Download linux mint on old computer

frag

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I'm trying to download linux on my old dell inspiron 1420 laptop and I have a version of linux mint downloaded on a usb connected to my computer and im trying to boot it into that linux, it is a windows vista device that hasnt been updated a single time.
 


How'd you get the image (.iso) onto the USB?

How about a link to a page that tells us about your device, like if it's 32 or 64 bit?

Please consider visiting the 2nd link in my signature.
 
How'd you get the image (.iso) onto the USB?

How about a link to a page that tells us about your device, like if it's 32 or 64 bit?

Please consider visiting the 2nd link in my signature.
its 32 bit and I got it through linuxmint.com
 
G'day frag, Welcome to Linux.org

Are you really 14 years old?

Questions:
Which version of Linux do you have downloaded?

How did you put it on the usb?....using a special app, or did you simply just put it on there.

Are you aware that when you install Linux on the laptop, it will WIPE windows Vista COMPLETELY.??...there will only be Linux on the laptop......Nothing else.
 
its 32 bit and I got it through linuxmint.com

The OS is 32 bit, or the laptop is 32 bit - or both?

And, again, how'd you get the .iso onto the USB? Did you write it with something like Balena Etcher or did you just copy/paste the .iso file onto your USB? Did you maybe extract it first and then copy it?

Help us help you.
 
G'day frag, Welcome to Linux.org

Are you really 14 years old?

Questions:
Which version of Linux do you have downloaded?

How did you put it on the usb?....using a special app, or did you simply just put it on there.

Are you aware that when you install Linux on the laptop, it will WIPE windows Vista COMPLETELY.??...there will only be Linux on the laptop......Nothing else.
Yea I'm really 14, linux mint cinnamon is the version of linux im using, I used unetbootin to put it on the usb, and im aware that there will only be lunux on the laptop, its really old and slow so this will just make it run atleast a little better
 
The OS is 32 bit, or the laptop is 32 bit - or both?

And, again, how'd you get the .iso onto the USB? Did you write it with something like Balena Etcher or did you just copy/paste the .iso file onto your USB? Did you maybe extract it first and then copy it?

Help us help you.
The OS is 32 bit, or the laptop is 32 bit - or both?

And, again, how'd you get the .iso onto the USB? Did you write it with something like Balena Etcher or did you just copy/paste the .iso file onto your USB? Did you maybe extract it first and then copy it?

Help us help you.
both of them are 32 bit
 
also, something to note is that I can't find the boot device options for some reason, no f key that i press brings me there
 
It's a Dell. It's the F12 button, but you have to time it just right - or not... You should be able to just press it rapidly a few dozen times until you hear it beep.

Reboot the computer and press F12 over and over again as soon as you reboot it. Have a finger already pressing up and down on the F12 key when you reboot it. Dell is always F12, so far as I know.

Also, UNetBootIn has had some issues with recent versions. So, if it doesn't work, use Balena Etcher to write the image to USB.

Finally, your device may be so old that it doesn't boot to USB. It may require optical media to boot (or an internal drive, of course).
 
It's a Dell. It's the F12 button, but you have to time it just right - or not... You should be able to just press it rapidly a few dozen times until you hear it beep.

Reboot the computer and press F12 over and over again as soon as you reboot it. Have a finger already pressing up and down on the F12 key when you reboot it. Dell is always F12, so far as I know.

Also, UNetBootIn has had some issues with recent versions. So, if it doesn't work, use Balena Etcher to write the image to USB.

Finally, your device may be so old that it doesn't boot to USB. It may require optical media to boot (or an internal drive, of course).
I tried that at the start and all I got was

Internal HDD
USB Storage Device
CD/DVD/CD-RW Drive

BIOS Setup
Diagnostics

I know there is a way to unlock the boot option menu using bios setup but I need some sort of password to unlock it
 
It's a Dell. It's the F12 button, but you have to time it just right - or not... You should be able to just press it rapidly a few dozen times until you hear it beep.

Reboot the computer and press F12 over and over again as soon as you reboot it. Have a finger already pressing up and down on the F12 key when you reboot it. Dell is always F12, so far as I know.

Also, UNetBootIn has had some issues with recent versions. So, if it doesn't work, use Balena Etcher to write the image to USB.

Finally, your device may be so old that it doesn't boot to USB. It may require optical media to boot (or an internal drive, of course).
and I just switched over to using rufus instead of UNetBootIn and the version of linux im using is debian
 
This one?
Linux Mint 4 "Debbie" - Cinnamon (32-bit)

and, how do you know it is 32 bit ?

(click Start
, click Help and Support, and then
select the option to view information about your computer.)
 
the Del 1420 from memory was a duo core cpu with 2 gb ram, depending on regional variations it should run both 32 &64 bit,
Mint4 Debbie [more commonly called LMDE] is the Debian base version
Cinnamon desktop is very pretty but is the most resource hungry desktop in the Linux family it will run on just 2gb ram but 4gb would be better,
if it were me setting it up i would go for a lighter distro with the the XFCE or LX type desktops

Bwiz
 
couple of other things
On most Dells juggling F12 will only take you to the short boot menu if your USB is showing on the list click on It and then press enter..
by jiggling F2 when you switch on again in most cases will take you to the full BIOS menu where you can make permanent adjustments [I always set mine to usb first boot, optical drive second boot and hard drive third boot this slows the initial boot by a few seconds whilst it searches the usb and optical drive for boot instructions before the hard drive]
But be careful what you alter in the BIOS as you could lock up the complete system
 
I tested Linux Mint 4 "Debbie" - Cinnamon (32-bit) on Dell. I am using Dell Vostro. But this is a newer laptop. I am using Ventoy, not Rufus. Ventoy is available for both Linux and Windows.
USB Storage Device
If you press F12, you will get that menu (see my attachment. step-1). Select USB storage device and you will be directed to the Linux Mint, that is if you burned the ISO using Rufus correctly. The step-2 in my attachment below only happens if you are using Ventoy.
 

Attachments

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Last edited:
I know there is a way to unlock the boot option menu using bios setup but I need some sort of password to unlock it

Ah ha!

Yeah, you're gonna need a search engine. You need to reset the BIOS. You're not going to get the temporary boot menu without unlocking the BIOS first.

You will need to open the computer up and remove the watch battery that's in there. The PC should be turned off, you should ground yourself out before doing so, and after that you should push the power button on the front. (The PC should be disconnected from the power the entire time, you just want to drain the capacitors.)

Given its age, it will also likely have a set of jumpers that you can use to reset the BIOS. That's a bit more complicated.
 
I tested Linux Mint 4 "Debbie" - Cinnamon (32-bit) on Dell. I am using Dell Vostro. But this is a newer laptop. I am using Ventoy, not Rufus. Ventoy is available for both Linux and Windows.

If you press F12, you will get that menu (see my attachment. step-1). Select USB storage device and you will be directed to the Linux Mint, that is if you burned the ISO using Rufus correctly. The step-2 in my attachment below only happens if you are using Ventoy.
wow thank you, i feel dumb now but that worked
 
LOL I thought you said you had a BIOS password? (That, by design, prevents booting to alternative media.)

Either way, congrats on getting this far!
 
LOL I thought you said you had a BIOS password? (That, by design, prevents booting to alternative media.)

Either way, congrats on getting this far!
I do lmao, but for some reason I didn't need it when I pressed usb storage device
 
Huh... The entire point of a BIOS password is to prevent changes to the device, which includes booting to alternative media. It's an administration thing, meant to stop the computer from being fundamentally altered. Being able to boot to USB makes said password entirely pointless.

Lemme test something before pressing the reply button.

Yeah, I just tested on a Dell and a BIOS password stops me from booting to a USB.

I'm kinda surprised that you'd be able to do so. Dell really dropped the ball with that one - 'cause that's pretty much the entire point of password protecting the BIOS. You set it to boot first to the internal drive and lock it down. We used to do this with nearly every computer at my old company, as well as a case lock.
 

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