can not launch any window manager

[B Thomas <thomas.1037@osu.edu>]

Hi,

I am using Debian/Etch. My system crashed while using gnome and
imagemagick. After a hard reboot I find I am unable to launch
any window manager (be it kde gnome or fvwm). All I see
is a grey background with a functioning cursor. No matter
what I put in my ~/.xinitrc this is the result. This doesn't
seem to be a hardware problem as I replaced the video card
and it made no difference. Besides if I boot from a live
linux cd (INSERT security/rescue toolkit) the window manager
works just fine. 

I even tried putting in older video cards lying
around (first ATI Rage pro  and now Matorx G200).
Also I  reinstalled the x-window-system*
and x11proto* packages (of Debian/Etch). I have
made no cutomisations to the Xwindows system or
the Window Managers. This is a standard Debian/Etch
official distribution.

Would be grateful for any suggestions you can make. 

regards
thomas