Settings within display properties

What video adapter is installed in your system?  It sounds as though the drivers either aren't installed, or need to be re-installed.  Try opening Device Manager, removing the entry(s) under Display Adapters, then reboot, let windows setect the video display adapter, and set it up as a Standard VGA video Adapter.  After the systenm finishes booting, then run the install program for your Video adapter (should be on a CD).  Hopefully that will solve the problem, unless your Video Card is bad, in which case replacing it should get you up and going.  Hope that helps!

I doubt that the video card would be bad. It definetly looks like a driver problem. As nbdyfool said reinstall your video card drivers.

I would suspect that you've got incorrect drivers or devices loaded which often aren't seen in normal mode, but reflected when you reboot (hold CTRL during reboot until you get the menu to select SAFE MODE).

Within SAFE MODE right click the My Computer icon and choose properties.  Then if any duplicates are listed, remove ALL occurrences prior to reboot.  If any errors listed, advise.

It helps to know more about your hardware and software setup.  You can get some good information to post for us from Device Manager, as well as by checking System Information which you can access either from Accessories / System Tools or directly as follows:

start
run
msinfo32

Then expand the areas on the left and advise.  Look, for instance, at problem devices, look at display, etc...

Within MSINFO32, while there, you can also use some of the great tools that exist.  Example being DirectX diagnostics, this tool is updated using WINDOWSUPDATE (highly recommend keeping your system current with fixes using this process).  DirectX diagnostics provides you information about your video drivers, directplay, sound, etc.

Listening further.

Asta

PS..... WHAT CHANGED SINCE IT LAST WORKED WELL?  

as mentioned above, this could be a problem with the video card but I've also seen this caused many times by incorrect or simple standard monitor drivers.   make sure both drivers are updated and you should be fine.

Perhaps it'll be more expeditious to get your fix if not yet resolved if you tell us more about your video setup (monitor, video card, etc)....

Perhaps I didn't clarify this, but when I've had similar behaviors, and I've had it a few times on varying configurations; I often found that in SAFE MODE the incorrect monitor was displayed (in fact more than one) and I had to remove them all along with the video adapters.  I ended up jumping through some unnecessary hoops searching for (as one example), the most recent NEC Multisync P750 supporting INF file; but bottom line, identifying the correct monitor and updating my video drivers helped the issue.  

As nbdyfool mentioned, I did remove all entries under display adapters then rebooted letting windows detect the video display adapter. Now the system is done rebooting I am supposed to run the install the program for my video adapter. I do not beleive I have this CD. Should it have come with my system?
Can I obtain the info from some other resource?

thank you

Edited text of question.

Please tell us what monitor and video card you have.  

Windows 98 CD has many drivers and INF files for monitors and graphic/video adapters, but not necessarily the most current.  They're usually available from the manufacturer's website, that's why I asked you to tell us what your equipment is so that we can help you find the right link/web site (if needed) to download your most current video drivers.

Additionally, Windows 98 has been fixed in many ways using the WindowsUpdate process for video and related issues.  That's also helpful.

Asta

thanks a million. I was able to download the appropiate videocard driver from the compaq website.

It was a pleasure having your help.