I'm having trouble with my older PC when trying to install Linux Mint 22.1, 22.2, and 22.3. My specs include an Intel Core i5 4th gen, an H81 motherboard, 8GB of DDR3 RAM, and an Nvidia GTX750 GPU. After I downloaded Linux Mint 22.3 and flashed it to a USB for live boot, I can select the OS option, but the screen goes dark and the monitor goes into standby. The same happens with the earlier versions too.
I've heard that I might need to use the 'nomodeset' option when booting, which did work for the latest GParted Live version, but it's frustrating that I have to go back to such old versions of Linux just to get it to boot properly. I find it odd that my PC runs Windows 8, 10, and 11 installation media without any issue, yet it struggles with modern Linux distributions. I'm looking for an up-to-date Linux live USB that I can boot from to back up my files. Am I expecting too much in terms of ease of installation on older systems?
3 Answers
If using `nomodeset` allows you to reach a GUI, it likely indicates the Nvidia card is the culprit. Since Nvidia drivers can't be included in the kernel due to being proprietary, try adding `nouveau.modeset=1` as a boot parameter to utilize the open-source driver. Alternatively, connecting your display to the integrated graphics on your motherboard might help.
You might be dealing with an Nvidia issue. Is there a safe mode option appearing? If so, it might be worth trying that to see if you can get the system to boot up properly.
Have you thought about trying other live Linux distros? Sometimes, it's just specific to Mint. Also, check your BIOS settings: you might need to disable Fast Boot and Secure Boot, and ensure that Legacy OS is enabled. If you're using USB, make sure it's set as EFI media. Your Nvidia card could also be causing issues since it's a bit older and can be tricky with Linux. Try booting with a live Ubuntu LTS version; it might work better.
I had the same situation. Disabling Fast Boot and Secure Boot in my BIOS actually fixed the issue for me.