LinuxQuestions.org - Snort Service failed to start in BackTrack 5 r1

you are aware that bt5 r3 WAS the very last
and that is ancient

bt5 r1 is even OLDER
and even more unsupported

-- there is NO support for bt5 rc3 and less for the even older rc1

the current
"PROFESSIONAL Security testing and and PROFESSIONAL penetration TESTING"
operation system is Kali 1.0.5

but before you use it
heed the WARNING that the developers posted !!!
--- to quote---
from:
http://docs.kali.org/introduction/sh...use-kali-linux

Quote:

As the distribution developers, one would likely expect us to recommend that everyone use Kali Linux. The fact of the matter is however, that Kali is a Linux distribution specifically geared towards professional penetration testing and security auditing and as such, it is NOT a recommended distribution for those unfamiliar with Linux.

In addition, misuse of security tools within your network, particularly without permission, may cause irreparable damage and result in significant consequences.

If you are looking for a Linux distribution to learn the basics of Linux and need a good starting point, Kali Linux is not the ideal distribution for you. You may want to begin with Ubuntu or Debian instead.

one of those " significant consequences" would be standing in front of a Judge in a court of law !!!
-- BE WARNED !!!!!!