xfree86 crashes when loading framebuffers mode at boot up

Subject: xfree86 crashes when loading framebuffers mode at boot up
Package: xfree86

From: David King <david <at> kingdavid.org>

when booting from the lnx-bbc CD it loads the welcome screen with the 
choices 1 to 5 and memtest.
Option 1 for no framebuffer works
Option memtest works
But options 2 to 5 for framebuffer modes all have the same problem:
the screen goes blank, a dark grey (not black) so some sort of image is 
being sent to the screen, but nothing happens on the screen. Sometimes 
the hard disk light on the PC is on or flashing, as is the light on the 
DVD-ROM drive that I booted from.
No key presses will do anything. Only way out is to reset the PC.
PC specs: AMD Ahtlon XP 1700 CPU, 1024 MB DDR RAM, Asus A7A266 
motherboard, Leadtek Winfast A310 VGA card with VIVO 256 MB RAM and two 
monitors attached, wireless keyboard and mouse, 2 internal IDE hard 
disks, 1 internal DVD-ROM, 1 internal DVD-RAM, external firewire hard 
disks (2), external USB 2.0 hard disk, external USB 2.0 CD-ROM, USB hub, 
USB superfloppy drive, USB 2.0 scanner, USB laser printer, USB inkjet 
printer, ethernet connection to local network, Creative Soundblaster 
Audigy soundcard.