>I downloaded the VFP8 Beta and run the install, I select the items to install etc. and the install begins copying setup files and generating setup script. Then a dialog pops up "Please insert the disk: Visual FoxPro 8.0 Professional - English disk 1" and I cannot go any further.

Sounds like you've burned a CD and are trying to install from there or something similar. Create a empty folder and copy the downloaded file there. Then run the self-extracting executable. Once that's complete run the setup.exe.