Lenovo Thinkbook issues installing Linux

[thatbruce]

When I purchased it. At a very exorbitant price. I told the guy that I was going to remove Windows and install linux.
Strangely he didn't even blink. But even though he may be able to shave successfully in the next few years, he offered no clues.
Not even when I suggested that if it took me over 8 hours to do it, that I would come back, kill him and then the rest of his family.
Cluey kid, he guessed I'd do it in less than 8 hours..... or perhaps he was just lucky? ...

[gbWilly]

Are we there yet ?

Nope we are not.

Let me first say what I have done, even before posting this question:
In BIOS:
1. Enabled booting from USB
2. Disabled secure boot

This in theory should allow me to boot from USB, but the boot menu only shows the harddrive with Windows, no USB.
No boot from USB happens and Windows starts up every time.
This USB was made by the application in Mint to make bootable USB with linux iso on there.
Note that these USB boot on all my other systems, just not the Lenovo.

Next I tried the BruceSteers option

Booted in Windows, started Rufus and wrote iso to USB:
Used the options:
- Partition scheme: MBR
- Target system: BIOS (or UEFI-CSM)
- File system: FAT32 (Default)
- Cluster size: 4096 bytes (Default)

It has 2 options to write:
1. Write in ISO image mode (recommended)
2. Write in DD image mode

I chose the first one

Rebooting, nothing happens, no boot from USB
Pressing F12 during startup for boot-menu only shows de harddrive with Windows.
I tried on 2 different USB-sticks. a 4 GB and a 8GB

I also tried option 2 to write (the DD image mode).
Still no success.

So in short, nothing changed, still not working.

[gbWilly]

Well I am sitting in front of one of those Lenovo Thinkbooks right now. Its a few months old and I recall that I had to perform some incantations before it would shut up and install linux from a USB.

Seriously IIRC. You have to both disable secure boot, enable USB boot and format the total, entire and complete hard drive (if and when you get that far).

Disable secure boot -> checked
Enable USB boot -> checked
Format total entire and complete hard drive -> I would if I manged to boot from USB

I wish I could help but I really cant remember. After whatever it was I did, it just worked. Still does.
Ah, one thing I do recall is that the USB image was made just using ddcopy (or whatever).

Wished you remembered some more..

[BruceSteers]

Are we there yet ?

Nope we are not.

Let me first say what I have done, even before posting this question:
In BIOS:
1. Enabled booting from USB
2. Disabled secure boot


Next I tried the BruceSteers option

Booted in Windows, started Rufus and wrote iso to USB:
Used the options:
- Partition scheme: MBR
- Target system: BIOS (or UEFI-CSM)
- File system: FAT32 (Default)
- Cluster size: 4096 bytes (Default)

I think it needs to be GPT not MBR

[gbWilly]

Next I tried the BruceSteers option

Booted in Windows, started Rufus and wrote iso to USB:
Used the options:
- Partition scheme: MBR
- Target system: BIOS (or UEFI-CSM)
- File system: FAT32 (Default)
- Cluster size: 4096 bytes (Default)

I think it needs to be GPT not MBR

I only have the MBR option to choose from

[cogier]

Is there A BIOS update available?

[gbWilly]

I haven't checked for BIOS update.
Don't have the system here, but at a friends.
I'll try checking that when I'm at his place.