[TasLUG] Linux

[mrodway]

Hi Brian,

Sometimes I have had more luck booting a USB drive by using the “Boot menu” and selecting the drive from the list rather than trying to change the boot order in the BIOS settings. It’s a once off selection each time the PC boots, you might need a different key rather than F2, you could try F12 or ESC or look up how to get the boot menu for your model of Lenovo.

Also since Mint is a “live” distribution you should be able to boot it from the USB drive itself without doing an install, so if you can borrow a PC you can test out the USB without doing any harm to the PC ( just make sure you don’t go ahead with the full install!)

You shouldn’t need to format the USB stick first as the flasher should write the correct format.

Cheers Mike.https://proton.me/mail/home

-------- Original Message --------
On Thursday, 06/11/26 at 21:21 Brian Diamond <lowlyn at gmail.com> wrote:

> I need some assistance with setting up Linux on an old Lenovo laptop.
>
> I used my desktop, a late 2013 iMac to download the necessary files.I am stalled at Catalina V1I0.15.7
>
> I downloaded Mint Cinnamon from the Linux Mint website and formatted a 15 G USB drive to ExFat on the Mac.I then used BalenaEtcher V1.19.25 to flash the Cinnamon Iso file to the USB drive.When I booted the Lenovo and held down F2 it entered the Lenovo Setup Utility.
>
> I have disabled Secure Boot.
>
> Administrator and User passwords are not set.
>
> Boot Mode is [UEFI] and the USB drive is set to Number 1.
>
> When rebooted it failed to recognise the USB drive and defaults to “Preparing Automatic Repair”
>
> Diagnosing your PC
>
> Your PC did not start correctly
>
> Options “Restart” or “Advanced Options”
>
> Select “Advanced Options”
>
> Select “Use a Device”
>
> I have tried all the options under “Use a Device”. The light on the USB flashes for a moment and then the laptop reverts to “Preparing Automatic Repair”
>
> I have also tried unetbootin-mac-702.dmg to flash the USB drive with the same result as a drive flashed with Balena Etcher.
>
> A few years ago I successfully installed Linux on some old PCs without any problems.I cannot remember what I did then.
>
> The laptop is an old one from the Warrane Mornington Neighbourhood Centre.I volunteer there at the Repair Cafe.When they asked if anyone knows how to install Linux I put my hand up.The laptop will be given away through the Centre to anyone who needs but cannot afford a laptop.
>
> I suspect that there is something wrong with how the USB drive is set up.I only have enough computer knowledge to be dangerous.
>
> Any help will be greatly appreciated.
>
> Cheers.
>
> Brian.
>
> lowlyn at gmail.com
>
> [Pillow.jpg]
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