install woes

first I downloaded the Fedora Core 9 64 DVD iso, took many hours, but on attempting to install, it freezes up at the test media screen. I then downloaded all the FC9 64 CD isos, tried the first one and it freezes up at the test media screen. I tried submitting a report on the University of Kent form, but that failed! I then tried the FC9 64 net install CD and it freezes up on the choose language screen. The PC is an AMD Sempron 64 tower, from probably 2006. I thought maybe there are bugs in the early AMD64 CPUs. so I tried the FC9 32 net install iso, freezes up on the "Choose a language" screen. That suggests it isnt a 64 bit bug. I tried Ubuntu 64, 8.04.1 that freezes up once the desktop appears. when I say freeze up I mean no response to keyboard (or mouse for Ubuntu). I installed FC3 some years ago without problem, and I use FC3 and Windows XP all the time without problem. I decided to look at FC8 instead, unfortunately there dont appear to be CD's, I dont want to spend 5 hours downloading the DVD and find the same freeze up problem.