Migrate from m$ to lunar

[ER]

Hi all there, I want to install on my laptop lunar and configure it to fun super-di-duper fast, but since lunar not so popular like ubuntu SUSE Slackware and so on other distros, i would like to post here (in the hearth of lunar community) my questions.

I've been using SUSE for a while (i mean like being having it installed and actually working, not a live cd), but thins i didn't like are: very heavy; eats disk space; lots of unused stuff.. slow.. aaandd i for a period of 2 mounths, everything i've read i never could installed my ati's drivers and couldn't set my tv tuner with sound... however - don't liked it...

Then when i bought my laptop, i've installed xubuntu - somewhat cool, but lots of sh*t in the net for it, couldn't set up my hardware, also heavy weight installation.... didn't want some stuff... the common things...

Since i liked the xfce in xubuntu [yes really fast], and i opened its homepage and looked for other distros based on it - this way i learned for lunar. I've browsed the other distros, but somehow didn't like them...

However my question is:

My hardware (MSI GX600 laptop [http://global.msi.com.tw/index.php?func=downloadfile&dno=5855&type=manual]):

[x] CPU core 2 duo T7500
[x] 3 GB ram
[x] NVidia 8600M GT 512mb
[x] 320 gb wd SATA [controller: intel ich8m]
[?] dvd rw burner
[x] wifi intel 4965agn
[ ] firewire 1394
[x] lan 1gbps realtek 8186/8111
[ ] bluetooth 2.0
[ ] esata [controller: silicon image 3531]
[ ] hdmi
[p] audio realtek alc888
[?] cardreader xd; sd; ms
[ ] 1.3 webcam [unknown manufacter/chip ..;[ ]

[x] hardware that worked, [ ] couldn't set up (i'm not blaming for that the distro, i'm noob), [?] dont know

The audio worked, but i got the common problem with jack sensing which i decided not to work on and deleted everything and installed m$ to see with the drivers how the other hware works.

And i want to install lunar system, because i find the iso is very light and with the unneeded stuff cut off.
The packages i like are:

kernel [help me decide whats best for me 2.4 or 2.6]
xfce
x11 [and/or] xorg [tell me more?]
gtk2
and all apps and drivers required to work all my hardware.

or with one word one basic light desktop system without any applications, only device drivers and desktop environment.

I tried to say everything but while writing i think that there might be more questions coming, so if you want to ask me something else in order to help me better i will answer it.

Thank you.

[engelsman]