[CS-FSLUG] many distros won't recognise my monitor

[Davidm at HisFeet.net]

First off, let me ask a really dumb question.  I see some of you answering
each other, and quoting part of the previous letter.  How does one answer
a specific letter in this list (writing to the entire list)?

OK,  Now my real question.  I bought a nice looking wide screen flat
monitor some time ago.  At that time I was using Windoze and ouble booting
to Mepis (I think Mepis 5).  Windows recognised the monitor and set it up
to a resolution of 1280x768 at a refresh of 60, Mepis would not identify
it, and set it up with VESA callig it a CRT. After some tweaking of
xorg.conf, I got it set up and working to the 1280x768-60 specs and it
worked fine.  Through the years and months since I've set up a number of
other distros on the same system.  Some of them get it right and others
don't.

I thought the problem was with the nVidia graphics that is part of my
motherboard, and sure enough, sometimes getting the nVidia set up cures
the problem (but the monitor is still apparently not identified).

Just day before yesterday I installed Mint 7.  It gave me 800x600-75, but
didn't identify the motherboard.  Mint has made it very easy to install
the nVidia drivers, so I did that, which gave me 1400x900-75.  I'd rather
have 1280x768, but I could live with 1400x900.  The refresh of 75 bothered
me, because I thought it might be harmful to the monitor, so I set it to
60. (nVidia didn't identify the monitor either - still called it a CRT)

When I rebooted the system came up with 1040x768-60, and won't allow me to
change it to anything appropriate -  not even back to 1400x900-75.

As you might have guessed, I'm working through the GUI interfaces only.  I
am pretty limited on my knowledge of xorg.conf, and other such things. 
For instance, does nVidia even use xorg.conf? or does it have it.s own
config file?  I have a Compaaq Presario SR2027X with nVidia Graphics
GeForce 6150LE.  The monitor is an ADVUEU: product number: ADV190WDT

The benefit of your esperience would be greatly appreciated.
.                                       Dave