Can get installer to go past the boot screen
 

I have tried with 2 different versions (1 dl,1 Sam's books) to get to the install screen with Fedora 4. it boots fine (to the 1st screen) but it locks up no matter what option I use after that. (rechecked and verified dl version for errors)
I am running a HP m1070n MC (P4HT+512MB RAM). I am working with a bud to setup a Linux server for his new business, and wanted to get familiar with OS on my PC before setting it up on a clean one. HELP PLEASE

These are classic symptoms of a corrupt installation disk. Try burning a new install disk and seeing how that goes.
EDIT: I see these are CD-ROMs. Don't know what to say unless there's a universal issue with your specific model number. Although, just as a last resort, you could try actually burning your own install CDs, just in case both of the ROMs you had were, by chance, corrupt.

Do you get any particular messages before it locks? Try removing any attached USB devices, and if that doesn't do it then stop the boot process and add the noapic and noacpi options to the kernel (the help screens describe how to do this, you can usually get them by pressing F2-F4 at the boot screen). If all else fails, download and burn Knoppix (a LiveCD) and see if it boots and detects your hardware.