Apps cease to launch in 2011 (on usb)

[Pussycat]

It's my annual trials (and tribulations) of any latest versions of my favourite distros.

Downloaded and MD5 checked PCLos 2011.06 then used Unebootin to burn to usb flash stick (4Gb).

All seems fine.  Launch Control Centre, set up wifi, reports connection made, so launch Firefox - but nothing happens!  Try Configure Computer and a few other apps but nothing will launch.  Close CC and try to launch it again - but no!  However, select shutdown from menu and the dialogue launches - except shutdown doesn't actually complete (stopping at "no more levels").

Tried "re-burning" usb stick and try again.  Much as above but this time launch FF before CC and at least manage to establish that wifi is connected.  Config also launches - but only once as with FF and CC then nothing will launch.

Is all this a "feature" or does it not like my Toshiba laptop (dual-core with 2Gb ram)...?!

[PS Just for "fun" thought I'd try MobaLiveCD - which seems a great idea.  Unfortunately had to give up after half an hour (of 100% of cpu1 and not touching cpu2).  It'd got as far as bring up the mouse-pointer (no movement) but no desktop which also left me wondering which would be the active pointer - Win or PClos - if it ever had completed!]

[djohnston]

I assume you're logging in as user guest. Open a terminal and try to launch Firefox and the Control Center. Report error messages.

firefox < launch firefox from a terminal with this command
pcc       < launch PCLInuxOS Control Center from a terminal

[Pussycat]

That's interesting...

On first boot from usb we don't get a choice of who we are - guest is assumed?

Launched Terminal and typed firefox, which duly launched.  But terminal did not return to prompt so obviously typing pcc was ineffective.  Closed terminal and, of course, it wouldn't re-launch!

So, thought I, what if I log out and log back in again (as guest) - and everything seems to behave as it should!

...what's going on with first boot - and will it be the same if/when installed?