Bad video drivers in newer versions
 

I am able to install Dapper onto my laptop. The video card barely works, and it will *only* use the center portion of my screen with about 3-4 inches of black to the edges.

When I try to run (k/x)ubuntu on any newer version (7.04 and 7.10), I go to an orange screen and nothing happens. No menus. No splash/loading screen. Nothing.

When I try to load them in safe graphics mode, I get lots of nasty chaotic colors across my screen.

My laptop is a P4 1.7ghz, 512mb ram, with a 32mb nvidia Geforce 2 GO video card. nVidia no longer even has Windows drivers for this video card. :( Am I doomed to 1024xwhatever forever with Linux? Knoppix is able to use my full screen straight from the get-go.

My laptop is a Dell Inspirion 2650. All the stats are available on dells website from that. :S

Thank you!

Perhaps you need to install nvidia-glx-legacy or configure /etc/X11/xorg.conf for driver "nv" or worst case "vesa"

Thank you, I will give it a try.