hi, I want to install Linux SuSE 7.1 from a CD but I don't know how or where to start for. I've already created to logical partitions in my HD with PartitionMagic Pro 6.0, one for linux and the other for the swap files. My current OS is Windows XP and I don't know whether to run the CD from XP or MS-DOS or what? and which setup files exactly do I have to run? I should be very grateful if you could help me out on this one. Cheers, Mariano.

You stick CD-1 in your drive and then you restart your machine. You will see that the installer will just guide you along. At this point you are already running linux -- from a ramdisk. It will detect your partitions and figure out what's on them. It will try to figure out the best place to put your boot, swap and root partitions. You should not necessarily accept the partition setup it offers you. You will encounter an option to change it. You can even repartition your drive from within the setup. I'm a little concerned to see you write of "a CD." SuSE the way I have seen it comes on about 6 or 7 CD's. SuSE 7.1 is way old. Since then, they've had 7.2, 7.3 and 8.0, the latest. You might consider getting a later version, particularly if you have any usb devices.

I have the 78 cd's for suse 7.3 but what happens is that after the loading linux .... message the screen turns dark blue and that is it, no messages to inform me whats going on

Blank screen when booting from the install disk? You may have an unsupported video card. 7.3 is about 2 years old, so perhaps your system is quite new? I don't think that you will be able to get SuSE to install unless you can interract with YAST, the setup tool. You may be able to find some help at www.suse.com. There is a searchable support data base and also a "supported devices" section.