Linux Mint worked on the old computer, but after moving its SSD to a different one, selecting Mint in GRUB leads to a blinking underscore. Recovery mode and trying nomodeset behave the same. The SSD has data I need to keep safe.
Mint reaches GRUB, then just shows a blinking underscore after moving the SSD. What should I try?
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SALTCRANK
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Put data protection first. If the files matter, avoid repeated boot attempts and don’t run repair tools on the drive yet. Connect the SSD to another working computer, using an external enclosure or adapter if needed, and copy the important files somewhere else before troubleshooting.
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Try booting a Linux Mint live USB on the new computer. If that also hangs, the issue may be with the new machine’s hardware or firmware rather than the installation on the SSD. If the live system starts, check whether it can see the SSD and your files, then back them up.
Knowing the graphics hardware and whether the live USB boots would help narrow down what to test next. Since nomodeset didn’t change the result, I wouldn’t assume this is only a graphics setting.
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A drive can reach GRUB and still fail when the installed system takes over, especially after a hardware change. Once the data is backed up, compare the computer’s firmware boot settings with how Mint was installed, such as UEFI versus legacy boot. A live USB can also help check whether the SSD and its partitions are detected without trying to boot the installed system.
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SALTCRANK:
The new computer has Intel HD graphics. The same blinking underscore happens with recovery mode and nomodeset.