I finally got etch loaded on my laptop. I used the iso from last week 12/21. Had to use that no_prob for some dell pc. under F6.
I only had to use the first cd img. Installed just the standard base. I could not belive it, but after reboot and I started apt I was expecting a hole lot of downloading, But did not happen. I apt x-win-sys and only fetched 700 some Kb. Wanted me to insert the cd, then gdm, only fetched a few Kb, then gnome-desk-envir. which is a few hundred mb, only had to fetch 6.8 mb. I guess you guys compressed these files on the first cd img. worked out very well for me. no bandwidth usage. Thank you.
ran very slow at first but I remembered, while configuring x this deal about the graphic card using the kernel and I selected yes. dpkg reconfigure xserver and selected no. told it to use the sis driver instead of vese, and its running like a,,, well good.
touch pad has no tapping. (so cool) but wont slide the mouse very good, just takes a long time to get pointer from one side to other. I can see during boot it detects the alps touch pad, maybe that synaptic driver thing may work this time.
the alsa mixer is muted after every boot, can't seem to find a way to start on boot. I can play a cd or dvd movie, mp3. But I can't get a sound notification for new mail to work with icedove. I'm lacking something but not sure what.
still need to learn compiling. don't have the nerve to try and get the madwifi working. Don't want to hose this install.