A few months ago, I got a PIII computer. It was free so I didn't complain. It had Windows 2000 pro installed on it. Later the Windows Command file got corrupted and wouldn't be able to start up windows. For 5 months up until now, I was trying to get a new Windows OS. I didn't really want to spend money on an full OS so I could reinstall it. That is what brought me to linux . I tried doing something I read, Turn off PnP and have it boot from the CD drive with the #1 disk I downloaded. The version I downloaded was Mandrake basic, 9.2. I downloaded the .iso files and burnt them to CD's no problem. There was a total of 3 CD's. I wasn't sure what the choice of "MandrakeMove-i586.iso" was so I didn't burn it. My problem is that it doesn't try to boot from the CD first, it always tries to start the HDD, which doesn't work. If I tell it to only boot the CD-Drive, it says that there is an INVALID SYSTEM DISK error, which I have grown to hate. The BIOS I have is Award Modular, v6.00PG. The motherboard I have is an Abit-bf6. Could someone please help this out.

I don't really know anything about Mandrake, but if you have your BIOS set to
boot the CD-ROM first, then this error may mean that you have a corrupt Mandrake
disc. You should check the MD5 sum of the Mandrake CD. Instructions on how to
do that should be on their website.

MandrakeMove is a live CD version.

Either the CD wasn't burned correctly or the downloaded iso was corrupted.

If you browse the CD and all you see as a single ISO file then you didn't burn correctly.

Ya I agree with michaelk. So tell us how did you burn your CD?

I burnt it using Adaptec Easy CD creater 4. I am pritty sure I burnt it right because when I restarted this computer with it in, it asked me if I wanted to install Mandrake. I also checked all of my files with md5 like the web site said to. Should I tell it to not boot the HDD? Maybe that will work. Also, do you need an OS in order to start a live CD. Because my system is corrupted, maybe it can't open with the CD drive....

I'm confused... Your first post said that the CD would not boot.
Your last post said it did. Which is it?

I'm assuming your motherboards BIOS is configured to boot from the CD first?

The install CD should boot no matter what condition the hard drive is in.

Oh, sorry. I have two computers. The one I am using now is fine. I have another which is the one that is corrupted. This one, the ME, is the one I did the burning and downloading with. Sorry for the confusion.

Have you tired using the ME or another bootable CD on the PIII compter?

Yes I have, too bad the ME disk only works on HP computers. I also tried to get a WIN 2000 startup disk off of their web site. The ME can't complete it though. There is another way, Right before it got corrupted, I made a backup to the drive. Is there a linux that can just get my HDDs open so I can transfer?

Sure, but you need to be able to boot from CD.

Try creating a boot floppy disk and see if that works. Just stick in the CD in your ME pc. The disk should autostart . Select install using floppy boot disk and select the cdrom.img.

You might need to change the BIOS boot device configuration