desktop alignment issue

[sks24]

11.04
kernel 2.6.38-12 generic
New installation. Graphics issue. The entire desktop is biased “downwards.” There’s extra space above the top panel, and the bottom panel is almost exactly half buried. In order to effectively click on an icon, I have to click above it. This is happening on two different monitors.
It was also happening during the installation process. I’m running “Ubuntu Classic no effects.”

I took a screenshot of the entire desktop, but it appears normal, and doesn’t show how everything has “fallen.”

All assistance appreciated.

Best,
Scott

[sks24]

I apologize: I didn't include the machine model and so forth:
eMachines t3256 32bit 512MB dual boot XP

Update: the exact same problem happens in the exact same way in Ubuntu 10.04.3.

Update: exactly the same thing is happening in Xubuntu 10.04.2

Again, I'm very sorry about no including the machine information. I composed the post in a Google Doc, and when I pasted it over I didn't notice that the top part was missing.