I'm trying to install Linux on my Toshiba Satellite M45-S265, which has a Pentium M 1.60 GHz processor. My plan is to use the 32-bit Linux Mint Debian Edition, and I think this laptop should be capable of running it based on what I've read. However, the laptop doesn't support booting from USB, so I had to create a physical install disc. I've been burning it at the slowest speed possible while verifying the disc, but when I insert it, I get to the welcome screen and it just hangs when I try to make a selection. I've also tried making a disc for Lubuntu 18.04, but it freezes up too. Specifically, if I don't select anything, the installer auto-starts and boots to a black screen with a blinking underscore. Any suggestions?
3 Answers
I recommend giving Damn Small Linux 2024 a try. It's specifically designed for older machines and is quite user-friendly too.
Did you set the BIOS to boot from the CD/DVD drive first? You can also try hitting F12 during startup to choose the boot device. Given how old this machine is, you might want to try Q4OS instead of Mint or Lubuntu; it’s more suited for older hardware.
You might need to check how much RAM your laptop has. If it’s only got the default 512 MB, that might not be enough to run the LMDE live image. If you do have enough RAM, you could try using the "PAE forced" option during boot because the Pentium M can sometimes misreport its capabilities.
I just checked it and confirmed it has 512 MB of RAM. What is PAE forced?
I'll give Q4OS a shot! Just a heads up, my BIOS doesn’t allow USB booting, so the DVD/CD is my only option.