[SATLUG] New install Ubuntu 7.04 NIC Realtec 8139 fail

[herb cee]

InstallNotes

Hi gals/guys, I am fighting install bug on Ubuntu and PCI Realtec NIC, 
uses rtl8139d chip.
Install of 7.04 does not load either of 2 included kernal drivers 
8139too or 8139cp

(snip from lscpi -v)
00:07.0 Ethernet controller: Hangzhou Silan Microelectronics Co., Ltd. 
RTL8139D [Realtek] PCI 10/100BaseTX ethernet adaptor (rev 01)
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 5
        Memory at dc000000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        I/O ports at a000 [size=256]
        [virtual] Expansion ROM at 60100000 [disabled] [size=128K]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

00:12.0 Ethernet controller: VIA Technologies, Inc. VT6102 [Rhine-II] 
(rev 70)
        Flags: bus master, medium devsel, latency 32, IRQ 11
        I/O ports at bc00 [size=256]
        Memory at dc001000 (32-bit, non-prefetchable) [size=256]
        Capabilities: <access denied>

(I am puzzled by 00:12.0 since there is no RJ-45 on the mobo but dunno 
if this is part of the problem or not) I have been on this all weekend 
and bout all I did was get fuzzyheaded. There is no resolution for this 
bug and in the Googleing I saw where the bug is still present in ver 7.10.

I found one partial success post as follows:

<<<.... get this working by moving the NIC to a different pci slot and 
loading the driver module with a media=0x01 option. i.e.
$ ifdown eth0
$ rmmod 8139too
$ modprobe 8139too media=0x01
$ dhclient eth0
Now the problem is I don't want to have to do this every session. Does 
anyone know how I can get the module to load with the media option on 
boot? I tried creating /etc/modprobe.d/options with no luck.
you could try:
Within /etc/modprobe.d
gksu gedit 8139too
install 8139too /sbin/modprobe --ignore-install 8139too media=0x01
Im really not sure about the --ignore-install flag. So if this doesnt 
work I would remove it and try again.
.....>>>>>

I tried above, this result:
herb at Celf-FarieForge:~$ ifdown eth0
ifdown: failed to open statefile /var/run/network/ifstate: Permission denied
herb at Celf-FarieForge:~$ ifdown eth1
ifdown: failed to open statefile /var/run/network/ifstate: Permission denied
herb at Celf-FarieForge:~$

Opening the network dialog in Gnome shows only the dsl modem and no 
eth(x) device.

I live in boonies and no longer drive so have to order a new NIC card, 
recommended is Dlink. This will take a week, I have found two other 
drivers in .zip format but first step in instructions say to compile the 
source and I do not know how to do that. Following the 'How to install 
packages' I get stuck at ./configure returns 'command or file not found'.

Hope someone can help.
Thanks herb