New Debian install X problem

[Giles Orr]

I did a new Debian testing install today on an older laptop that's
been running Ubuntu for quite a while.  I installed from a new CD
built with jigdo.  I told it to install "web server" but not
"graphical desktop" (or whatever the official wording is).  I did this
because I didn't want GNOME - I've done it before and installed X by
hand.  This time, after the install was complete, I went ahead and ran
"aptitude install xserver-xorg".  I installed fluxbox, gave my primary
user a ~/.xinitrc file that started fluxbox, typed "startx" and ...
the machine tanked.  Black screen, no response to any keyboard input
(I tried Ctrl-Alt-F1).  Only thing to do is hold the power button
until the machine powers off (I haven't checked if I can access it
remotely).  The behaviour is repeatable.  Bringing in the Ubuntu
/etc/X11/xorg.conf changed nothing (that xorg.conf doesn't do much
about screen setup, but did specify the correct resolution as given
below).

/var/log/messages has nothing at all.  /var/log/Xorg.0.log ends in
"Output TDMS has no monitor section" which certainly suggests a
problem (although not necessarily a lock-up ...).  Have I missed a
step?  Any ideas?

The laptop is a five year old Dell Inspiron m700 with a Pentium
Centrino 1.6GHz, 1.5M of memory, and a 20G hard drive.  The screen is
an early widescreen 1280x800 width that used to require a special
piece of utility software or it would run in 1024x768 (distorted).
More recent Ubuntus seem to have had no problem with it.

-- 
Giles
http://www.gilesorr.com/
gilesorr-Re5JQEeQqe8AvxtiuMwx3w at public.gmane.org
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