Debian install & old machines

I previously posted a query regarding which Linux distros I should try installing on old machines with limited memory (usually around 800-1200 meg), pentium II, 64 meg RAM, basically old machines. I'm currently trying out Debian 3.0, which isn't isn't giving me any unsolvable problems during install, except that I'm having problems booting into desktop, ie. I just go straight back to install, is this likely to mean that the systems just can't handle Debian and I should go shopping again, or am I just a retard and missing something really obvious like a password prompt?

What are you installing from? CD? Be sure you take it out of the drive before you restart. Do you get any prompt at all? You might need to start your desktop program from the prompt after logging in. If none of this helps, please try to explain your problem a bit more.

It might just not work, whatever you try

We tried the same thing. Installing debian on a on machine, like the one you have. We just couldn't get it working. The problem was, turned out later, the fact that Debian couldn't get allong with the (very) old graphicscard. So badly, even the no-gui version didn't work. (Oh yea - forget about the mouse too).

Later I installed a Suze destribution on the same machine that worked perfectly.
So before going shopping for a new computer, you might want to try out a more "stupid-windowusers-that-want-to-learn-about-linux-but-need-something-to-hold-their-hand" version, like Suze or Redheat