Was doing some thinking about this today, and whipped out an old xubuntu 6.06 CD, and threw it onto an old machine. I am now working on that old machine! I suggest you try downloading xubuntu, and giving it a go, you might have more joy than you have had so far?

Here is a link:

Download Xubuntu

Give it a go, it will definitely do the job you are asking of it.

Hey all, thanks SO much for all the advice.

irishbitte, I tried GRUB too but got the same error msg.
I tried xubuntu before, can't remember why it didn't work.
You are right, it will be awesome to conquer this thing and learn how it works. I really don't want to pay someone else and be a noob forever.

For some reason when I try to install ubuntu it takes about 20 hrs, I think it is just too much for the poor old thing!

Because I have DSL and it was previously working successfully on my machine, I think I will just re-install it and try to make it work.

The reason I was abandoning it was that I couldn't figure out how to use it, specifically how to get my network card to work or how to get anything off of a cd (for example madwifi). It's very confusing for someone who was used to clicking on "install" or "run" or an ".exe" file. But I hadn't found this forum so I was going it alone :) I will come back and ask for help with that.

The hardware problems were probably due to the kernel configuration. All you would have had to do (most likely) is just recompile your kernel. Here are multiple howto's out there describing this process in great detail. Keep in mind that there is the 2.4 kernel branch and the 2.6 .. The steps are almost identical. ALMOST. Also as a side note, anything regarding the kernel with an odd numbered version such as 2.5 is experimental.

I am not familiar with DSL, however I have been considering taking it for a spin on an old desktop. Let me know how it goes if you decide to try it again.

DragonM15

P.S. If you have any questions I would be glad to help as would anyone else on the forum I am sure.