Creating cd’s from iso files.

I am trying to install my first go at linux. I have decided to go w/ the Mandrake distribution and have downloaded the iso files. I have followed the directions exactly while creating the cd’s. The only problem is after the cd’s are burned, I can’t access them. I know that I have to boot from them but I thought windows would be able to “see” them too. Is this a correct assumption? Is so any ideas why it is not working properly? Thanks.