[lug] Wanted: Help with resetting monitor

[siegfried]

Howdy folks!
After a great night of hacking in Ft Collins my desktop machine has come
home to my original monitor. I think my desktop computer had such great time
cavorting with strange monitors last night that it does not want to work
peaceably with my original monitor! (You know how wild those hacking society
parties can get!)

I thought Linux and Windows always started in VGA mode and I would get the
opportunity to boot in safe mode and then change the monitor settings when I
am finally booted.

However, this does not appear to be case. I do not get the opportunity see
anything while booting (except my monitor expressing confusing about digital
and analog mode). I have a Samsung syncMasterT 213 monitor and last night I
think I was connected to a Dell.

Now I get some extremely distorted images after booting. I can recognize
mouse movements. However, the displays are so distorted I cannot figure out
how to reset the monitor in windows or Linux.

Can someone help me? 

Thanks much!
Siegfried