I'm a linux newbie who cant even install the OS... please do help me out here!

i downloaded the mandrake 10.1 community ISO files and burned them onto discs using Nero Express . Data > bootable data disc

I'm using a centrino enabled laptop with no A: drive (floppy drive)

after changing my BIOS to read from the optical drive (i changed mine from d: to z: because i wanna partition my hard drive and dun want the letters messing up the order so i put it last)

somehow, instead of going to the mandrake wizard to install mandrake linux, "caldera dos" thingy appeared on my screen giving me a few options like "/MUX" and i have no idea what they are talking abt.... i can't seem to find any info on the net either.... it later then gives me a "<dr-dos A:\> prompt... this is fustrating!

can someone PLEASE help me out? i'll be so greatful!!

Linux is not Windows, so forget about the drive order.

Set the CD-ROM to be the first bootable device.

Your Laptop may have a diagnostic partition. When you changed things to boot as you did, you may have caused it to boot from the diagnostic partition.

Dont burn the image file as a bootable data disk, burn it as a disk image or saved project from your hard disk (iso at the end of the filename), select file type as iso for it to show up in the selection box and navigate to where the downloaded file is.