Thought I'd start this in a new thread as the old one is getting a bit large. So want to try Linux on old Toshiba laptop with Pentium 4 and 2 GB. It has been said to be very simple so I've followed the instructions Downloaded Mint Burned to DVD Inserted in laptop Powered up - Windows loaded Powered down. Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD - Windows loaded again
Hmm So not so simple What am I missing?
Did you burn the dvd as an .iso image or did you just burn it as a data file? A data file won't boot, an image file will. I use ImgBurn, a free program and it works every time.
I'll resist the obvious temptation. :-)
Have you ever created a bootable CD or DVD before from an iso image file (eg a rescue CD like UBCD or similar)?
If you don't have a fast connection, a booting USB stick is under a fiver from eBay.
If you are anywhere near Kentish Town on Tuesday 11th and still not worked it out, bring your laptop along to the Restart Party, and someone there will help you do it.
See:
There are more events listed on that website later in August and at other London locations too.
Or even Windows Disk Image Burner (right click on the ISO and choose open with etc. If the file association is no longer present open isoburn.exe in windows\system32
True of Windows 7 pro anyway.
The other possibility is that the boot order needs changing in the BIOS.so its DVD/CD then HDD.
"Powered up again selected F12 Selected Boot from DVD "
Er no, then..
No I simply followed the instructions having been lead to believe it was so simple.
That's what F12 allows you to do.
In article , Andrew Gabriel writes
Only about 180 miles away joined by a couple of car parks AKA M6/M1
Just as a data disc. Thanks for that. Never thought about it.
In article , Graham. writes
Which is what I have on my desktop so I'll try that thanks.
I was given Linux Mint on a DVD to try. And try I did. It loaded sort of okay. After beating myself up part time for a week or so I asked myself the question: "Why am I bothering with this shit"? Linux is for geeks and pikeys, bin it.
Linux guys don't do simple.. try
for a simpler way to download and burn to usb stick.
Also you can install ubuntu as part of your windows file system using wubi (its on the ubuntu download). Some linux type will be along shortly to tell you that linux doesn't run well as part of windows but that's cr@p as there is no windows running when you install linux using wubi the only code that runs is linux so if its cr@p its not down to windows.
You might find one locally. They are sometimes run by a local council Transition group, or a local makerspace.
Well I've created the disc and booted. Some error message flashed up BIOS error Timer not connected to .....
Boot carried on until it asked me for a username then the whole thing froze up.
Seems bollix to me but I'm just a simple Windows user.
[32 lines snipped]
Wrong.
Go on then tell us what windows code runs.
Ok then. That's answered that question. It *is* simple but only when you realise that iso image files need to be burnt to the media using a different option in your CD/DVD burning software.
For someone trying to burn their first iso image file, it's a fairly common error to burn the iso image file to the media as if it were a data disk project. It's not immediately obvious that you need to select an image burning option without gaining some hint of this from the source website of the iso image file, usually in the download instructions associated with the file.
If you don't already have a fully featured optical disk burning application installed, a quick and easy way to burn such image files is to download and install the free IMGBurn application.
Another useful tool in this context is the free 7Zip archiving tool which will give you access to the contents of such iso image files. Not absolutely essential but it can be handy to examine (or even manipulate) the contents of such files.
Alternatively, you could download the unetbootin-windows-608.exe[1] file into a working folder and run it (no installation required), selecting the iso image file and a suitable usb flash drive to make a bootable install usb drive (most Linux distros require at least a 2GB USB flash drive these days or even larger, depending on the distro concerned).
However, such bootable USB drives don't always boot properly for a whole host of reasons so you may still have to resort to optical media if this doesn't work with your particular machine.
[1] There's probably a later version than that 608 example I last downloaded available by now. Just download the latest version. Also, there are other alternative USB bootable image creation utilities designed to use iso image files, unetbootin isn't the only game in town, just the best known and trusted one.HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.