PIII-500 Katmai that I
want to turn
>>to Seti. I know I can run Seti from the command line (and I am for now), I
>>just like the ease of checking state.sah for progress if it's running in X.
>>The box will live in my workshop, and I will want to do some general
>>internet stuff from there as well.
>>
>>TIA,
>>Dave
>>
>>
>>--
>>
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>>
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>>
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>>Get yours today!
>

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