after reading some info..it looks as thought these hardwood floors a Old growth heart pine material...they seem to be in good shape..and the onyl real noticeable marks are from the carpet padding..that has been there for years..im assuming the finish is laquer or poly urethane..would it be advisable for me to rent a buffing unit..to get rid of some of the surface blemishes..and if so..what type of buffer should I rent..I have a home depot 5 minutes from my house..any certain rpms it needs to be..and once the buffing is done..what is the easiest best way to bring out the floor..waxing..recoating..etc...please help..im a toal newbie to hardwood floors...

A floor buffer with buffing pads maybe the ticket though if you haven't used one before you're in for an exciting learning experience. You have to toron the handle to keep the unit in balance...a unique blend of finesse and force. I almost got thrown through a wall the first time I used one!

I used mineral spirits and buffing pads to refinish a floor about 20 years ago, not sure what's available for chemicals these days. You may not even need to strip, though. Have you experimented oin a closet somewhere to see what's required?