Failed to start the X server

run the setup command to re-setup X

ran 'setup' and selected 'X configuration' (last option), it just tries to start the X server and fails.

... Couldn't start X server on card 0 ...
... couldn't start X server with old config, trying with fresh configuration ...

Try reinstalling the drivers for your video card.

If you can't find the drivers for your card in the standard repositories, try livna.

Newbe here, any help on how to re-install the video for the card ?

There should be a file called /var/log/Xorg.0.log and /var/log/Xorg.0.log.old on your system.
Care to attach them to your next message? It should contain all the relevant information we need to work out this problem.

Attached, Thanks ...
Xorg.0.log
Xorg.0.log.old.txt

The error message clearly states that something is wrong with your mouse configuration:
"Cycled system, now on boot get message "Failed to start the X server (your graphical interface). It seems that the pointer device (your mouse) is not set up correctly. Would you like to view the X server output""

According to your Xorg.0.log: "(==) |-->Input Device "<default pointer>"
(==) The core pointer device wasn't specified explicitly in the layout."

Look at /etc/X11/xorg.conf and replace <default pointer> with Mouse0
If that does not work, please attach the content of /etc/X11/xorg.conf so somone can modify it for you.

Cheers :)

It's definetly a problem with your mouse, but it might also be possible that your X server has a mouse configured properly (via USB or the like) but is failing in initializing the core pointer, so adding the following section to your xorg.conf might help:

What type of Mouse do you use? How is it connected (USB, PS/2, serial, ...)?

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option "AloowMouseOpenFail" "True"
EndSection

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agriesser: A typo!!! AloowMouseOpenFail
This is better:

Section "ServerFlags"
  Option "AllowMouseOpenFail" "True"
EndSection

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That happens when you write EE postings on your iPhone ;)

I don't see ... "<default pointer>" in either file.

See attached, thanks

xorg.conf.txt
xorg.conf.backup.txt

Well, that's a rather spartianic xorg configuration file and doesn't mention your mouse at all, so please tell us, how's your mouse connected? Is it a PS/2 mouse, an USB mouse, ...?

PS/2 mouse and PS/2 keyboard.  System does have USB connections (4)

Then how did it work before ?

Usually Xorg is able to autodetect all necessary hardware to get the X server up and running, but in your case, it failed. This can have several reasons.

Is the VNC you installed really the only difference or did the VNC package come with some dependencies, f.ex. gpm (the console mouse driver) or something like this?

Could I see the output of `cat /proc/bus/input/devices`? It should list all recognized input devices by the running kernel.
In the meantime, try the attached Xorg configuration file.
xorg.conf.txt

You are right, when the package manager installed vnc, it downloaded it and then resolved dependencies.  

I copied in the file you supplied and cycled the machine, but the X still did not start.
Error ...  'could not open /dev/input/mice ....

OK, I attached two more configuration files, please give them a try.
xorg-ps2.conf is basically the same as before but tries to ignore Mouse open errors and xorg-gpm.conf uses the GPM pointing device as the X mouse cursor.

If the configuration files still don't work, please attach the new logfiles (/var/log/Xorg.0.log) again so that I can see what's wrong.


xorg-ps2.conf.txt
xorg-gpm.conf.txt

I am getting some other errors:
starting udev: udevd[410]: parse_config_file: can't open '/etc/udev/udev.conf' as config file: No such file  or directory
udevtrigger[412]: parse_config_file: can't open '/etc/udev/udev.conf' as config file: No such file  or directory
udevtrigger[439]: parse_config_file: can't open '/etc/udev/udev.conf' as config file: No such file  or directory

Starting VNC server: no displays configured

Here is what I have:
After subing in -ps2.conf,  the system booted and I now get a splash screen, graphical login prompt, and desktop, mouse pointer. Can't control mouse.
Still have that service error on startup: starting console mouse services: O0o.oops(): [server_tools.c(76)]: Could not open /dev/input/mice.

How do I control the desktop wo/mouse ? (its pretty clumsy)
Trying  -gpm file now ...

gpm: same result.
Error: ... Could not open /dev/input/mice.
Also, if I boot the os interactive, I never get a logon prompt ?
the files you requested are attached.

Xorg.0.log-ps2.txt
Xorg.0.log-gpm.txt

The error with "starting console mouse services" comes from gpm which seems to be misconfigured.
In fact, you don't really need gpm and I think it breaks stuff for you, so is it possible to uninstall gpm again without uninstalling VNC too?

Using the PS/2 configuration file, Xorg says that it can't open /dev/psaux (the device file for PS/2 mice).

(EE) xf86OpenSerial: Cannot open device /dev/psaux
      No such file or directory.
(WW) Mouse0: cannot open input device

So is it really a PS/2 mouse or is it something that's connected via USB?

Could I please see the output of `cat /proc/bus/input/devices` and `cat /proc/bus/input/handlers` as well as the output of `ls -l /dev/input`?

a quick google search explained that " ... GPM adds mouse support to text-based Linux applications ... "
How much would I loose if its not there? I have seen discussions on how to get/troubleshoot vnc service view con before the desktop even loads.

I won't be able to get the files for a day or two days, hope thats alright.

Basically you don't loose anything if you do always work on the X server tty, that means the text console is the black thing you're currently seeing because your X server doesn't work. Usually I would say that the text console is only of use to more expierienced users nowadays or for troubleshooting stuff and troubleshooting works well without mouse support too. Of course one can have both (the X server and gpm) running at the same time, but currently I guess that it causes the problems you're seeing so get rid of it in the first step and if you ever feel the need for mouse support on the text console, you can easily install it again and try to get it work on your system.

Attached are the output(s), but I don't have a folder named '/dev/input'   on the system ?

proc.bus.input.devices.txt
proc.bus.input.handlers.txt

OK, it's definetly a PS/2 mouse and it's mapped to mouse0 and event1.
It's strange that you don't have a /dev/input directory, are you using some kind of mdev or software the like that propagates your /dev filesystem?

Is there a file called /dev/mouse0 or /dev/input1, resp. /dev/mice on your system?

You might need to create the device nodes manually (usually not needed, but it seems as if something is broken on your system).
Try to enter the following commands as root and afterwards, try to start your X server again.

cd /dev
mkdir input
mknod -m 660 psaux c 10 1
cd input
mknod -m 660 mice c 13 63
mknod -m 660 event0 c 13 64

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are you using some kind of mdev or software the like that propagates your /dev filesystem?
No. All software is what was loaded via the CentOS package manager.

Is there a file called /dev/mouse0 or /dev/input1, resp. /dev/mice on your system?
/dev/mouse0: Yes
/dev/mice:      Yes
/dev/input1     No.

Made the changes and restarted system, still no mouse.

Hmm... The "mice" device node should be in the subdirectory "input", that's what your X server is looking for.
After you rebooted your system, were the newly created device nodes still present?

You don't need to restart your system after creating the device nodes, because I guess they disappeared again after reboot, but if there's a /dev/mice file on your system, try to use this xorg.conf.
xorg.conf.txt

Very Cool, I now have mouse again.    Few last questions ...

The 'Package manager' now has a popup stating the two updates are available:
1. Updated Kernel
2. Updated SAMBA

Should I stay away from updates from now on ?
I am assuming that it was the 'resolving of dependencies' that caused the problem in the first place.

I still see some errors, On shutdown: '... console mouse down failed ...'
and on boot-up '... console mouse /dev/input ... not found ...'

Don't know how important it is ?

The update did not break anything.
Thanks for all the help !

Now I still have one last problem that started all this. On load, the VNC daemon gives an error:
'No displays configured'
Any clue on where to start ?

Does ths workaround work for you?

http://linux.ll--ll.net/archives/25

No, I changed the line that it suggested, but I still get a failure.  "vncserver failed. The error was: Starting VNC server: 2: ....  [FAILED]"

I will post a new issue