I have an older Dell XPS P71G laptop that was previously managed by an IT company, and they've set it up so I can't make any changes without installing a new operating system. I'm looking to install Linux Mint, but I'm running into issues booting from a USB drive. Every time I try, it gets stuck on the Dell logo or the boot selection screen. I used Ventoy to create the bootable USB, and I'm confident that both the USB and the ISO are working fine.
Is it possible to completely reformat the SSD and start fresh? I can use another computer to format the SSD, but I'm unsure how to proceed once I reinsert it. Specifically, how can I ensure I can boot from a USB after reformatting the drive?
3 Answers
It sounds like you're running into BIOS settings that may be preventing USB booting, especially if your laptop was locked down by an IT department. Check to see if there's a BIOS password or if USB booting is disabled in the BIOS settings. You might also want to disable Secure Boot if it's enabled. Sometimes, older laptop models have complicated settings that really need to be explored carefully to get it to boot correctly from a USB.
When booting from USB, make sure you're not just turning the laptop on and expecting it to recognize the thumb drive right away. After plugging in the USB, press the F12 key when the Dell screen appears; that should bring up the boot menu where you can select the USB to boot from. Also, ensure that you created the USB properly using a tool like Rufus if you're on Windows.
Reformatting the SSD is definitely an option, and it could help clear any issues related to the previous installation. But you should check out all the BIOS settings before diving into that. Sometimes, it could save you a lot of hassle if you get the boot settings sorted out first!
How do you check if it's locked? I'm not too familiar with BIOS settings.