Try to do it manually. Get to a command line, either thru a X terminal or hit the ctrl-alt-f2 to get into a console. Then log in as root, or use the "su" command. This way you can see any things that may go wrong.
to see if the modules are loaded use:
lsmod
This will list the modules. If the text goes by to fast do:
lsmod |less
if it is not loaded do:
modprobe nvnet
It should give you a warning about a "tainted" kernel, this just means that it is not a valid GLP code being using with GPL kernel.. It's liscencing stuff, you can disregard it.
If it gives you a error about not being able to find the module do:
depmod
then
modprobe nvnet
Then it should load up the driver. Then run:
ifconfig eth0
That should return something other then a error, but it shouldn't be configured yet. If you use DHCP then try:
dhcpcd eth0
That should set it up. But if it times out or you don't use DHCP do this:
ifconfig eth0 your.ip.address.here
route add default gw your.gateway's.ip.address.here
Then after you get either one of those steps done just run:
ifconfig
This should show the configured ethernet device. Then all you have to do is make sure that your computer knows were to find your DNS server. You make sure that their is a line like:
nameserver your.dns.server's.ip.address
in you /etc/resolv.conf file.
Then you should have network connectivity.