moving to Linux on a 10-12 year old Toshiba Satellite laptop.have installed 3 times using both shop bought and self created usb. I used Etcher to flash. Chose to uninstall windows 10. After restart and removal of usb will not boot. Toshiba boot menu appears but clicking the hdd/sdd.results in a boot fail. Secure boot does not appear in the bios menu so unable to disable. USB legacy is enabled and if disabled the usb wont boot the trial mode/installation. Each time reinstalled the option to uninstall Linux mint 22 offered so presume is on the hdd. grateful for any help, thanks
Hi @Ady welcome to the forums.
Sounds like youâre running into a bootloader issue rather than the install itself. On those older Toshibas, if you donât see a Secure Boot toggle in the BIOS, it usually means the machine is already running in legacy mode. The installer will happily put Mint on the drive, but if GRUB isnât written to the right place, the laptop wonât know how to start it once you pull the USB.
When you reinstall, keep an eye out for the âdevice for bootloader installationâ option. Make sure it points to the whole drive, something like /dev/sda, and not to a partition such as /dev/sda1. If GRUB goes to the wrong spot, the OS is technically there but wonât boot. Also double-check that the internal drive is actually at the top of the boot list in BIOS.
If youâre wiping Windows completely, the easiest route is choosing the âerase disk and install Mintâ option so the installer handles partitioning and bootloader setup automatically.
If it still wonât boot afterwards, you can go back into the live session from USB, install a little tool called Boot-Repair, and let it rebuild GRUB. Thatâs often the fastest way to get an old laptop like this to recognize Linux properly. Open a terminal and run these commands one by one:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install boot-repair -y
boot-repair
That will launch Boot-Repair with a simple interface. Just choose the âRecommended repairâ option and let it run. When it finishes, itâll give you a summary link and tell you to reboot. At that point, remove the USB and see if the laptop boots straight into Mint.
If that does not work, let us know the output or any related logs.
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Hi @hydn many thanks for reply. In âinstallation typeâ selected âsomething elseâ window opens as /dev/sdc ATA Toshiba etc. In this setting install now window is shaded. On /dev/sdc3 Linux Mint 22.2 is shown. sdc1 is biosgrub,sdc2 efi . The install now option is not available on any setting
including new partition table. Dont know what I am missing
in live session USB boot repair says â the current session is in BIOS- compatibility mode. Please disable legacy mode in UEFI and use software from a nominated company, etc etc. Have photos with full text if helpful
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you installed in legacy mode, but your disk has an EFI partition. The fix usually is to boot the USB in UEFI mode instead of legacy.
On Toshibas you usually press F12 at power-on and pick the option that says UEFI: Once you boot the installer that way, reinstall and make sure the bootloader goes to /dev/sdc. Everything should line up.
boot menu/bios comes up auto now no os. have triple checked but no option to boot the usb in UEFI mode that I can see in Boot menu or Bios. Security only covers p/w. Advanced has USB Legacy Emulation which is enabled and if I disable result is unable to boot the laptop or a live session so cant install in this mode. In advanced system configuration there is a SATA controller Mode showing AHCI which I did change to Compatibility and reinstalled but no result. During a re installation the âinstallation typeâ device for boot loader installation points at /dev/sda (not sdc, my error) Have been researching all evening and just wondering if issue with the partitioning as I cant install from the âsomething elseâ options
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Generally you can change legacy or EFI mode in Bios in Boot section. If the laptop is newer then 2015-2016 you might have this option, before that date boot loaders were only in legacy mode.
I think you can still install Linux Mint in legacy mode: you should be able to do this by giving the setup the default options and be sure to install the boot loader on the main data partition.
I donât know if I was clear enough âŠ
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seems clear enough if you mean the âinstallation typeâ in the instalation set up default options.
The difficulty is that selecting â something else â and then selecting the main data partition for the boot loader I cannot then select the â install now â to continue the process presumably indicating something is out of line.
Perhaps I have to accept that my Toshiba Satellite just wont welcome Linux mint ?
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hi @Ady the installer ran in legacy/BIOS mode, but your disk layout has an EFI partition. That mismatch, if thatâs the case, is why it wonât boot. The fix is to start the installer (USB) in UEFI mode and point GRUB to the whole drive (/dev/sdc). On Toshibas it should give an option like UEFI: USBâŠ.
Once you reinstall that way, Mint should boot normally. Good luck!
I dont seem to have the option to boot in UEFI mode on my laptop only legacy abled/disabled, I cant get beyond that. I did make another bootable usb via rufus selecting GPT partion and UEFI target on rufus options.That actually brings up the usb drive on the laptop boot menu for the first time but with legacy on or not off able able to get to a live session to install. On rufus also made a usb on MBR targeting Bios or UEFI with that can get to live session with legacy on ( not if off) but during install in âinstall type something elseâ, âinstallâ wont go live in any configuration and once installed in normal options, then back to, wont boot after restart. To be honest not sure if its me not understanding something or if its just the laptop
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Yes Could be the laptop indeed. 