Installing linux

[Varnaj42]

I've been using Linux on a trial basis since Debian 2 was released and never had a problem installing.... until now. I want a full install of LMDE7, not a live usb substitute.

Since about 1994 when I wanted to do an install I downloaded the OS ISO file and burned it to a bootable CD or DVD then installed to the target pc from that. So easy it was. Lately I've not been able to do that. I've tried four different comptuers of varying ages, my newest is 8 years old with Windows 11, with three different DVD drives and each time, using Brasero or XFBurn or PBrun or any other program, The process begins but then goes into error for some unknown reason. I've been doting this sort of thing for more than 32 years but all of a sudden it no longer works. What happened?

So simple it used to be. The world of computing seems to assume we all use MS and so programs like Rufus come along with the goal of helping us to have bootable usb drives for those times when we want to use Linux but all the while leaving MS alone in the internatl drive. I used Rufus and was pleased with the quick and easy result. In a few minutes I had a bootalbe pen drive. But when I clicked on the "install" icon on the desktop all I ended up was another live ubstall, this time it was my internal SDA or 0 drive. What? Am I right in assuming is only good for live installs? I was suspicious when I noted the absense of the admin user designation on the install process menu.

I've asked two questions in this.

1. Is Rufus good for only Live installs? If so why don't they make that limitation clear in their adverts?
2. How come I can no longer make a bootable DVD frrom which to do a full (not live) install? I do not think it is to do with Legacy vs UEFI. I've tried both.

Thanks...

 

[wizardfromoz]

Welcome to linux.org, @Varnaj42 , from Australia.

I may not be your main helper, but I'll start with a couple of points and questions.

1. Is Rufus good for only Live installs?

No it should allow for a full install.

2. How come I can no longer make a bootable DVD frrom which to do a full (not live) install?

First try to go into your BIOS system, and find and turn off Secure Boot and Fast Start/Quick Start. Then try again.

...but all of a sudden it no longer works. What happened?

Windows 10 and Windows 11 happened.

Q1. Can you provide the make and model number of your computer, and is it a desktop or a laptop?

If it's workable, we'll help get you there.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

 

[dos2unix]

You have to be careful using Rufus for some distro's.

Rufus supports "dd mode" and it also supports "iso mode".
Some distro's have a checksum, it only matches in dd mode. It will NOT work in iso mode.
But some distro's do not have this checksum, so the iso mode works for them.

 

[Alexzee]

Approx. 5 years ago the regular DVD's and the CD's just would not work not matter what I tried.
The pc would boot up to the DVD however; the screen would stay blank and just idle leading zero progress.
The DVD re-writables would produce the same result.

Finally, I found that the DVD + R booted to the Mint desktop and I was able to install Linux.

You may have more success with Ventoy. It's a great open src tool for creating a bootable USB drive. Just a suggestion.

Ventoy

Ventoy is an open source tool to create bootable USB drive for ISO files. With ventoy, you don't need to format the disk again and again, you just need to copy the iso file to the USB drive and boot it.

www.ventoy.net

 

[bob466]

Welcome to the Forum.

I haven't burnt an ISO to a DVD for years...I use either Etcher or Ventoy...Rufus doesn't work in Linux.

Do what the Wizard said and disable secure boot and fast boot...then as Alexzee said use Ventoy.

Since you're using windoze for now...it would be easier to install the windoze version of Ventoy.
Download the windoze zip file and extract it...plug in your Flash Drive...make sure your Flash Drive is selected...double the exe file and click...install.

Download your Linux ISO...I normally run the checksum but I don't know how to do this in windoze.
Now with your Ventoy Flash Drive created...just drag in your Linux ISO. Boot to Ventoy and select your Linux ISO and hit Enter.

Hope this helps.

 

[Varnaj42]

Welcome to linux.org, @Varnaj42 , from Australia.

I may not be your main helper, but I'll start with a couple of points and questions.



No it should allow for a full install.



First try to go into your BIOS system, and find and turn off Secure Boot and Fast Start/Quick Start. Then try again.



Windows 10 and Windows 11 happened.

Q1. Can you provide the make and model number of your computer, and is it a desktop or a laptop?

If it's workable, we'll help get you there.

Chris Turner
wizardfromoz

1. Thanks for your reply and I agree that Rufus "should" do rull installs too. It apparently does not. Quite disappointing that they claim "install" but not really.....

2. I keep Linux and Microsoft fully separated. I have Debian (current eds) on a nice new computer that I built and MS (W11) on an older one. I'm now seriously committed to dumping Windows for keeps. Bios? Secure vs legacy boot? Those are not the problem mate. The trouble is that after downloading the new OS image (on another linux machine) I then run into trouble installing it to yet another computer. I have many. I've "sanitized" a few older computers by tossing the hard drive with Windows and putting in a new 2tb ssd recently purchased. Then are not really "old" computers. Between 8 and 12 years but all 64bit capable.

To repeat. The trouble is during the process of burning the new DVD, not when booting. I don't see any connection here with bios. And besides there's an option now for "UEFI with legacy ability" or something like that.

I just wonder if when new OS's are created they are assuming we don't use DVDs anymore??? Possible? The errors I get never have names...

Did I make it clearer?

Thanks

 

[theLegionWithin]

optical media is essentially obsolete - I dont remember exactly when dvd drives stopped being a thing in computers but it's got to have been about 8 to 10 years now. I probably still have a spindle of discs laying around somewhere but lol no drives to use them with.

 

[wizardfromoz]

Did I make it clearer?

A bit, but not all accurately.

Are you up for the day, if so I'll continue now, if you are headed for bed, I'll write up some stuff and post it when I am able?

 

[Alexzee]

Are you burning the .iso image to the DVD at the slowest speed?

During the burn process are you getting any error messages? If so, what is that particular message?

And, 'more importantly than anything': are you checking the integrity of the .iso image before you burn it to DVD?

In order to install Linux on a 64-bit computer with UEFI BIOS you will need to disable Secure Boot and quick boot. Secure boot prevents Linux from booting.
AFAIK, one should be able to install Linux using a DVD. Unless the DVD doesn't have enough room for the .iso image or it's not a DVD + R.

Some of the new .iso images are hybrids. Having said that, it has been my experience that unless I used the dd command to make the usb bootable, I wasn't able to boot into the Live usb thumb drive. Not entirely sure why that was the case.

 

[Alexzee]

optical media is essentially obsolete - I dont remember exactly when dvd drives stopped being a thing in computers but it's got to have been about 8 to 10 years now. I probably still have a spindle of discs laying around somewhere but lol no drives to use them with.

Ditto-

 

[wizardfromoz]

Just read @theLegionWithin ^^^, which prompts another question -

Do any or all of the computers have USB access and do you have a USB stick, or are you confined to DVD?

 

[wizardfromoz]

Folks, let's just see if we can get my question from #2 answered first, please.

Q1. Can you provide the make and model number of your computer, and is it a desktop or a laptop?

Also, @Varnaj42 , Rufus burns USB sticks, not DVDs, so that means you have USB stick/s available, yes?

Wizard

 

[wizardfromoz]

The OP has signed off for now.

Best to leave this as is, and see what fruit is borne, if any, when he returns.

TIA

Chris

 

[Varnaj42]

Are you burning the .iso image to the DVD at the slowest speed?

During the burn process are you getting any error messages? If so, what is that particular message?

And, 'more importantly than anything': are you checking the integrity of the .iso image before you burn it to DVD?

In order to install Linux on a 64-bit computer with UEFI BIOS you will need to disable Secure Boot and quick boot. Secure boot prevents Linux from booting.
AFAIK, one should be able to install Linux using a DVD. Unless the DVD doesn't have enough room for the .iso image or it's not a DVD + R.

Some of the new .iso images are hybrids. Having said that, it has been my experience that unless I used the dd command to make the usb bootable, I wasn't able to boot into the Live usb thumb drive. Not entirely sure why that was the case.

 

[wizardfromoz]

@Varnaj42 don't just click your reply field at right, and then write in your own content in the referred post.

Highlight the part you want to respond to, and then "Reply" will appear, click that, Or else use the new Reply pane you have at bottom of screen.

 

[Varnaj42]

I am an 86 year old nightowl. I have all the time in the world.
When burning I have always allowed the program to choose it's own speed. I've never interfered with it because it always worked.

Again, no offense but you speak of secure vs unsecure being important considerations with booting but my trouble are nothing, zip, nada to do with booting up. They are to do with burning and/or installing from a DVD. I have all kinds of DVDs. plus and minus types. I've tried them all. I even have some of those "double" sized ones for large ISOs.

The errors I get are ambiguous in the extreme. Only the nerdiest on the planet would have a chance of decyphering one. "stopped to error condition" is an example.

I'll tell you one thing for sure. Back in 1965 I bought an 8 track tape deck for my Chevy. Didn't need a seven year degree to install it. If I could time travel back to then I'd do it in a flash and never miss personal computers at all. They were supposed to make life easier for us but all they really done is to add levels of complexity to life. When I die and go to heaven if they want me to register with a user name I'm going to ask to go to hell instead.

 

[wizardfromoz]

When was the last time you successfully installed a Linux distro, and via DVD or USB?

 

[wizardfromoz]

Also, what source did you get your LMDE7 iso from, and did you check its shasum (hash algorithm) for integrity and authenticity?

Answering our questions will help us to rule out possibilities and to ultimately help you.

 

[Brickwizard]

Finally, I found that the DVD + R booted to the Mint desktop and I was able to install Linux.

I have always recommended -r optical discs burnt at no faster than x3 [cannot remember the last time I had a burn failed]

on newer machines , say up to 8 yrs old , check in the BIOS?UEFI that boot from USB and in your case also Optical drive are enabled.

Tutorial Thread 'Basic checks if Linux fails to install'

Nov 9, 2025

Why Linux fails to load/install direct to HDD, common reasons

1] Corrupt download [check SHA sum]
2] bad burn to installation medium [try again] [if you used Rufus then try Balena Etcher or Ventoy]
2A] if optical drive burn at slow speed [no more than x3]
3] Wind 8.2 and higher quick start/fast boot or secure boot not disabled [after disabling do a full power re-boot not a restart]
3A ] check that boot from USB/Optical drive is enabled in your BIOS?UEFI
4] defective pen-drive/DVD
5] hardware fault,
5A] If old style HDD run integrity check
5B]if SATA SSD check for hidden...

• Brickwizard
• Replies: 2
• Forum: Getting Started

• 

 

[Varnaj42]

When was the last time you successfully installed a Linux distro, and via DVD or USB?

I have never installed any linux from a usb. But good news. In the last 2 hours I managed to successfully install Debian 13.1 to my Sony Vaio (all in one type with touch screen). Rummaging about I found a dvd with Debian 13.1 live imprinted. I ran it. It booted and I pressed the "install" icon on the desktop and it installed normally with all the prompts including those for admni user that for some reason are missing on Rufus produced live usb's.

The point I try to make here is that in the past every live edition of a linux os that I've toyed with had that icon on the desktop... "install". I always took that to mean that if you used that feature you'd end up with a normal full installation on a targeted hard drive inside of a computer. Anything produced by Rufus laked this ability. The "install" icon on the Rufus produed live edition, when used, produced only another live edition. Nothing more. Sinde Rufus calims to be able to install linux I find this a bid disappointing. Sure. Live versions of any linux can be useful. But I don't have need nor desire to allow Microsoft to be the backbone of my computer world. Isn't the presumption "boot up a linux flavor on your MS box then later go back to using the default Windows". No. This is not what I envision.

I am well aware of the fact of my own fallibility. As I age I find staying focused is not easy. This didn't used to be the case. In this case if my problems are my own doing I want to know the particulars. I'm not on a big ego trip.

What I want to do is to burn LMDE7 to a DVD so I can install it normally to a computer that is fully compatible with it. I have such a dell desktop waiting. So simple a thing. I've done it hundreds of times. But no more. I haven't been able to do this. First was the disappointment with Rufus then all the errors and failed attempts at burning to a DVD. Now that I have a Debian computer up and running I'll use it... not MS and continue the struggle.

Yes. It is true that I did not always do the check before burning. Truth is that never in my computing years has one failed that integrity test. So it's easy to bypass it. Next time I'll do it to be sure.

Wish me luck.