Hey everyone! I'm trying to install Linux Mint using a 16GB USB stick, but I can't seem to get my computer to recognize it when I boot up. I've used both BalenaEtcher and Rufus to prepare the USB, but it never shows up in the boot menu after I restart. Is my USB stick faulty, or am I missing something? Also, just to clarify, I'm not interested in dual-booting; I want to completely switch from Windows to Linux. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
3 Answers
It sounds like it could be a BIOS setting issue. Make sure to disable Secure Boot, and check if there are any UEFI settings in your BIOS that you might need to adjust.
Some older systems have a hard time booting from USB 3.0 drives. Try using a different USB stick or plug it into a different port. I personally recommend using VENTOY for creating bootable USB drives; it's super convenient!
Definitely try different USB ports, including USB 2.0 if you have them. Sometimes, if Fast Startup is enabled in Windows, it can cause issues. You can turn that off in the power options or BIOS. If all else fails, consider testing another distro like Zorin or Fedora, just to see if the issue is specific to Linux Mint.
That’s a good point! Fast Startup can be a real buzzkill for USB booting.