In article <199802101009.LAA00223@ibiscus.no.net> you write:
> X -dev /dev/grf0 -width 1280 -height 800 -depth 4 -nozap -emulatemiddle

The A2024 doesn't do 1280xAnything. Try 1024x800 or 1008x800 (depending
on your custom chip revs... old ones are limited to 1008)

(Maybe the X server lacks support for the 2024 too, but this alone would
prevent it from working).