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Issue:

Why do I receive a fatal server error: could not open default font 'fixed' when loading X server after updating to Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 update 4 release?

Resolution:

Release Found: Red Hat Enterprise Linux 3 Update 4

Symptom:
After upgrading your system through up2date the GUI will no longer start with an error message similar to:

   
Could not init font path element unix/:7100, removing from list!

Fatal server error:
could not open default font 'fixed'

If you encounter a server crash, please report the problem by filing a bug
report in the XFree86.org bugzilla at http://bugs.xfree86.org and/or Red Hat
bugzilla at http://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla.  When filing your report, it
is very important that you explain your problem in as much detail as possible,
and include a complete description on how to reproduce the problem.  After
submitting the bug report, attach the following files as uncompressed
individual file attachments using the bugzilla file attachment feature:
        - X server log file: /var/log/XFree86.0.log
        - X server config file: /etc/X11/XF86Config
        - Kernel log file: /var/log/messages

XIO:  fatal IO error 104 (Connection reset by peer) on X server ":0.0"
      after 0 requests (0 known processed) with 0 events remaining.

Solution:
For precautions make sure the XFree86 packages are installed by typing the following as root user in a terminal:

 
# rpm -qa |grep XFree86
XFree86-devel-4.3.0-78.EL
XFree86-libs-4.3.0-78.EL
XFree86-xauth-4.3.0-69.EL
XFree86-Mesa-libGL-4.3.0-69.EL
XFree86-libs-data-4.3.0-78.EL
XFree86-4.3.0-78.EL
XFree86-Mesa-libGLU-4.3.0-69.EL
XFree86-xfs-4.3.0-78.EL
XFree86-base-fonts-4.3.0-69.EL
XFree86-75dpi-fonts-4.3.0-69.EL
XFree86-font-utils-4.3.0-69.EL
XFree86-100dpi-fonts-4.3.0-69.EL

Also make sure your /etc/inittab is set to boot into runlevel 5:

 
# Default runlevel. The runlevels used by RHS are:
#   0 - halt (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
#   1 - Single user mode
#   2 - Multiuser, without NFS (The same as 3, if you do not have networking)
#   3 - Full multiuser mode
#   4 - unused
#   5 - X11
#   6 - reboot (Do NOT set initdefault to this)
# 
id:5:initdefault:

The error message being displayed is a result of your X Font Server not being enabled. To enable this service again please type the following commands:

chkconfig xfs on service xfs start

Finally restore your system into runlevel 5 by typing the following command:

# telinit 5

Your GUI should now be restored.