Has anyone had the problem of leaving their hard drive setting in the bios to IDE instead of AHCI? The install just stops or doesn't recognise the hard drive.
I use Linux Mint with KDE or MATE interface (they are quite similar). Even if you hate Linux I recommend you try it. Under Wine you can play any Open GL game, but I think the Direct X port is stalled.
AROS can't do enough yet to be used as a primary operating system.

If there is a Linux you like I recommend persevering with it. The reason it doesn't install may be really trivial. Perhaps you should try the oldest distro first.
You don't even have to use a CLI most of it is GUI driven in KDE and MATE.
It took me about an hour to figure out how to use the preferences and configs under GUI.
As opposed to a few years ago when I would constantly be online looking for the right command to install something.