In message , HB writes:

"J. P. Gilliver (John)" wrote in message
...
In message , HB writes:
[]
I had to pass since Linux was a 8 GB download and I don't have unlimited
ISP
service. The website didn't say what to do with it once downloaded. The
extenstion was unknown to me. The MS rescue software I downloaded did
nothing to boot the Toshiba nor did the Avira boot disk.

Was the extension .iso?

No, not ISO. I don't remember but never saw it before.

Ignore the 8 GB one.
[]
I have Ashampoo installed. I would have to go through the thumb-drives to
see what else I have saved and not installed. I personally haven't burned
a
CD or DVD in years.


If it looks like the screenshots on
https://www.ashampoo.com/uk/gbp/psr/...ng-studio-free
, then on the "Main" screen, I _suspect_ you want "Disc Image" rather than
"Burn Data"; without having it installed myself, however, I'm not sure if
Disc Image is for *making* (.iso) images *of* _existing_ CD/DVDs, or for
burning them *from* an .iso file. Try clicking on it: it should be obvious
which. (It may do both - in fact if it can take images of existing discs,
it's unlikely it can't also burn from such images.)

So the Linux PUPPY file will be what's called an ISO file? And I have to

Yes, probably.

find out if my copy of Ashampoo burns ISO files. What about Imgburn? I

"Burns _from_ ISO files" would be more precise.

think that one burns them.

ImgBurn definitely can burn from ISO files.
[]
OK... so I look for and download Linux PUPPY and burn it to a DVD. Eject

Using the burn-from-ISO option.

tray, then off the PC, insert DVD and turn the PC back on. What supposed to
happen then?

The PC should boot Linux from the CD/DVD. You will know this is
happening, as the screen will show things you haven't seen before, and
it will access the CD/DVD drive a lot (several minutes I think). Once it
_has_ booted Linux, and settled down, you should be able to use it to
examine the HD; for details of how to do that in Linux, you'll have to
get instructions from one of those here who knows Linux, which I don't.
If you get to this point, tell us: you don't have to leave the PC on
while waiting for an answer, you can turn it off at that point until
you've got the instructions - it's unlikely to corrupt the HD any more
than it already is.

Wouldn't it be easier for me to just take the HD to a shop and let them
check it? How would Linux get the Toshiba to boot since it doesn't react
to
the rescue discs? Isn't there anything smaller to give the same
information?


SHOP: Depends what relationship you have with the shop. If they're going
to charge you their standard service charge just for looking at it, then I
imagine that'd be more than the cost of the external dock (at least if
bought online) anyway. If you do get them to look at it, then there's
incentive for them to say it's duff to get you to buy a new one - I doubt,
unless it's a very good shop, that they'd recover it for you even if they
say it isn't duff: the best they're likely to do is offer to reinstall
Windows from scratch.
LINUX: the laptop should boot from a CD/DVD, provided (a) the CD has been
burned correctly (not just the .iso file written to it as data),

How is it burned properly? I am in alien terratory here. How do I know
how/where to get the PUPPY version as an ISO?

I think Paul has told you where to get it. Paul, was that an ISO you
pointed him to, or a .zip of an ISO, or something else?

and (b) the laptop's BIOS boot sequence is set to try CD/DVD first.
SMALLER: Linuxes _are_ smaller than 8G; we're not sure what it is you have
downloaded.

I didn't download it then I saw the unknown EXE.

Sorry, I don't understand that sentence )-:.
[]
How can I do it using the USB port? Where do I get a Dock?

I gave you a link in another post, though that one might have been from
China, I can't remember - I was really only looking for a picture to
show you. Your local computer shop _might_ have docks, but failing that,
put "USB dock" or similar phrases into the search box at ebay or Amazon,
and look for something that looks like the picture in the link I gave
you.
[]
--
J. P. Gilliver. UMRA: 1960/1985 MB++G()AL-IS-Ch++(p)Ar@T+H+Sh0!:`)DNAf

Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder...