Wanting to install Debian Etch on my HP Laptop???
 

First off...does wget work on Debian. Basically I am going to need to install the Nvidia driver on my Laptop.
HP Pavillion dv6000
AMD Turion 64x2
2 gb of ram
160 gb sata hard drive
Broadcom Corp. Dell wireless 1390 WLAN Mini-PCI card (rev 2)
Nvidia graphics card
Matshita CD/DVD RW drive w/ lightscribe

Some of the problems I have had with other distro's is the installation process freezing up during the GUI install. Example: while formating /boot section of my hard drive on FC6 and F7 the process would freeze up forcing me to install on the text base. I would like to avoid that. I think it is a Video driver issue. If anyone can give me more info on this that would be nice. How can I choose driver use on installation startup. i.e. nv driver verse vesa driver? If there are any other helpful hints that anyone else can provide thought would be much appreciated...!!! I would just like to have as much info as I can before I turn off this computer and start with another distro.

Sure, wget comes with every distro.
Unless you have a very new card (8x series), you might not need it though.

You can install your 3D nvidia driver like this:
#apt-get install module-assistant
#m-a prepare
#m-a a-i nvidia
#apt-get install nvidia-glx
#dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
(you need to add non-free in your sources list for this)

Using this approach is highly recommended if you don't like having to re-install the nVidia driver with every new kernel update.

Could you be more specific.
Error messages?
Log files?

The default (and IMO recommended) Debian installer is ncurses based.
You can use a more graphical (Anaconda based) installer as well by booting with "installgui".

Make sure you select the "laptop" option during the installation (when it asks you to select default package sets).
If you forget this(or don't like using the default packages), run "apt-get install powernowd cpufrequtils" after (or during) the installation.

These are X drivers and not needed at boot time (since you're planning to use the commercial 3D "nvidia" driver, you probably wont need them at all).
If the installer ends up with a wrong one (nv doesn't fully work with all 8x cards) you'll be dumped in a CLI without X.
Just run "dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg" if that happens.
This will ask you some questions, use the default if you don't know the answer.
When it asks to select a driver, pick either "vesa", or first install the commercial 3D nvidia driver(as explained above) and pick "nvidia"
You can redo this as many times as you like/need.

If my memory serves me correctly the default drivers in most Linux distros typically only support 2D acceleration. Also the default driver do not typically support TwinView (i.e dual headed operation). The Linux drivers from NVidia support 3D accel and TwinView, and are much better in performance/quality. Plan on downloading the Linux drivers for your card. Instructions and read.me files from NVidia are helpful. You will more than likely need to tweak the /etc/X11/xorg.conf file a bit based on suggestions in NVidia instructions. If the NVidia drivers cannot install, they will try to find a pre-compiled kernel module for you kernel version. I have never seen this to be successful. Thus, the installer will provide you some cryptic messages telling you need to install the kernel headers, source, or other libraries. That is where the hard part starts. It helps if you have another PC which you can search around forums for someone that had a similar problem and solution. Depending on your distro, installing the kernel source, headers, etc. is pretty easy once you know what to install. (e.g. Debian uses apt-get or aptitude). In my experience, each different distro and graphics card combo will result is slightly different error messages and solutions, but it is easier than in previous years. Especially with NVidia releasing unified Linux drivers for the most part at the same time as Windows drivers. I myself let the Debian package manager download and install the latest Etch kernel 2.6.18-5 and it neutered my NVidia drivers I successfully installed under 2.6.18-4. To date, I still have not been able get the NVidia drivers working under 2.6.18-5, so I am stuck using 2.6.18-4 until I figure it out.

After installing Debian Etch...upon bootup...the screen goes blank and nothing happens....??????? I think it is obviously something with the video driver. Yet I can't get to a command line to download the driver from Nvidia?
...Even after reinstalling on the regular boot method...it comes up to a blank screen.............I just don't know what to do at this point???

Try booting with "linux noapic".

Can this be done from the grub command line. Cause this seems to be the only option that I have. On boot up it gives me two options...standard, and single user mode.

Sorry, I misread your previous post (I assumed your installation didn't complete).

Is your system fully installed (did the installer end without any errors)?
That would actually be surprising if you didn't use the "noapic" option when installing it.
If not, redo the installation booting with "linux noapic".

Does it boot in "single user mode" (you'll be greeted with a CLI and no X)?

OK...so yeah the gui installation went just fine. System ended without any errors. Just on reboot after everything loads it goes right to a blank screen...
OK...so I will reinstall with the "noapic" option.
In single user mode it is the same thing...after everything loads it just goes to a blank, black screen...!!!!
Now do I need the linux in with the noapic? I am now at the boot menu looking over the options.

The "vga=771 noapic" option worked...right now I am starring at a desktop. So as far as my video card...I have the Nvidia GeForce2 Go...should i do what you recommended above or the wget method...which is just as easy for me.
I know it won't let me run the nvidia-installer until I exit X. I am trying to figure out how to do this correctly?

You can install your 3D nvidia driver like this:
#apt-get install module-assistant
#m-a prepare
#m-a a-i nvidia
#apt-get install nvidia-glx
#dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg
(you need to add non-free in your sources list for this)
.....or it I do it this way...what do you mean by adding non-free in my sources list???
I could really use some help on this topic. I want to take care of this video driver issue before on move on to other issues...like my wireless...!!!