I've recently downloaded the Linux system onto a CD and wish to install it on an old eMachines desktop computer. This machine holds a copy of Microsoft Windows XP that I am unable to register with Microsoft (I believe there is a limit - which I must have reached - to the number of times Windows can be downloaded from the CD and successfully activated). When I boot the machine with the Linux CD in the drive, the computer ignores it and still tries to load Windows. I've changed the order in which the machine accesses the various drives on startup, to put the CD drive top of the list, but although it appears to access the CD it still ignores it and loads Windows. I'm not sure if I can somehow remove the Windows software in an attempt to force its hand. Any helpful suggestions would be most welcome.

Welcome to the forums!

How did you burn this CD? Copying the ISO to the CD does not work, you need to burn it as an image. If you need help let us know what software you are using to write the CD.

There are well in excess of 500 different Linux distributions available and you will need to be more specific as to which one you downloaded. You don't download to a CD, you downoad to an operating system and use software to burn it as an image to a CD as stated above. If you didn't do this, it won't work. For most Linux systems you should do an md5 checksum of the particular iso you downloaded prior to burning it to a CD to verify the download. Since the computer boots directly to your windows on the hard drive, you probably have a bad burn or bad iso. If your computer is that old, many of the major Linux distributions won't run well on it so knowing what you have downloaded is significant.

not for XP
Microsoft is no longer registering XP installs
xp is a dead OS and is not supported any longer

RIP

even vista and 7 ( both came AFTER XP ) are in security ONLY updates and are NOT actively supported any longer .

so i doubt you can even register a Windows7 install any more ,seeing as MS is shoving 10 down the worlds throat



i take it you did not bother to read any of the instructions on making a install cd / dvd
xp can NOT!!!!!! make one

there are NO tools built into xp that will allow you to make a bootable cd !!!!
you MUST!!! use third party software on XP

i like "CDburnerXP "
https://cdburnerxp.se/en/home
this is free software that can BURN AS IMAGE a disk to make it a bootable one


you CAN NOT just "copy / paste" the iso image on to a cd or dvd