VGA mode not supported

[David McGlone]

Hi all,

With the last couple releases of kubuntu I have not been able to install 
kubuntu on my desktop using the live CD because when it boots, 
everything is way  too big for the screen and it's impossible to navigate, 
so I always use the alternate cd ,which also after installation is HUGE, 
but I have managed to navigate around enough to enable the restricted 
drivers for my video card and after a reboot, all is well.

Well I just installed 8.10 on my desktop with the alternate cd and low 
and behold, I can't even get a HUGE desktop, all I get is my monitor 
complaining VGA mode not supported.

I have a 17" flat monitor that can do from 640x480 up to 1280x768. 
my video card is and ATI radeon x300se RV370.

I tried booting into safe mode and that doesn't work like it used to in 
previous releases where a desktop would come up. I even tried dpkg-
reconfigure xserver-xorg and it doesn't let the xserver be configured 
anymore, just the keyboard.

What should I do?
TIA
David M.