Need help installing various versions of Linux

Hi all,
Im pretty new to linux and would like to try it out by installing a version on my old computer. I have 2 computers and a laptop and unfortunately only the laptop has a dvd drive . The problem is that other than Yoper , all other versions of linux are on DVDS and I do not want to install it on the laptop either. Is there any way I can write the files I have on the dvd to cds and have my older computer boot from the cds I just wrote. The DVDS I have are the ones that came out with Digit and a few other mags. I think I have Mandrake, Debian, Ubuntu ( I would really love to install this one) and yoper. If this topic has been covered please post the link and Ill gather the data from there. I searched in the forum and was not able to find what I needed.

Thanks in Advance

[FilledVoid]

Oops.... Forgot to log on before posting.

P.S. Is yoper ok to learn on?

Thanks in advance.

[mail2and]

using nero, u can burn the iso's from the dvd's into a cd.. if ur laptop has cd-rw....

otherwise just copy the iso's from the dvd and connect to ur pc thru lan and transfer

from there, again burn the iso's using nero....

[FilledVoid]

Thanks for the quick response. I copied 3 of the iso files for mandrake linux on to a system that has a cd writer and Nero 5. I tried writing just the iso to the cd and tried booting with it but it didnt work. Also I tried making the cd bootable andthen copy the file but that made the system boot into pc-dos...

Im pretty sure I must be somewhere close to the answer but at the moment Im totally at a loss. Would appreciate any further guidance.

Also I tried to install yoper but during the install process at the end it says No YOS boot media found
Kernel Panic: Attempt to kill Init and the system just halts. Any ideas?

Thanks in advance

[klinux]

for mandrake : http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14097

for debian : http://forums.pcquest.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=21
and
http://www.thinkdigit.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=13598

[GNUrag]

Originally Posted by exx_2000

Also I tried to install yoper but during the install process at the end it says No YOS boot media found
Kernel Panic: Attempt to kill Init and the system just halts. Any ideas?

What is the kernel version included in that distribution? Any peculiar hardware details? What was the exact error message that i gave you? Did you try with Linux 2.6 kernel ?

[FilledVoid]

Hi all,
I appreciate everyones replies and help. I was able to finally get Yoper 2 installed on my machine although I had to wipe out Windows to do so it really doesnt matter cause I love Linux now.

I finally found out how to write the isos to make bootable cd's using NTI cd writer so now I have Mandrake, Ubuntu, Gentoo, Debian, Red Hat with me so IM gonna try to leaqrn as much Linux I can in the following days.

Although I managed to install Yoper I wouldnt install it if your totally new to Linux ,Heh I was like, how hard it could be..... until the install took 1 whole day. If your doing yoper I would recommend reading the FAQ on how to install it before actually doing it.

But Ill tell ya one thing, my system is VERY FAST now, its absolutely amazing, I have the functionality of what I did in WIndows without all the delays and license issues and stuff. I LOVE IT.

On the downside I cant manage to get my display to show anything above 640*480 , I tried sax2 although I can Select the resolution under the resolution tab I can actually get it in my configure desktop option.

Also I have a hard time playing audio cds. It seems I have to go into Konqueror and select .ogg files to play. I cant play any other format, is this how it is supposed to be or am I missing something. Please note hen I select .ogg files it does play well but any other format , I tried amarok and a cd player..... the cd playershowsthat it is playing but no sounds comes.....

I noticed the next problem is a common one, I have an internal Hsp56 micromodem in my system , it seems that I cant configure my modem so I can connect to the net, any ideas?

Please note that IM very new to Linux and any help for the above would be deeply appreciated. Also should I try out any of the above versions

Also my display card is Intel 82845g onboard display for this computer.

Thanks in advance

[klinux]

For hsp56 pctel modem , try this : http://linmodems.technion.ac.il/pcte...x/welcome.html

[GNUrag]

Just an opinion. Use Knoppix CD and see if your monitor and graphics card are detected properly. And verify if you get a good resolution from that live CD.

If it works fine then you may want to hd-install knoppix only as it plays music and video nicely.

[FilledVoid]

Thanks for the help all and sorry for the delay. Was kind of busy the past few days.

Ive come to the conclusion that there is something weird about my monitor. It really is a very VERY old one so I really dont blame Linux for it. Its an AT&T monitor our computer vendor gave me as soon as our original monitor stopped working. I dont even think they make monitors now. In windows it doesd support 800*600 but it really is kind of blurry.... Anyway Im waiting to try Linux after we get a new monitor. I had fun with Yoper , Mandrake, Ubuntu ( a bit of trouble with the sudo command ) and also Fedora Core 3 which I couldnt install because at various points it wouldnt install a file and reboot and restart the process , I think there might be something wrong with the media I wrote.

Anyway , whats the impacts of installing Lionux so many times on my hard drive. Has anyone noticed any kind of problems with their hard drives.?