If you're more comfortable on Debian (as I am), there is no need to give up on it due to hardware. Debian has one of the widest architecture bases for install, without needing to custom compile an install kernel. If sarge, the current stable version of Debian won't install because you have new hardware, that is to be expected. Sarge defaults to a 2.4.27 kernel, which is ancient, and you have the option of 2.6.8 on sarge, but the current kernel is 2.6.20. If you use Debian testing aka Etch, it should install, as it defaults to 2.6.18, and that should auto-detect most Sata chipsets and newer motherboard and gigabit cards. If you continue to have install problems, post about it on the debian forum. There are plenty of good users on their who post often, and get help with getting custom modules should you need them.
The Etch installers are at the top of this page, under the title "netinst CD image (generally 135-175 MB)"
http://www.us.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/
Peace,
JimBass
