I'm having trouble getting my old laptop to recognize boot media for Linux (Mint XFCE). I've tried using Etcher, Rufus, and Ventoy to create the bootable USB, and it boots perfectly fine on my desktop. However, on my laptop, the BIOS only recognizes it as "USB HDD" without any specific name. I've already set the USB HDD as the first option in the boot order and disabled the internal SSD, but it still boots straight to the Windows installation. I've tried adjusting the UEFI/CSM settings and toggling secure boot, but nothing seems to work. Here's a link to the laptop model I'm using: https://www.samsung.com/uk/support/model/NP300E5E-A08UK/
3 Answers
This laptop can be tricky. Have you considered using WUBIUEFI to install Linux while keeping Windows intact? It virtualizes the Linux disk, and that might work better for your setup.
I recommend checking your BIOS settings. Sometimes it's about finding the right settings for your particular machine. Can you share a picture of your BIOS screen? That might help troubleshoot the problem better.
If your USB drive doesn't appear by name in the BIOS, it might be a sign of a failing drive. When you connect it to Windows, how long does it take to show up? That might give us more insight into the issue.
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