How do I install a different OS on a Compaq Presario cq56 with preinstalled SuSE 11?

Question

Thing is, I don't have a clue of Linux systems, I usually use WinXP. Bought a notebook with SuSE 11 on it, because I have my XP licence and thought I could install that if I found the chipset drivers for the hardware (which I'm not completely sure I have the right versions of).

Then I thought I'd give it a shot with the SuSE, looked nice enough. But I can't get my external hd to work (tried force mount) and the banshee doesn't do anything like playing video. Since that is one of the two main purposes of this notebook, I need to get that to work. Tried downloading VLC player, but that only works with SuSE 11.1 upwards. So I downloaded a SuSE 11.3 and burned the iso. But surprise, no way the notebook would boot from cd. Same with the XP cd (considered setting up a dual boot). And no, I can't get to BIOS to reset to default, either.

So I can basically do nothing else than going online with this thing and that's not enough for me (gamer in withdrawal, yikes!). I need at least to get to my firefox profile on the external hd and be able to watch video.

Can somebody please help me? I think at this point I'd prefer to install XP and MAYBE the SuSE 11.3 after that. I'm not a native speaker, so please speak plainly, thanks. :)

Edit: if this is impossible, could someone please help me with the external hd mount and video playback?

Edit: Found out how to boot from cd by now. But still no XP, because I get bluescreen after bluescreen while setup is loading files. I guess it's the missing SATA drivers...

Answer 1

Thanks for trying to help! Found out a couple things that helped me, but it's still so complicated, that I decided to install Seven (yes, cd boot works now) and from there make a XP with SP3 slipstream cd (cos I need winodws programs to do that) and hopefully get that to run.