I've GOT an older Gateway gaming machine running Vista Home Premium with an ATI Radeon HD 2400 XT video card, 3 GB RAM and a terabyte of disk.  Display is an Acer LCD with specs indicating it will operate up to 1600 x resolution.  Everything was WORKING fine until I was poking around in the ATI Catalyst Center looking at the video card settings and noticed a resolution setting I did not remember seeing before - 1900 x - without thinking I clicked on it and immediately regretted it!  Instead of getting a question whether I wanted to keep the resolution setting the display freaked out and went dark.  I'm thinking I set the video card resolution setting beyond the capabilities of the display and am now suffering the consequences.  I can only use the system in safe mode now - if I allow the system to boot in normal mode the display goes back to the dark screen which 'twitches'.  I tried 'LAST know good configuration' to no avail.  This particular machine does not have a recovery point so that will not help.  I am holding off removing/reinstalling drivers in the hope I can fix this in some other WAY while in safe mode - maybe a registry setting change? 

Any suggestions are appreciated!You just about got there

Instead of last known changes, select enable VGA mode from the list and it will boot into windows, reset your resolution, restart as normal and it should be back to normal.Thanks!  I'm glad I asked before going too far, worked great!   Great to know

Good trick to remember