detecting NIC's

[THUFIR HAWAT]

I have an older computer which is an IBM personal computer 300 GL
desktop. This computer, named geidiprime, is a pentium II and has two
NIC's: 3com and D-Link. However:

Microsoft Windows 2000 [Version 5.00.2195]
(C) Copyright 1985-1999 Microsoft Corp.

C:\>ipconfig

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

C:\>ipconfig /all

Windows 2000 IP Configuration

        Host Name . . . . . . . . . . . . : geidiprime
        Primary DNS Suffix  . . . . . . . :
        Node Type . . . . . . . . . . . . : Broadcast
        IP Routing Enabled. . . . . . . . : No
        WINS Proxy Enabled. . . . . . . . : No

C:\>

This computer came with the 3com NIC in "slot A."  I took the 3com NIC
out and put the D-Link NIC into "slot A" and then the 3com NIC into
"slot B" (because I was having trouble fitting the D-Link NIC into
"slot B").

The D-Link NIC came with a cd labeled DFE538TX, which holds the
driver, which I installed.  The 3com I know nothing about, but it came
with the computer.  I've recently used the D-Link NIC in a different
computer and am quite confident that both NIC's are physically ok, but
am only reasonably certain they're installed correctly.

Instead of Windows 2000 (win2k) I'll install, at least temporarily,
Linux. I'm crossing my fingers that Linux will see at least one of
these NIC's, which, for whatever, win2k isn't.  Is this a vain hope? 
I just want to find out what's going on. Assuming, if you don't mind,
that Linux doesn't show detecting these NIC's during the boot, what
are some things to do?

ifconfig
netstat
route
RTFM ad nauseum

-Thufir

grr, just spent all night downloading disc1, and now the md5sum
doesn't match.  here goes *again*...