I have done this type of install multiple times at work with these old (non-cd) laptops I have laying around. I use the 9 disks (rescue, driver & 7 install) to get up to a 2.0 debian install with pcmcia NIC support. I then immediately do a potato upgrade and download the 2.2.13 kernel and recompile. Then I have to download and recompile the new pcmcia module.
With that done I am free to add X and whatever else I want t fiddle with. If you want to keep slink then just do the disks install and once you can see the internet apt-get everything else you want or use dselect and point it to ftp as the install media as opposed to floppy or cd. Good luck JJN
