Live CD display issues

["dave boland" <dboland9@fastmail.fm>]

I have spent a frustrating afternoon trying to get Ubuntu, Fedora, and
now the latest Debian livecd to run on a few computers.  I need some
help here.  The vitals are:
* Computer 1: CPU 233 MHz P-II, 384 MB RAM, 10 GB disk, Voodo 3dfx
* Computer 2: CPU 1.8 GHz Athlon, 2 GB RAM, 80 GB disk, NVIDA RIVA TNT2

In both cases things proceed well until X is started.  The screens go
black, but eventually the audio sound is heard that indicates the
everything is loaded and ready to go.  In both cases I tried both the
normal livecd and the safe mode -- same results in both cases.  

Any cheat codes that may help?  Other suggestions (be nice!)?

Thanks, 
Dave
-- 
  dave boland
  dboland9@fastmail.fm

-- 
http://www.fastmail.fm - mmm... Fastmail...