I'm trying to install Fedora on my laptop, but I'm running into some issues. I've managed to shrink my main drive and create a D: partition formatted in FAT32. I downloaded Fedora and extracted the contents using WinRAR, placing them onto the D: drive as advised by someone. I also disabled the boot lock. However, when I check the BIOS or startup menu, I don't see the option for Fedora. I've tried all the suggestions given to me, but nothing has worked so far. I'm using a Lenovo laptop and would really like to get away from Windows, so any assistance would be greatly appreciated! I'm happy to provide any other details if needed.
4 Answers
Have you checked if your BIOS settings allow booting from the D: drive? This could be an issue as some systems need specific settings to recognize certain partitions. Also, you might find helpful tips here: [installation guide](https://oldforum.puppylinux.com/viewtopic.php?t=61404).
It sounds like you're complicating things by trying to install Linux through the D: drive. I'd recommend using a USB drive for the installation instead. It's much simpler and tends to work better. If you can't find a USB stick nearby, maybe you can check online stores or see if there's a friend who can lend you one?
It's possible that the way you're extracting Fedora isn't creating a bootable environment. The installer ISO file needs to be made into install media properly. Tools like Ventoy can help with that. Make sure you're using the right method to create your installation media!
To install Fedora, you'll need a partition that meets the minimum size requirements, typically around 40GB. Make sure your new partition isn't formatted as NTFS since that’s not compatible with Linux. Instead of using your D: drive directly, you should create a bootable USB for installation. Once that's done, you can swap your installation to your main drive afterwards.
Got it! I can free up space by uninstalling some games. Just to be clear, once I install it on the USB, how do I switch everything over to the 40GB partition?
Yeah, I'd agree with that. USBs make the process a lot smoother. If you're stuck on using the D: drive, you might need to look into creating a proper bootable environment using a tool like Rufus or Etcher.