[newbie] mandrake 7.2: installation from iso's problem... PLEASE HELP!

[agent cooper [f.b.i.]]

hello all, i am attempting to install linux mandrake on my machine for the first time... i am a long time slackware user, and have loved the distribution much... i want to try out mandrake, and so far it seems to be a nice distribution, but i can't FOR THE LIFE OF ME figure out why i can't get it to install  correctly.... here's my setup: amd k62-450mhz fic via 503+ mboard 128MB ram nvidia riva tnt2 32mb video card tdk velcoCD-RW 12/10/32 florry drive 3 hard drives... c: - 8.4gig with windows me [all fat32 partition], d: 1gig linux partition [and 125meg swap drive on d:], e: 15gig [all fat32 partition] i downloaded, and burned both iso's for mandrake linux 7.2 [Mandrake72-inst.iso, and Mandrake-72-ext.iso] from ftp://biglinux.tccw.wku.edu/pub/cdimages/mandrake/iso , [ACCTUALLY DOWNLOADED and burned them TWICE, because i thought my problem could be possible curruption in the iso image when it got burned... but that doesnt seem to be the problem] booted from the install iso, the installation process went smooth up to the point JUST AFTER i created my first user for the system [other than root], i get the error; An Error Has Occurred: Can't Create an undefined value as a HASH reference. click OK, since there is no other button... then i goto setup the bootloader [just to let you know, lilo has always worked on my system, i run slackware, and use lilo all the time... currently lilo IS installed on MBR of my c: drive] i choose "First sector of drive [MBR]" add windows, and linux, then goto click DONE, the the message; Installation of Bootloader failed. The following error occurred: - can only click OK - there is no other message.... so then i goto create a bootdisk, just so i can boot mandrake... i get error instantly after i tell it i have a disk in FIRST FLOPPY drive [WHICH I DO] ... i get this message; An error occured mkbootdisk failed. This really sucks, i have NEVER had problems installing linux on my machine before [slackware], and i really, REALLY want to install mandrake, can ANYONE please help??? i would be soooo thankful!! PLEASE?! [EMAIL PROTECTED]