I finally got a working version. AFter copying the XF86Config file to an obscure name that i hoped the packages wouldn't figure out (who, me paranoid?), I took another try at XF86Setup. This time, i took "monitor can do 1280x1024 at 60hz". This got me my assorted modes.
Where the problem seems to have been is in teh selectionof the server. This time, the default server was already set to S3, and I followed through to make sure that after i chose my card, that the server was also set to S3 in XF86Setup. Now the only issue is all these extra modes :) back to editing . . . THanks to everyone; I can write my dissertation now . . . rick -- TO UNSUBSCRIBE FROM THIS MAILING LIST: e-mail the word "unsubscribe" to [EMAIL PROTECTED] . Trouble? e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] .