Mandrake installation

[gobeavs]

OK, I am a total newbie to Linux and installing any OS other than inserting the Win XP disc. I downloaded all three CD's of Mandrake, and burned them as a bootable CD using nero. Nero made me insert a floppy. I inserted disc 1 and the floppy and restarted, and it asked me if I wanted to start the computer with CD support or without, I chose with. Then it had some error messages and told me to insert windows 98 CD 2. I thought that was strange since I was running Win XP. Then, I tried installing it after extracting the files from the iso with ISO buster, but it said my computer would be rebooted and that it would install mandrake, but it just booted XP again, and I think it might have recognized new hardware... Anyway, sorry for the lengthy explanation but am I missing some part of the installation or doing something wrong? I really don't know what to do to install it, and what I did was my best guess. Any help would be appreciated and sorry for being so needy and possibly ignorant...

[Loki3]

I've never used mandrake before so I can't really help too much. Where you able to get into the mandrake installation program? Is your computer set to boot off a floppy before the hard drive? I would check with mandrakes website and read the installation document. 5 minutes now is 15 later.

[gobeavs]

I got to a screen that asked me if I wanted to install linux, is that the installation program? I think it was just the autoplay when I stuck the CD in.

[serz]

Originally posted by gobeavs
I got to a screen that asked me if I wanted to install linux, is that the installation program? I think it was just the autoplay when I stuck the CD in.
That's supossed to happen, if not, how are you going to install it?

Installing Mandrake Linux 9.0 (http://www.linux-mandrake.com/en/demos/Demo/Mandrake9.0/Install/)

That will probably help you :D

[gobeavs]

Yeah, I found a guide on Mandrake's website (probably should have gone there first), I switched my first boot device to cd rom, I insert the CD with the CD 1 file I got from Mandrake, but I still get the message about CD rom support and then it says path not found and says some files are not found and it tells me to put in Windows 98 startup disk 2. I run Win XP. Any ideas?

[dkeav]

that was just the autoplay, it just restarts your comp, you need to edit your bios and change the boot order so that your cdrom boots before your harddrive, F2 is the default key (depends on motherboard and bios though) to enter the bios setup, in there look around for "boot order" or "sequence" make your changes save and exit place cdrom in drive, reboot

[dkeav]

damn lag, yeah dont boot with the floppy

[serz]

Now that I see, that Mandrake installation link I posted dosn't help much...

You need to boot from CD. Restart your comp, go to your BIOS and set to boot from CD.

[gobeavs]

Yes, I did that, I changed the first boot device to Cd, but when I put in the burned mandrake it gives me those errors and tells me to insert windows 98 startup disk 2 even though I run XP.

[Loki3]

Is it possible that cd was burned incorrectly? If possible try it in another computer. The only other thing I can suggest is that you try to check the md5sum of the iso but I don't think you can do that in windows. Have you checked Mandrake's website for error similar to yours? Their FAQ? www.google.com/linux? JL's search? Maybe you need to specify an option at boot so the kernel can find your hardware? Run the Path Not Found error through of a few of those search options, I'd start with mandrake's website first.

What hardware are you using? Is it compatible with linux?

Anyways, good luck and keep trying.

[serz]

Have you checked the md5 checksums before burning them?

[endoalpha]

Originally posted by gobeavs
... I downloaded all three CD's of Mandrake, and burned them as a bootable CD using nero. Nero made me insert a floppy. ..

you have to correctly burn an .iso file. You dont need to have nero make a bootable cd. just use 'Burn Image' and choose the .iso file.

[serz]

Oops, yea... endoalpha is right, I didn't notice it.

[gobeavs]

Ok, I burned the CD 1 Mandrake ISO file like a normal file, and had CD ROM as the first boot option, but it just booted to XP without any error messages or installations. Did I burn it wrong?

[endoalpha]

I don't think you followed my directions. If there is just a mandrake<whatever>.iso file on the cd, then you did not burn it correctly. Once again, just use 'Burn Image' < i think its in the 'file' menu> and choose the .iso file. DO NOT DROP AND DRAG THE ISO FILE AND BURN IT ONTO THE CD.
The mandrake 1 cd is a bootable CD image.

[gobeavs]

File menu where? In the CD window? I didn't see it there. Please explain in greater detail, we dont understand where to go to burn the cd image

[endoalpha]

i hate to be the one to tell you this, but if, even with sketchy instructions, you can't figure out how to correctly burn an .iso file to a cd, you will have a lot of trouble installing and getting Mandrake to do anything.

[gobeavs]

Ok, can you just tell me how to burn it without selecting "add" in Nero instead of questioning my computer abilities? I can burn it, just not the way you say to burn it.

[endoalpha]

Searching google for 'nero burning iso' revealed http://www.photodex.com/support/faqs/pro_cdr_iso.html#nero as the first find.
or from another page

With Nero all you have to do is launch the Wizard and choose "compile a new CD", then choose "other CD formats", then choose "create a CD from an image file". Then click "finish" and a window will open for you to browse to where the image file is.
Keep in mind that the lower the speed you burn at the better quality of a disk you'll create.

[JusKickNit]

http://www.linuxiso.org/viewdoc.php/neroburning.html

[gobeavs]

Well, thanks for all the help, we got linux up and runnin'. Thanks again.