Mandrake trouble.
 

Ok, i am getting really frustrated. I have been attempting to sort out some problems that i have with Mandrake 10.1, and for the most part i have been somewhat sucessful, but i still have some problems which i can not figure out.
1st of all, How do i get my DVD-ROM to work, i can see it in harddrake, but it is not mounted, and i cant mount it using my regular daily account. It keeps saying that i need SUPERUSER permissions to mount it, and how i get these permissions i have no idea.
Second part of that question, how do i mount it when i am loged into root (yes, i am a n00b).
2nd question, how do i get mandrake to see my SATA plexor dvd writer, it can be seen in the bios, but i cant see it when i am in mandrake???
3rd question, how do i install files with the .tar.gz file extention.
4th question, i want to access the mandrake control panel, with my regular user (aka not root) so i click on the fancy icon on the desktop, and it prompts me to enter a root password, but when i installed, i left it blank thinking that i could go back and change it later, so when the password prompt pops up, i just press o.k assuming that because there is no password i just leave it blank, well, a error message pops up which says, incorrect password?? yeah ok, well what am i supposed to enter then??? And also, where can i change the root password??
And finally, where can i get some good information about linux (learning it) and preferably something that i as the n00biest n00b can understand.

-thanx in advance-

*note* when you explain how to fix these problems, please do it in the most simplest, easy to understand way possible = )

Dear spitfire. You ask too many questions at once. I doubt somebody will answer them all. Me neither, mostly because all these questions are fairly common and answered here on LQ many times. Please search LQ.

You asked for good info about Linux, here it is:

http://www.icon.co.za/~psheer/rute-home.html

Re: Mandrake trouble.
 

No, Spitfire, that would me me. No-one understands less about this whole new world of Linux than me. Scary isnt it! Hell, I'm not even sure how to pronounce it - Linux as in IN or Linux as in LINE???