Trying first Fedora install

[linux at flippingdades.com]

Hi all,
This is my first attempt at installing Linux and I'm having a few
problems. I hope someone will be able to help.

I have a new computer: Pentium 4, 2 hard drives, CD-RW and DVD drives,
North Bridge P4M266A and South Bridge VT8235 chip sets. The computer was
assembled by a local shop.

I'm trying to install FC3 from the DVD that came with the Linux Bible.
It supposedly is a complete install.

I've gotten various error, but one that is frequent is: at the prompt I
type Fedora and the screen goes blank then says "crc error --System
halt"

Trying Debian from the Linux Bible leads sometimes to the same error and
some times to a screen full of text ending with:
Kernel panic: Attempted to kill the idle task!
In Idle Task - not syncing

Occasionally, trying to install Debian, it will ask for a language,
check hardware and then fail trying to load files from the CD.

The computer has never had Windows on it.

I'm in a third world country and downloading files over the phone lines
is not possible.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Don Jungk