New to linux... need some help getting started

[maximum720]

Hi....
As the title says, I'm, new to linux, Debian especially. I've had a very small amount of exposure to Ubunto, red hat, and Damn small linux.

I want out and bought an old emachines computer from future shop for under $200 and I want to set up a server using Debian. I downloaded the basic version (pretty much bare bones) and got it installed. During the installation it didn't recognize the network card. I've heard this is normal, so i just continued with the installation.

Here is the computer I bought

and this is the motherboard model...K8MC51G

The motherboard has an onboard network card and since it is an emachine, i figure it is probaly a fairly common computer which someone has had the same problem with. So what i am wondering is if there is a tutorial that will help me get this working, or if maybe someone could explain how (in very basic linux language haha : ) and also maybe point me in the direction of some resorces to help me learn some of the commands since i am only running from the command line.


thanks

[shawoho]

HI, there are lots of docs... just google......
visit http://www.debian-administration.org/
I actually have let debian for another boxes like Blag and slackware... even though I love debian (I use it rarely to not forget)
Debian seems to have many internal problems in the project..

[maximum720]

HI, there are lots of docs... just google......
visit http://www.debian-administration.org/
I actually have let debian for another boxes like Blag and slackware... even though I love debian (I use it rarely to not forget)
Debian seems to have many internal problems in the project..

Well since Im fairly new what would you recomend? I heard debian was a very good distro to use to run a server? I want somthing thats simple to use, and command line based. Is there another distro that you would recomend? Or do you think I should just mess around with a desktop distro such as ubunto before I get in over my head with a server??

thanks again

[antidrugue]

Debian is, amongs others like CentOS and Slackware, an excellent distro for a server.

About this network card, it is problably not a very serious problem.

If you want more help with it, please post the output of

lspci | grep -i ethernet

[maximum720]

Debian is, amongs others like CentOS and Slackware, an excellent distro for a server.

About this network card, it is problably not a very serious problem.

If you want more help with it, please post the output of

lspci | grep -i ethernet

Nothing comes up. Could it be because it's not actually a network card? It's onboard network....

[shawoho]

Hi, The perfect box doesn't exist..
Looking for something LTS(long term support), maybe Debian or ubuntu Server 6.06 LTS... Any *Nix box can be used as a server.
Everything depends on What do you want to serve? Most *nix boxes are able to serve.
I suggest, if you want something 100% pure free software, so go for Blag or Ututo.... Actually I'm using Blag as a server and stations. These distributions are gnu.org recommended...
If you are not an activist, so go for Slackware(you'll learn a lot with this one, I'm new in slackware, but seems to be cool), Debian and based(knoppix, linex[spanish],knoppix)

[maximum720]

Hi, The perfect box doesn't exist..
Looking for something LTS(long term support), maybe Debian or ubuntu Server 6.06 LTS... Any *Nix box can be used as a server.
Everything depends on What do you want to serve? Most *nix boxes are able to serve.
I suggest, if you want something 100% pure free software, so go for Blag or Ututo.... Actually I'm using Blag as a server and stations. These distributions are gnu.org recommended...
If you are not an activist, so go for Slackware(you'll learn a lot with this one, I'm new in slackware, but seems to be cool), Debian and based(knoppix, linex[spanish],knoppix)

I think for the time being i'll just stick with debian and tackle this first hurdle and see where I go from there. It's quite a lot right now, but i think by being patient and persistent I will learn alot more.

[shawoho]

Now you've taken a good decision, just go on.....
Visit the link I suggested to you in the first post reply.... You'll find almast everything.... about debian.....

[antidrugue]

Nothing comes up. Could it be because it's not actually a network card? It's onboard network....

Nothing ? Well, do you have an ethernet plug on this machine ? I guess it's possible that you don't. That would certainly be an explanation.

[maximum720]

Nothing ? Well, do you have an ethernet plug on this machine ? I guess it's possible that you don't. That would certainly be an explanation.

It has on board ethernet... I don't have it plugged in though yet because i still need to make a long enough cable to reach my switch. But i figured that plugging it in wouldn't make a difference so I havn't yet.... could that be the reason??

When I just type lspci, I get a wall of text, should I be looking for somthing in that possibly?

Also, do I have to install this?
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux_nforce_1.11.html

Would that solve some issues?