KDE video problem (was Re: kdm missing)

[Zbigniew Luszpinski]

>   Thank you. That solved that problem, but now when I log in to kde, it 
> starts the login in process and then resets back to the login screen. 
> After I have tried once to login through KDE, I cannot get back to a 
> text console screen, when I try, it looks like it tries, but the video 
> mode won't reset back to text.
> 
> The computer is a Dell 9400 laptop with the ATI Mobility Radeon X1400 
> video controller, I have the xf86-video-ati driver installed.
> 
> Again, any help will be greatly appreciated.

Do you have the same problem when you use vesa driver instead of ati?
Do you have the same problem when you log in as root?
Do you see any error before reset back to login screen?
When you can not get back to text console can you use Ctrl+Alt+<- (backspace) keys to close/restart X?
Can you use Ctrl+Alt+F1-6 keys to switch to text mode?
Can you send me PM /var/log/Xorg.0.log file?

Try this:
1. Make backup of /usr/lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc file,
2. Open this file in text editor,
3. Go to the end of file,
Change end of file to look like this:
# start some nice programs
/opt/lunar/kde/4/bin/startkde
#twm &
#xclock -geometry 50x50-1+1 &
#xterm -geometry 80x50+494+51 &
#xterm -geometry 80x20+494-0 &
#exec xterm -geometry 80x66+0+0 -name login

4. Save changes,
5. Login to text mode (any user) and use command:
6. startx
Let me know the results.

have a nice day,
Zbigniew Luszpinski