New to Linux - BIOS before 2000?

[Mercury Rising]

hi,

I got so tired of windows problems - viruses, screen - computer freezes, I
just stuck in a Linux for non-geeks CD and loaded it.  It wiped my hard
drive as expected, but I kept getting an error near the end of the install.
A friend gave me another Linux load, but it give me an error saying my BIOS
was 1997 and I needed a a 2000 BIOS or better.  The machine has a Pentium 3
with 550 MHz CPU with over 700 Megs memory but a small hard drive of just 10
Gigs with a swapable drive in pull out bay with a grab bar.  I was using
Windows XP Pro 2000 for OS.  I installed a USB 2.0 on it that worked most of
the time.  I have done a lot of Google searches to see if I could find Linux
and a GUI that would be as easy as a Mac or XP environment for a 1997 BIOS
machine.

Any ideas on a good Linux load for such an old machine?  With the XP I could
print to a office jet 7410 all-in-one printer, scanner fax with no problems.

Browsing the Internet was ok, but video - youtube was mostly non-worable -
mostly too slow.
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