[...]
Now I'm finding that the old configuration isn't
working either. It's telling me that "ati" is not a valid driver. I've
ran apt-get install xorg-xserver-ati-video successfully, but this
hasn't solved the problem. X is telling me that there are no screens.
How did debian originally configure my screen? Running
dpkg-reconfigure -plow xserver-xorg doesn't even ask me questions
about the screen, and the xorg.conf that it generates sends the fans
into the "screamo mode" and the machine into lockdown. Any more hints?