Ok I was using the Mandriva 06 Live Edition CD, and everything was working fine except for the display. The colors resolution was good but part of the screen was blacked out. Since I don't have a screenshot handy, I'll use text to simulate my monitor.

= -> Normal
+ -> Blacked out area

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The mouse and applications are partially blocked by that black area. But if I were to hit X on the window while its in that black area it works, but I can't see the X. I have to guess where it is.

Thanks.

am not even sure you can use bootprompt argument for the kernel here, can you?
(F1 or F2 at the very beginning)
The only thing I can think of is trying video=vesa at bootprompt

I've had that in mandriva in the past as well.

No other distribution i've tried had the problem.

Seeing peter C comments, go for 2006 free or 2005 free.
You are going to install linux? Then drop the live distro
It is only slowing your learning curve