Is there a walkthrough for installing Linux if you don't know what you're doing?

I got mine installed, but I guessed at every option, have no clue if I have what I need or not, and don't know what to do now that I'm at a command prompt. I don't know how to access files via the network, I don't know how to share files, to set up users for file sharing... basically I can't do a thing. Every guide I find online seems to be 4000 pages on how to do everything there is in Linux. I don't want to learn everything. I just want to know enough to do what I need to.

At a command prompt? Type startx
Research is vital, what do you want to be able to do with this system, it will affect how you install it.

I've been busy in another forum thread trying to get startx to work. I've come to the conclusion I need to copy over and install the video driver (which I'm incapable of doing) and since I don't have a floppy drive, I need to copy it over the network, which I also don't know how to do.

I intend for this to be a file server. Some kind of remote administration, password, possibly ftp, not sure on that yet. It's gonna be at my GF's house, and she won't have a clue how to use it. She has a laptop, and basically wants it as a glorified external harddrive enclosure.