In article <20020317235539.23645.qmail@web14601.mail.yahoo.com> you write:
>I just installed the 2.2r3 (potato) version of Debian. I
>included the X system with the install, and I can do a startx
>and have the GUI interface start up. 

If it's kde that you want to run, try "apt-get install kdm".  This will
load the k desktop manager which should give you a gui login screen for
kdm on boot, and persistently.

>tried! I'd like to be able to get into the desktop mgrs. I've
>installed. kdm and gdm both return "unknown commandderrors.

Hmmm, already tried that, eh?  kdm should be in /usr/bin/kdm.  You may not
have a valid display in your /etc/X11/XF86Config, but this stuff should
run right out of the box.  You might want to try the testing branch of
Debian, it uses XFree86 version 4 (I think) which simplifies the driver
setup considerably.  Or, the unstable branch is "sid".  I'm guessing that
X doesn't have the correct driver for your video card loaded, or something
like that.  The program "xf86config"  will walk you through setting up an
/etc/X11/XF86Config file, that's another option.

Or, you could set up a line in /etc/apt/sources.list for a
"woody" (testing) distribution, reload kde and give that a shot.  It
should download whatever files that it needs to run, and walk you through
the setup.

Regards,

-Don