HELP!!!

[VeNoM600]

I'm running into some problems with a system I built (there goes the problem) ,here are the stats:
Linux Mandrake Deluxe V7.0
Pentium 120MHz
16MB 72pin SIMM's EDO
3.2GB Seagate HDD
Acer 50X CD-ROM
switching between 3.5 floppies

Well it is my first system I got it to POST and went through all the BIOS information. When I went to install Linux I ran into some problems. It says just pop in the cd, I did nothing happened. So I put in the boot disk and i came up with "SYSLINUX MANDRAKE V7.0 1.58 Boot Disk Fail" or something like that. I used 3 floppies, and 2 cables. The origanal one was from a 33MHz 486 the other from a 16MHz 386SX and I had to take the one from my K6-2 350MHz also. Basically they came up with the same error. Now what is the problem? I realized that I typed a whole lot here so I'll shut up. You guys helped me out a lot already, THANKS!

[Joe Auman]

Go into the BIOS and set your CD-ROM to boot before you hard drive. Reboot with the first cd in the cd-rom and it should start. Sounds like your boot disk is curropted. Mandrake has a return policy for the boot disk. Check the papers for that.


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FATAL ERROR!!

Non-System brain or brain error!!
Replace and strike any key when ready.

[VeNoM600]

Ok, I just read now that it might have something to do with BIOS/CMOS. I know my problem is floppy related. What happens is the screen displays "Insert System Disk and Press Enter". When I do it has and error "SYSLINUX MDK 1.58 BOOT ERROR" or something like that. So now how do I go about solving this would I need a new CMOS battery if so where could I get one?
I got the motherboard used from a computer show so it might be old.

For the last reply from Joe Auman, my BIOS when I see boot sequence it says A, C. When I Change it says C, A those are the only 2 combinations. I didn't install any driver for the cd rom, it has a driver disk with it and it wants me to run it on dos. But I don't have dos on the computer. Is there any other way to get it to work (Award BIOS probably an older version). As for the boot disk I not only used the one it came with but also in the manual it showed how to write one. I put in the cd in my win98 and used the rawwrite program and made a bootdisk and again that didn't work.

Yet another thing I received an old ISA video card for free which I have in it. Linux has problems with ISA PnP devices. What problems will I run into? I was told to avoid it put in the settings (IRQ...)manually.

A lot of different things are making this complicated, I just hope in the long run it all works out.