Question Trying to change From Vista to Ubuntu/Linux /Whatever

[ewall89]

Hello everyone

I'm having some issues trying to convert an old HP Desktop (HP Pavillion a6110n to be precise) from Windows Vista to Linux/LinuxLite/Ubuntu. I've tried to create an install disc using PowerISO, but the old computer wont read it ( i'll have to give this one a second shot with another program).

I've tried creating a bootable USB, but the BIOS doesn't have an option to boot from usb. I've tried connecting a newer laptop hard drive to the motherboard using Serial ATA Data and Power Combination Cable, but it just doesn't boot or do anything.

I've tried connecting the hard drive from the tower to my current laptop using a sata to usb cable, but it does not show up in the device manager or disk manager, it doesn't do anything. I'm at a loss. Anyone able to offer help? I just want to upgrade from Vista to something better, faster, and free.

 

[COLGeek]

Are you burning the ISO to a CD (or DVD) or writing to a USB drive (a.k.a. thumb drive)?

 

[ewall89]

I've tried both. I used LinuxLive USB Creator for the USB drive, but the bios doesn't support booting from USB, and I've tried using PowerISO to create a boot DVD, but for some reason that didn't work either. I'll try to create a second boot disc with a different program, but other than that I don't know what to do.

 

[COLGeek]

Do you have a DVD type drive installed in that old beast? It was common to only have CD based optical drives in that era.

 

[ewall89]

I'll have to check when I get back home, but I'm fairly certain it has dvd rw drive

 

[Remeca]

Some OEM Bios don't let you select USB as a boot option, but if you load the boot menu on POST instead of the BIOS, it should let you pick boot from USB from there. Don't know exactly how to get to the boot menu on your particular PC, it's different between manufacturers, but it MAY be ESC as you're booting, and then select Boot Menu from the menu that comes up. If not, see if it says in the POST what button to push for menu, or check the documentation for your model of PC. If that still doesn't work, and you want to get DVD booting to work, there's a couple things you can try. One, when you're burning the ISO, burn it at the slowest possible speed. Second, make sure you're using burning software that will enable the DVD to be booted from. Just making a 1:1 copy of the ISO isn't enough, the DVD needs a "bootable media" flag.