ok running magic trying to install XFCE (already got X)
and it reports
gnome-base/gdm-2.16.4 (masked by: package.mask)
Gnome-2.16 is not supported in 2.4 kernels as per bug #147707
also had problems with /usr/X11R6/ no being linked to /usr/ but i fixed that (i think)
Magic Forces a resync which over writes the package.mask file which means it erases the changes i made to it
the magic script needs editing to fix this if some one could point me in the right direction that would help