10.1 is out; I recommend downloading the Evaluation version
http://en.opensuse.org
IIRC, it's available as 5 CD images or one DVD...
The installer is graphical, and is almost terrifyingly easy to follow.
(There is no "trial version"--Eval here means that there are some components such as Flash, etc. that aren't on the purely OSS version)
As for Mandriva, I've heard good things about it--but with my internal CD drive still dead, I can't really do much about it.
Your cd drive is dead? get a 16x dual-layer dvd burner they are cheep like 39.99 from newegg.com
cant you mount the iso and install it from the hdd(on a different partition)? I never tried it, just wondering if its possible...