Sorry for posting this lame message but I really have to ask for assistance.

In the past 6 months, I've installed several different distributions to see if they could do what I wanted, the last being Redhat 9.

You see, right now I run my own mail, FTP, and web servers on a WinXP Pro machine. I want to convert to a Linux machine, but without all the garbage that gets installed automatically. I need precisely this: mail, FTP, and web servers, (oh and Samba of course since I network with another XP machine which I do everything else on). No GUI stuff whatsoever.

I need someone to walk me through getting it set up and I really mean a to z and with a setup that I can deal with. I have a P4 1.6 w/1 gig of memory and two hard drives, 1 20 and 1 60. I don't remember what video it is, but it's on the board (VIA chipset) and the audio is AC97. But I don't want the audio at all.

Redhat 9 installs fine, but there's a load of stuff I really don't want starting up at all. It installs VS-FTP by default and I'm not sure if that's what I want (I prefer the SSL connectivity I get from Serv-U on Windows). I don't like Apache (probably because I've never had it configured properly on Linux or Windows). And I really don't know what a really good mail server for Linux is, but it should be directory-based.

If anyone has any sympathy for me and can stomach my whining, please let me know.

The trouble with doing a minimal install is that it suddenly becomes necessary that you know what apps you want.
I have found it easy to do this with Debian as you can install the basic (really basic) and use apt-get to add what you want. Apt-get will also install needed dependecies. This makes it really easy to add just what you think you want.
Mandrake has urpmi which is supposed to do the same thing.
You may find it easier to do a default Red Hat install and shut down what you don't want, to begin with.
I will let someone else give you a step by step and listen to your whining.
Good Luck.

Okay, well... I decided to go with Debian and follow some detailed instructions at aboutdebian.com

I'm in the process of downloading the 7 iso's and will probably backup my XP machine tomorrow night and then start the install on Tuesday.

The first CD has enough to install the base system and allow network install (from the internet) of the other packages you want.

Oh well, I set it to download and then went to work. You're right, I just need the first one, but .... never mind, I just didn't pay attention when I started it.