I'm trying to install Debian 13.6 amd64 from a DVD ISO on an HP laptop with an AMD Ryzen 3 64-bit processor, an SSD, and Windows 11 currently installed. Secure Boot is disabled. When I select the USB from the boot menu, I get "Error: Invalid magic number."
I created the installer with Rufus using both GPT and DD modes, but neither worked. BalenaEtcher failed near the end with "Something went wrong," and Ventoy also stopped partway through. I verified the ISO checksum and tried multiple USB drives, so I'm not sure whether the issue is the laptop's boot settings, the USB creation process, or something else.
3 Answers
The USB may have an old or damaged partition layout that is confusing the imaging software. On Windows, use Disk Management or DiskPart to completely erase the correct USB drive and create a fresh partition table, then write the ISO again with Rufus in DD mode. Be extremely careful to select the USB, not the laptop’s internal SSD, because the erase command is destructive.
Since multiple imaging tools and USB drives are failing, I’d first check the laptop’s firmware settings and boot mode. Make sure the system is set to UEFI mode rather than Legacy/CSM, and select the USB’s UEFI entry from the boot menu. Also confirm that the download is the standard amd64 image; Ryzen systems use amd64 even though the processor is made by AMD.
Ventoy is worth trying, but if it also stops with a write error, that points more toward a problem writing to the USB or with the laptop’s USB port than a bootloader problem. Try a different port, preferably a USB-A 2.0 port if available, and test the drive by copying a large file to it and reading it back. A checksum only verifies the ISO, not whether the USB was written successfully.
I already tried Ventoy, several USB drives, and verified the ISO checksum, but I hadn’t tested a different port or checked the drives with a large file. I’ll try those next.