How Do I install Linux on a system without an operating system currently installed?

I asked a similar question last night but, someone that answered it suggested to re-ask it with more detail. I've been trying to install linux on my old PC. [has all requirements for the distributions i've tried, and it used to run Windows XP but, during a system recovery the whole operating system got wiped] The way through which i've been trying to install linux is with Live Cd's, by placing them in the Cd drive of my old computer and letting the computer boot from that. My computer gets as far as the little screen that asks what you want to do [usually "boot cd" "save to harddisk" "check media" etc.] I choose the install to harddisk option and on all my attempts there is some type of error after this. First I tried Ubuntu which resulted in a squash fs error which would not let me do anything else, next I tried OpenSuse which resulted in many many many errors and it would have different errors everytime I would try to boot with it, although at one point i was able to put in the little command prompt looking thing a command I got from a linux forum that completely cleared my harddrive [still wouldn't let me install the OS but, this tells you guys that my hardrive is empty], last night I tried fedora which booted to a text based screen that also would have errors on it and it wouldn't go ped the text screen [it also comes up with different things every time I try booting with it] So this leads me finally to my question, is this impossible to get working? Is it the fact that I'm trying to install with a Live CD? Should I try to install With Installation CD's? If this is not a lost cause could someone please provide me with some instruction as to how exactly to get Linux [any distribution will do] on my old computer? [I only have blank CD's not blank dvds so the install media has to be either "Installation CD'S" or "Live Cd's" whatever will work. Any help, links, instructions, anything is greatly appreciated. [oh and yes I have tried burning multiple discs of [ubuntu anyway] and doing the little checksum things before install, and I know very little about linux so please speak as though I know nothing about what I'm doing (considering I pretty much dont)]