booting a new world through oldworld methods

[k_o]

is it possible to boot in linux using the old world method phps using bootX?, that way i might get to the gentoo cd's contents, through another path...since in my machine the live cds dont boot? is there another way through?

please i need and will try anything. My cd seems to be not fast enough to run the cd's but still can load the files..is wierd and i have a modem connection..and i dont see how to configure the network in the debian installer for a netinstall of the kernel.

any clues? \

thnkxx