no more xp! i need help getting linux on my pc!

[nizzy1115]

i am a noob to linux, after fighting with two highend computers with xp pro, i decided to take the plunge after my friend recomended it so much. however i am unable to install mandrake, when i boot to the cd i get the f1 to install and the bar goes about half the way across then it crashes and the screen goes black and stops processing.

here are my soon to be linux system specs:
asus p4sd-vx mob, 2.6 ghz ht p4 oc'd to 3.4
1024 mg ram (1x512, 2x 256 pc 2700's)
multiformat dvd burner as main drive
cd as 2nd drive
80 gig hd1 partitioned 3 ways factory (5 gig system restore files no letter drive, 15 C drive, 60 gig D)
200 gig hd2 partioned 3 ways (110 gig H, 75 gig J, and 5 gig K)
all are nfts except k which is fat 32...where i want linux...is it supposed to be fat 32? or can i put it back ntfs?
geforce 4 mx 440 graphics card ...etc

also i have external usb soundblaster mp3 usb soundcard and a pci wireless card that i connect to the net with, will these be a problem to get working if i mandrake 10.1 to work? if anybody has any suggestions, im probably doing something really stupid let me know i would appreciate it so much. and sorry for this long post too!

[dufourro]

First of all, please, try to install at the STANDARD cpu speed..... Even if you feel the system stable at 3.4 under windows !!
Also, you can run the memtest tool for one night to be sure. (see explain how to on another recent topic of this Mandrake forum).

For the partition, you've to have a free partition on the harddisk as linux will format one with it's own filesystem type (ext3fs). From linux, you can read & write on FAT32 to exchange data but only read from NTFS (write is experimental, so don't activate it unless you've good backup)