Im using windows xp and I dont understand how to install linux. I recently got the distrubution of peanut linux and cant install it. Ive even tryed debian and a few others. debian says to create a boot disk and I have not a clue what that means. Peanut linux says setup runs after install. And thats it. The whole peanut linux package is in .iso format. How do I install this dustrubution of linux?

You need to burn the ISO to a CD.

You burn the iso images to a cd in raw format (don't just write them to it!) Then you boot from the cd. To write an ISO image, you need to get some software, like deepburner.

I made the mistake of trying to burn the ISO as an ISO (double ISOs??? ) It basically created an ISO of an ISo.

I used Nero. If you use Nero (which you can get a free trial vesion of--look up Nero or Ahead software):

Open Nero.
I just clicked on creating any format and then discarded it to get past the main screen.
Go to "File" then "Open" and locate the ISO you're trying to burn.
Once selected it should show up on your burn menu. Make sure that the sizes are the same as the original ISo file--if they're different, your program may be trying to create an ISO of an ISO! Ahh!
Anyway, just burn it with the preset burn settings.

My suggestion would be to make sure it burned properly before burning any other discs (I don't know how large Peanut is)--so pop in the disc, and reboot your computer. If it was burned properly, it should bring you to a setup/boot installation screen after it runs BIOS.

If you arrive at this screen, it works! Then type or click "Reboot"--hell, you could even just reset your computer, and burn the rest of the discs the way you just did with the first disc.

Massage, rinse, repeat.... or just repeat the reboot process.

So hopefully, I was of some use, god speed--

-Spicy O'Haggis