i am trying to redo a friends computer it is a Acer Aspire One it had Windows XP on it and Ubuntu Netbook wont install on it i am downloading Linpus Linux Lite that acer uses on its Aspire Ones only thing is i know nothing about Linpus how easy is it to use compared to a long time windows user and is it Ubuntu (.deb) based or Fedora (.rpm) based?

I installed mandriva, and my disk drive got broken shortly after. So I tried to update to the newest version and nothing works, plus it stayed at Mandriva 2009 instead of 2010. I can’t open urpmi, can’t install things from .RPM packages, can’t update, etc. etc. and graphic acceleration won’t (can’t) start, I have to run metacity from terminal and everything goes very slow. Nothing works now, what do I do?
and yes, I have tried replacing the kernel, as suggested before.

Thanks in advance.
No, no. My DVD drive broke, so I can’t put a new CD in to install Linux. It’s not the hard drive.
Let me assure you, NOTHING works, not even booting from USB… I’m not new to Linux, I have tried USB booting, Unetbootin, etc. Not even that will work. It’s not the hard drive and I’m starting to think that the only way I can fix it is to get a new DVD drive, but that will take a long time to get for me.

I’ve been considering getting Linux for a long time now, I and I need some information first. First of all, how is it different? Second, though I don’t really have any movies or pictures or music on my computer yet, I think the Windows applications like Pivot and Game Maker could get wiped off when I switch to Linux. Can I get them back? That’s all I can think of, but if you have any other info, do tell.

Since a long time have I looked for games software to run on OS Linux and I haven’t yet found any. Why does it happen? And there are no offers for MAC, IBM and Linux either. Have all producer getting money only from Microsoft or from the final users?