I have been recommending Ubuntu for those new to linux. There is an amazing amount of support for the beginner and you will find most security tools compile with no or little problem.  As far as laptops go, the real key is have at least 1 gig of memory. I have had really good luck with my Acer aspire 5610, If you want to look cool at a hacker convention, then those really small ultra thins are the way to go, lol. But I hope "looking cool" at a hacker convention is not the goal, because IMHO its impossible. We are just different levels of computer nerds, but I digress. 

You just did bishini.   And Jimbob is correct, it looks like it's a configuration problem of the root password not being set or somesuch.  Mandriva isn't Windblows 98.

Ditto.  I've hit in the 80-90 range before, but most of the copies were not functional.  There are several virus/malware strains now that will create copies of themselves when they log a certain event (opening up explorer, anti-virus loads into memory, mercury enters a retro-grade orbit into Jupiter's third house, etc) and you find them renamed and copied all over the place.