<P>I have recently decided to abandon XP for everyday use because it just isn't cutting it anymore. I want my computer to be able to do what I want to do (even if it includes breaking it). I have an old compaq presario 5155 that I will use as my linux learning tool before I go an install it on my prized laptop. However I encounter problem when attempting to install mandrake 9.2. An error message occured saying that there was a problem with my second ramdisk and the installation had to abort. Now I can't get my computer to boot from the installation disk. </P>

<P> I don't know <I>anything</I> about hardware, and next to nothing about linux, but I want to learn. Can anyone help me?</P>

Probably not. Mandrake 9.2 seems to have some problems which cause the installation to fail sometime in disk two. I could get it to install maybe one time in four attempts but then there were other problems which made me retreat to Mandrake 9.1. It's all about hardware you see. If you find a distro that works with your hardware you're made. Click around. there are various websites which will send you CD's for about $2 a CD. At that price postage is a significant factor so find somewhere close to where you live and then try several different distributions. The places I could recommend are in the UK so it wouldn't be worth the price of postage. Find a distro that works. Get comfortable with Linux and then do Linux from Scratch would be my advice. You can't beat a custom built Tux.