Hello everybody

I have recently downloaded a free version of Mandriva Linux one 2009 to install it on my HP proliant.
The downloaded file name is
"mandriva-linux-one-2009-beta-KDE4-int-cdrom-i586"
and it is an ISO type of file.

To install I proceeded in two different ways both of which did not work.
1- In the first case I just copied this file to a cd and inserted it and tried to boot but nothing happened as if there were no cd in the machine.
2- In the second case I unzipped the file above using WINRAR (a windows application) and got three folders (boot,isolinux,loopbacks) and two readme files. I copied everything as is in a different cd and tried to boot the system with but again it did not work.

Could anyone with some experience with these ISO files tell me how I should proceed to install Mandriva.

Awaiting your answer.
Meanwhile thanks a lot for your kind help.
With very best regards,
Saadi

First you must "burn the iso image to CD"-not just copy it.
And you must use a CD-R/DVD-R/DVD+R, not CD-RW/DVD-RW-they don't work.
If your in Windows-I can't even remember what you use-but somebody will!
Anyway-go with Slackware-12.2-there is no substitute to learn Linux.

Just for the record, you CAN use any type of CD or DVD providing the disk is large enough to accommodate the iso that you are burning. You can also use USB pen drives with programs such as Unetbootin.

And yes, you do need to burn the iso as a disk image. In windows, download deepburner (it's free; or use Nero, or whichever disk burning program that you use), and burn the iso as an image to disk. That's all.