Oh yes, you can just try it. There is a button to press if you want to install it, but you can check if it recognises your modem and other hardware.

It's worth keeping in mind that running the system from a CD or DVD is a lot slower than it will be when it is installed on a hard drive.

These days installation is pretty straightforward and hassle free, and there's no validation code or registration. Installation should take less than an hour and if your hard drive is big enough you could have a dual boot. Windows and Linux.