Booting problem - with "undefined mode"

Hi guys

I have a Dell Dimension 2400 that I'm trying to recover data from after the windows install went tits-up.

Only I'm having a problem booting. I get the undefined mode passed with regards to the screen resolution. And if I try to boot the desktop is corrupt.

I've searched the web and this forum and presently if I use:

knoppix vga=normal screen=1024x768 xvrefresh=60

then I can get to the wallpaper of the desktop, with cursor but thats it. From there I can do nothing, i just sits there.

I've also tried with xmodule=i810 but there's no difference with or without it.

Any help would be appreciated.

Never mind.

Some how the bios was set to 'compatibility mode' which I think translates to run as slow as possible!

I have a Dell D2400 too. Its video card must be incredibly eccentric because some "good" standard distros (Mandrake, Fedora) have awful problems with it. Try
knoppix vga=771
at the boot prompt, before it goes off and does its own thing.
Any good?
Fergus