My old i3 laptop reports Operating System Not Found when I try to boot from USB. I've tried Endeavour and MX Linux and used an MBR partition scheme, but neither boots. What else should I check?
Why won't this old laptop boot from my USB drive?
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shelf-stable-forecast
Answers
Check whether the USB was created for legacy BIOS boot, not just whether it uses MBR. Those aren't quite the same thing. Also check that the Linux image you chose supports legacy boot.
If the laptop has a boot menu, try its different USB entries. A device might show up as USB HDD or USB Key, and an older BIOS can be picky about which one works.
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Try booting the same stick on another computer, without installing anything. If it reaches the boot screen there, that helps narrow the problem down to compatibility or settings on the old laptop. It doesn't completely rule out the stick, though.
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Swap the easy stuff before spending hours in the BIOS. Try another USB port and another flash drive. Older machines can be fussy about drives, and a smaller FAT32 stick may be worth a shot.
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It may be worth recreating the installer with a different tool, such as Ventoy. Double check its instructions for legacy BIOS support and back up anything on the stick first, since preparing it will erase the drive.
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If USB still won't cooperate, check whether the laptop has a working optical drive. A bootable CD or DVD could give you another way to start an installer without relying on USB boot support.
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7h~packet_406:
Make sure the other computer is also testing legacy boot if it offers both legacy and UEFI modes.