trying to recover some old files from an old ubuntu box (to much looks broken on there to bother with - probably time for a fresh os install)

but I need to recover some files that are on it

I'm not sure why it is suddenly so difficult to recover those files ..

I don't remember that machine in the past ever having problems booting pretty much any livecd. but now whatever deals with the mouse and keyboard seems hostile to everything ..

whatever did that obvously isn't nice...