installing 10.10

[piper.guy1]

I posted this originally to the forums but had no luck getting resolution.

I have been having trouble installing 10.10 onto 2 Dell machines, both
of which have good hardware as they were both running either Windows
XP or Centos previously with no problems.

After about the nth time I finally got Ubuntu to install on my Dell
GX150, but I only can get a desktop when I enter safe mode. Otherwise
the whole system freezes indefinitely if I don't log in that way.

Does anyone have some advice? I've installed 10.10, and I also tried
installing 10.04 and then upgraded to 10.10, again both ways with the
same result...no destop unless in safe mode.

Note: Yes I have burned the CD at the slowest speed.

As a sidebar question, what can't I do in safe mode? I haven't figured
that out yet, but I have been using it much.

thanx
/carl h