You need a cross-compiler? Install scratchbox, it's easier. Scratchbox integrates pretty well with debian (host can be either etch or sarge, so far I've managed to get to work only sarge-arm target).
My current setup: on host is debian etch.
* added repos to /etc/apt/sources.list
Code:
# Scratchbox Aphophis r4 for Scratchbox system
deb http://scratchbox.org/debian/ apophis-r4 main
# Scratchbox Aphophis r3 for gcc3.4-glibc2.3 toolchain
deb http://scratchbox.org/debian/ apophis-r3 main
Installed packages: scratchbox-libs scratchbox-core scratchbox-devkit-cputransp scratchbox-devkit-debian scratchbox-toolchain-host-gcc scratchbox-toolchain-arm-gcc3.4-glibc2.3
In scratchbox, set up apt sources.list to sarge/arm. Then do 'dpkg -i /scratchbox/compilers/arm-linux-gcc3.4.cs-glibc2.3/packages/*.deb'