Installing Ubuntu on a HP Media(not so)Smart EX475

[Racecar56]

Hello. I am trying to install Ubuntu 8.10 server on a HP Media (Not So) Smart EX475 that I got back in December 2008. It is a weird server.

Picture (You can Google HP Mediasmart ex475 for more.)

It (obviously, just like the rest of the world ) came with Windows (Server 2008 I believe) and I wiped it off by January 2009 (It coudn't do hardly anything, believe me). I have been trying for months to install Ubuntu 8.10 Server on this thing, and host a website + ability to backup with RSync (that I have yet to learn about). I can't seem to get the on-board SiS 191 (I suppose) Ethernet adapter to work, so I am getting a external Realtek Ethernet adapter.

What I have:

2 computers.
A HP Pavilion dv9000 CTO from September 16, 2006 (it works well).
A Acer Aspire M5630 from June 2008 (possibly from June 18th, I don't know for a fact, works very nicely).

1 server (duhh....)
A HP MediaSmart EX475

Extra stuff for the server:
External USB CD-ROM drive.
External Ethernet card (not here yet).
2 500 GB Seagate Barracuda 7200.10 SATA Hard drives.

There is absolutely nothing on the 2 hard drives (except for attempts to install Ubuntu )

Question-o-rama:

How will I be able to find out the IP of the server?
ifconfig might help, but then again the IP changes on the network cards.

How should I install Ubuntu server, use a Virtual Machine and mount the VM's hard drive to the real server's hard drive, or is there an automatic-installer disc?

Should I go with 8.04 LTS to prevent having to struggle with this problem when 8.10 goes bye-bye?

How will I get SSH to work?

Can I make RSync backup automatically?

Can I make RSync backup a certain folder to a different hard drive (as stated, there are 2)?

And most of all...

Anyone know of the best type of free domain name that works for Ubuntu/Apache?

I'd also like to setup samba file sharing + normal Ubuntu file sharing on all of my secondary drive.

Tell me what you think.

Racecar 56