[newbie] 8.2 installation, and desktop

[UrLoverGuy13]

Hello, I am a linux newbie, and I am very interested in learning linux. I downloaded Linux 8.2, and i tried installing it but it has about 5 errors while installing the packages. Installation went through fine, and the packages didnt seem to cause much effect. When I rebooted my PC after installing linux 8.2, the boot screen came up in which i chose linux (by the way i have linux and windows on a dual boot. Windows 20 gigs, and linux 18 gigs). I was on mandrakes tutorial from the site, and I saw that after installation it started talking about the "first time wizard", and stuff... Which seems to be the linux desktop. When i rebooted. It made me go into the linux console, and i donnot know how to get to the linux-like desktop. It keeps putting me in the dos-like area which someone said was the console. I typed startx as someone instructed me to do from an IRC help channel. It said that the! re was an error... and it didnt run startx. It said errno2, and also had errno3. Directory not found or something. Im not sure whether this is happening because of the installation package errors or something. Anyways I went back to irc help channel, and i stated this problem. They told me that linux would boot into the desktop if my video was ok. I told them i had a nvidia video card, and they told me to update the drivers for it... I donno what to do. Im not sure if its the drivers or not. I am running A 1003 mhz computer (about 1ghz) with AMD athlon processor (T-BIRD).  I have 38.9 GB of HDD, and 256MB of RAM. Also, I was wondering if Mandrake 9.0 would be better for me to install... I always like to have the most upgraded version. However im not sure if its buggy... I would love to have 9.0 but i want to make sure i wont have tons of errors.. I know it is in beta right now. If you think Mandrake 9.0 doesnt have many bugs or errors, and it would be a better upgrade t! hen 8.2, please tell me. I have alot of things I would like information on, so I would like if a supporter could spend some time to help. I went through some linux tutorials but xtra help is always good. First i need to get out of the console :). Also... I was wondering if i could get AOL to run on linux.. Ok I know AOL Lamers... bla bla bla, but its the only thing i got :(, And please dont laugh at me. I was thinkking WINE, or win4lin could do the job... Could it? Please help me with the installation process... and how to make everything work correctly. My computer is about 1 year old, and i shouldnt have much problem. Please email me at: [EMAIL PROTECTED]  as I would appreciate it very much. Ive never used this post thing, so im not sure if this will come out in like a message board, but if it does respond to my email please instead of the post. Once again my email is: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
I would appreciate any help I could get on installing Mandrake linux :)