Debian X config problems

[Vaughn Treude]

Hello you Debian gurus out there:
I'm trying to install Linux on a Compaq Presario 900 notebook.  I discovered 
to my dismay that there was a problem with one of its chipsets, and that all 
the newer distributions (that is, anything with a 2.4 kernel) lock up on the 
install.  (What happens is that they boot from CD but at some point the CD 
drive ceases functioning.)  Following the advice of some posting on the net, 
I used a network-based install of an older version of Debian (2.2.19 kernel.) 
 This worked fine, and then I did an "apt-get install" on all the X-related 
components I could think of.  I ran the configuration, but I can't get X up 
and working.  The system has an ATI Rage Mobility U1 AGP video adapter and 
xf86cfg doesn't recognize it.  From a web search, it seems that this adapter 
is supported in Linux, but I suppose I need a newer version of X.  According 
to my error log file, it's 4.1.0.1, released 21 December 2001.  Should I try 
downloading a newer version from the XFree86 website, or is there some way to 
get Debian's site to give me a newer of X without having to upgrade to a 
newer version of the distribution?  The latter sounds like a cleaner 
approach, but I'm pretty clueless when it comes to the Debian world.

Thanks,
Vaughn Treude