Where can I get a free linux OS download that will boot from CD and format hard drive
 

To whom it may concern?

In BIOS, I've entered CDROM (CD-RW) as the first Boot device, Second Boot Device, & Third Boot Device --- and still the confounded thing won't boot from my Windows 2000 CD, even after pressing F8 --- IT STILL loads windows from the HARD DRIVE.



I have this old PC (celeron pentium 366mhz) that I want to immediately cleansed of Windows XP, and format the whole thing.

Where can I get a free distribution linux OS download that will boot from the CD and format the hard drive?

It doesn't matter which Linux one at this point.


The BIOS IS:

Award Modular BIOS V6.00PG, 1984-99



Try as I may, but "format c:" in the command prompt (MS DOS of windows XP) won't let me erase the hard drive.

It does not have a floppy drive connected to it. So my hands are tied until I install a floppy drive


(--- floppies for boot to get into the command prompt in 2004!!!, imagine that?)

for the linux download see http://linuxiso.org/ as far as the other problem, i have seen some bios that have a quick or fast reboot option that keeps them booting to the harddrive because the cd doesn't start quick enough. you could try several things, 1 shutdown the machine for a few minutes and do a (cold boot) then it should hit the cdrom providing it's a copy that is bootable , 2 install a floppy drive & use a floppy, (i have never had this fail), to boot, see http://bootdisk.com/, 3 go into bios and find the quickboot/fastboot option and disable it. hope that helps.
good luck

cheapest Linux http://www.linux.org if format wont run in doz dos prompt reboot to dos and do it there. (if xp has that --i am not in doz anymore)

Now, the original question:
 

I see what I did now. there's some feature in BIOS THAT says "boot from other source" --- there I just disabled the piece of crap --- and now the Windows 2000 pro disk is loading. . . let's see if I can format it without installing Windows 2000 pro:

it's giving me the option to delete the partitions!!!! NTFS or FAT

NTFS

thank God for that:

Now, the original question:

Where's I free Linux OS for s & giggles?

Thank you very much. Umm. . . now that I see these links. Would it be too much to ask, which would be best for a newbie who is a GUI junkie?

as peacedog said, go to
http://www.linuxiso.org

there are any number of free linux distros.

depends on your connection, i have had great success w/ mandrake as far as hardware detection and configuration, and, it's downloadable. i have not tried,but, heard great things about suse. it requires a high speed connection to install though.
good luck.

Redhat 9 is good in my opinion. If you want a great linux distro that will boot from just a cd and not touch your hard drive get knoppix. It is really cool.

Mandrake is very good. Lots of gui tools. Knoppix is also very nice. It runs from the CD so you don't even have to install it onto your HD (you can, if you want to). It's good if you just want to try and see if your hardware is compatible, etc.

i haven't had the pleasure of trying redhat as yet, but, i'd recomend fedora, rather than redhat as they are discontinuing support in the near future.

and knoppix is cool, it's how i got my dad intersted in linux.

You people are the best. I'm having a fun time right now.

glad to help, helping you is helping me. that's how i see it anyway. learning is a lifetime commitment. my motto is if your not learning and living, your dumb and your dying. hope we got you on the right track.

My connection is kick ass. Tonight I'm cooking with GAS

Gracious