Ubuntu live CD works OK for 2 sessions, then fails to boot
 

In a Toshiba --Portege-- the live CD Ubuntu 5.10 worked twice, then it always boots to XP. Another live CD did the same thing. I have tried holding down the Shift key when pushing the --ON-- button, then Cntrl/Shift, Esc, F1, F8, F10, Cntrl / Alt /Backspace and now nothing will prevent it from booting into XP. \
I went into BIOS and set CD ROM as first boot but it still goes to XP. Is a live CD only supposed to work twice ?
When those disks did work, it booted and I went to Firefox and sent and received e-mail OK so now what goes ?

The Toshiba ~700 MHz, 256 MB RAM, and I tried booting with battery alone and then with the AC supply plugged in.

Maybe your CD is bad - have you tried it in another computer?

A 700MHz PC with 256 MB RAM sounds old so maybe your CD drive is broken - can it read other CDs?

Did you burn you "new" CD properly? When you look at it from windows, you should NOT see just one file: filename.iso, you should see a load of different directories. Be sure to burn your new CD as an iso image.

Ubuntu 5.10 dates from 2005 -it's OLD, and I'd recommend 8.04 (better than 8.10 IMHO). Just download it and try burning another CD.

Welcome to LQ!

I did not see your answer till I checked my e-mail, and now bace ./c LQ I somehow found the correct page. Yes the Tosheba is old ~2001, and it will run other CDs but not the Ubuntu after about 2 or 3 successful runs. It will open to DSL but ./c DSL it will not connect to the internet. The Ubuntu and Firefox worked OK to the internet.
I did not burn the disks, they were mailed to me ready made. What do you think of the idea of using --live CDs-- to avoid malware ? I figure that when I shut down, the memory will cease and any viruses will go away. I am assuming that a virus cannot get on to the live CD.
I did not know that LQ sends the replies to my own e-mail box. I thought I had to go back into the forums and threads. It will take some practice to use the LQ pages. Thanks again.

Mall ware or viruses are rather in linux installed or not
Getting mall ware or viruses in Live CD is mission impossible

What does this mean? (I don't read TXTspk. I am just a grumpy old man.)

For your old, slow and low-memory laptop, DSL is a good choice. "It doesn't connect", really means you haven't yet learnt enough about linux to make it connect. I am sure it will connect, especially with old hardware like yours. DSL has its own sub-forum here on LQ:
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...smalllinux-42/
You can always ask for help with connectivity there.

I have been using linux off-and-on since about 2000, and 100% full-time since 2003. I have never had a problem with malware or viruses on my linux PCs. I have a firewall, and that's it. I never run a GUI as root. I do not run any "net services" (Like an apache webserver).

Well, if I am honest, lets just say that if I did happen to have a port "open", you would not know which one, or even how to open it, and even if you did, you'd have to cope with private key based authentication ;)

I would NEVER trust a windows PC with my credit card or bank details, but I happy do this with linux. I only use a "live CD" when I have "broken" my system after too much playing about.

That would be a PITA. So just click on the link in the email, and you are back at the thread that was replied to. LQ is easy to use.

Unless you have downloaded it from an untrusted source (eg an untrusted torrent), in which case it may come with malware pre-installed.

Reputable distros publish MD5sums so the downloaded iso can be checked and trusted.
I only download from the distro's links on their main site. Never had any problem.

I think you should investigate a modern release of DSL, and make it work for you.
If your internet access is limited (you don't post your Location in your profile) then ask a friend / colleague to get it and burn it for you. "You are only two people away from a fast internet connection".

I am going to try some other things, that Toshiba laptop is a problem. The ./c is not text speak, but an old fashion abbreviation for --with--. I suspect it came about when people wrote using quill pens. Without is ./s, before is ./a and after is ./p. Comes from the Latin. There is several more but I forget.