In your BIOS, ensure that you have compatibility mode enabled for USB devices. Sometimes it's called legacy mode. If not, your PC could refuse to boot from some devices. Sounds like what's happening here at least. Usually if this mode is disabled the USB device won't show, but its worth a shot.
this post was submitted on 08 Mar 2025
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Thank you, I appreciate the help.
My BIOS is old enough that it is legacy :-) It can see the USB device, but for some reason when I try to boot from it the system just hangs with no video output. It sees it as a hard drive, so I have to make it the 1st drive and then I can set the boot priority.
What are you using to create the boot media? Try Rufus, and make sure it's BIOS and MBR.
Thank you, I appreciate the help.
I am using Rufus with MBR and "BIOS or UEFI", I don't see a BIOS-only mode.
When I burn the USB stick, I get a popup about a hybrid ISO. I've tried both ISO mode and dd mode, neither option lets me boot.
That should be correct. What desktop is it exactly? Are you using the current OS versions? Does it boot from USB if you try older ones, Windows 7, or even freedos?
Fedora Silverblue, I downloaded the latest image from their website. I also tried AntiX and Zorin. I just tried using Rufus to burn a FreeDOS USB stick and no luck there either. My old Windows SSD was booting, but now when I just tried again I'm getting BSOD. I think the computer is borked after sitting for too long, so time to build a new one. with blackjack and hookers.
Yeah if it doesn't even boot something as basic as freedos it's probably not a configuration issue. You can try resetting the BIOS and pulling the battery, and of course try a different USB stick if you haven't already.
But if it's not even booting a previously good OS it might be that the board died.
Did it currently have windows installed? If so, have you turned off secure boot and fastboot?
If you've done all that already, then maybe try adding nomodeset to the kernel parameters in grub. You can find instructions by searching how to set kernel parameters. It's fairly easy, but kind of a pain to explain.
Thank you, I appreciate the help.
I disabled quick boot. My BIOS is old enough that it doesn't have secure boot.
I can't even get to the GRUB stage. I try to boot from the USB or the DVD and it just hangs with no video output.
Try USB 2 ports using a USB 2 drive, and try different ports. Ive seen issues where I had a perfectly good drive and it wouldnt boot at all. Using a different port it installed fine. Similar issues using USB 3 drive or ports in machines only a few years old.
It's a USB 2 drive and USB 2 ports. I have some USB 3 ports on a PCIe expansion card but they're not recognized during boot. I tried the other USB 2 port and it was the same result. I'm thinking the MoBo might be borked after sitting for too many years.
Could you install Linux on a drive om other pc and then move it to this one?
I have had USB thumb drives that just wouldn't boot on some computers. Try a different USB drive maybe.
It could be that you're trying to boot images that only do uefi boot? Or is the machine old enough to not support 64-bit stuff? I resurrected my first Thinkpad (2003) with a Debian 32-bit install, that'll surely boot on yours as well!
Tried flashing an USB stick and putting the system ISOs in the stick afterwards?
Can you try using a different os? Windows or something. I don't see why it won't work.