Posted: 7/31/2014 7:20:49 AM EDT
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I want to install a lightweight linux distro on a Toshiba NB505 netbook. I'm looking at Crunchbang FWIW. I've followed the instructions for Unetbootin, Pendrive, Livelinuxusb, and while they all say I've successfully made a bootable USB, it simply won't work when I try to use it.
I've changed the boot order on the Toshiba and it sees the USB, and I actually get countdown on the screen like the distro is going to boot, but nothing actually happens. I'm not trying to do a dual boot with the Windows 7 starter OS the netbook BTW. What am I missing or screwing up? |
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Is the thumb drive USB 3.0? I've had difficulty getting USB 3 drives to boot. Supposedly there's a fix, but I haven't tried it yet. If you're looking to install it on the HD maybe try a burning a disk, I've always had good luck with disks on older machines. A lot of net books do not have cd/ DVD rom drives. |
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A lot of net books do not have cd/ DVD rom drives. Quoted:
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Is the thumb drive USB 3.0? I've had difficulty getting USB 3 drives to boot. Supposedly there's a fix, but I haven't tried it yet. If you're looking to install it on the HD maybe try a burning a disk, I've always had good luck with disks on older machines. A lot of net books do not have cd/ DVD rom drives. True, but even using a USB optical drive I've generally had better luck with disks than thumb drives. Some machines just don't like booting from thumb drives. |
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Quoted: I want to install a lightweight linux distro on a Toshiba NB505 netbook. I'm looking at Crunchbang FWIW. I've followed the instructions for Unetbootin, Pendrive, Livelinuxusb, and while they all say I've successfully made a bootable USB, it simply won't work when I try to use it. What am I missing or screwing up? There is a problem with some PCs where the generic graphics drivers won't work properly. You have to edit the boot options before you tell it to boot. There are certain commands in the boot options which you have to enter manually on a certain line, and you might have to delete one or two. Search Google for the black screen boot problems and you should be able to find some info. |
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Do you know what version of your BIOS you're running?
Do you have an external CDRom you can try to boot from? What model of flashdrive are you using? Can you try a different model? Some good hints over here: USB & Ubuntu (I know you're not using Ubuntu...but some of the tips might be useful.) |
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I want to install a lightweight linux distro on a Toshiba NB505 netbook. I'm looking at Crunchbang FWIW. I've followed the instructions for Unetbootin, Pendrive, Livelinuxusb, and while they all say I've successfully made a bootable USB, it simply won't work when I try to use it. I've changed the boot order on the Toshiba and it sees the USB, and I actually get countdown on the screen like the distro is going to boot, but nothing actually happens. I'm not trying to do a dual boot with the Windows 7 starter OS the netbook BTW. What am I missing or screwing up? If it's USB 3.0 you might need to put the 3.0 drivers on the usb along with the linux distro. It could also be a UEFI problem. IF your bios is UEFI, disable it, set the csm parameters to disabled, etc. etc. and then try booting to the linux distro again. I'm not familiar with crunchbag but are you getting to a GRUB-type menu when you boot the usb? That should be the first thing you get. It should show options for the type of install, like graphical or text install. This might not be completely helpful because it's for a different distrobution but you might take a look and see if it helps. http://www.isoc.my/profiles/blogs/continuing-my-adventures-with-uefi-windows-8-1-kali-linux-dual |
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Is the thumb drive USB 3.0? I've had difficulty getting USB 3 drives to boot. Supposedly there's a fix, but I haven't tried it yet. If you're looking to install it on the HD maybe try a burning a disk, I've always had good luck with disks on older machines. I believe so, but the NB is not that old. |
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Install won't even begin. Quoted:
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How long are you waiting, when booting from USB? Initial installs can seem to hang, but are furiously working in the background. 2 hours is excessive. 
Install won't even begin. But you get some sort of countdown you said? Sounds kinda like it IS booting from the USB device, it's just not FINISHING booting. |
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But you get some sort of countdown you said? Sounds kinda like it IS booting from the USB device, it's just not FINISHING booting. Quoted:
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How long are you waiting, when booting from USB? Initial installs can seem to hang, but are furiously working in the background. 2 hours is excessive.
Install won't even begin. But you get some sort of countdown you said? Sounds kinda like it IS booting from the USB device, it's just not FINISHING booting. Well it counts down from 10 to 0, then repeats countdown. None usual setup questions. FWIW, I have put Linux distros on two laptops using a cd. This is the first time I've tried using a usb or netbook though. |
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Well it counts down from 10 to 0, then repeats countdown. None usual setup questions. FWIW, I have put Linux distros on two laptops using a cd. This is the first time I've tried using a usb or netbook though. Quoted:
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How long are you waiting, when booting from USB? Initial installs can seem to hang, but are furiously working in the background. 2 hours is excessive.
Install won't even begin. But you get some sort of countdown you said? Sounds kinda like it IS booting from the USB device, it's just not FINISHING booting. Well it counts down from 10 to 0, then repeats countdown. None usual setup questions. FWIW, I have put Linux distros on two laptops using a cd. This is the first time I've tried using a usb or netbook though. Is the countdown from the system BIOS, or from the distro on the key? If the latter, then it IS booting from the key. There may be something afoul with the distro on the key. |
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Well it counts down from 10 to 0, then repeats countdown. None usual setup questions. FWIW, I have put Linux distros on two laptops using a cd. This is the first time I've tried using a usb or netbook though. Quoted:
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How long are you waiting, when booting from USB? Initial installs can seem to hang, but are furiously working in the background. 2 hours is excessive.
Install won't even begin. But you get some sort of countdown you said? Sounds kinda like it IS booting from the USB device, it's just not FINISHING booting. Well it counts down from 10 to 0, then repeats countdown. None usual setup questions. FWIW, I have put Linux distros on two laptops using a cd. This is the first time I've tried using a usb or netbook though. If it's a USB 3 drive you may need to insert the right drivers to get it working properly. I believe it's as simple as plugging the drive into a USB 2 port in a booted Linux environment and running a couple of commands. Google will likely help you. |
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Is the countdown from the system BIOS, or from the distro on the key? If the latter, then it IS booting from the key. There may be something afoul with the distro on the key. Quoted:
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How long are you waiting, when booting from USB? Initial installs can seem to hang, but are furiously working in the background. 2 hours is excessive.
Install won't even begin. But you get some sort of countdown you said? Sounds kinda like it IS booting from the USB device, it's just not FINISHING booting. Well it counts down from 10 to 0, then repeats countdown. None usual setup questions. FWIW, I have put Linux distros on two laptops using a cd. This is the first time I've tried using a usb or netbook though. Is the countdown from the system BIOS, or from the distro on the key? If the latter, then it IS booting from the key. There may be something afoul with the distro on the key. The latter. It said something like automatic boot in 10 seconds or hit "Enter". However, after 10 seconds, it just kept starting countdown again. All the usb programs kept saying I'd successfully created a usb. Maybe it's just this distro and NB combo that won't play nice. |
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Will the USB boot a different computer? Desktops seem to be easier for the devs to figure out.
Your best bet is to google your laptop model number and "linux" and see if someone else has figured out the magic to get it to boot (Crunchbang is derived from Debian so you don't want to rule out those results). I have a couple of HP laptops that will not boot from USB if the fan is in the wrong setting. 
Failing that, post in the Crunchbang Forum. I think they are pretty active (It's been a while since I've looked at #!) |
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Will check/work on above suggestions. I'm on vacation anyway.
All I was trying to do was make the netbook my daughter in college discarded into something to surf the web that isn't slow as molasses like it is now. It's starting to get into the not worth the trouble category. |
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Quoted:It's starting to get into the not worth the trouble category. Yea, Linux has made great improvements with the user experience for mainstream hardware but if you are looking to prolong the life of old hardware and you aren't well versed with tweaking boot options and config files, it can quickly become a pain (""free" if your time isn't worth anything" rings a bell). As someone suggested earlier, Xubuntu may be an option. It's Ubuntu with a lighter window manager so it is possible that it would be better configured and supported, but since *buntu and Crunchbang both are Debian-based, if the problem is with the kernel configuration (i.e. drivers for video, ACPI, EFCI, etc.), you would probably run into it with all of them. |
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So what are you going to do with the rest of your vacation? Remodel the kitchen? Quoted:
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Update: Made a bootable usb for Mint and it seems to be happily installing. ETA:Surfing arf with it now. So what are you going to do with the rest of your vacation? Remodel the kitchen? I do have to finish installing trim in the kitchen. Will also begin setting up my Ham shack. This thing no flys with Mint! |
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Install won't even begin. Quoted:
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How long are you waiting, when booting from USB? Initial installs can seem to hang, but are furiously working in the background. 2 hours is excessive.
Install won't even begin. Yet you seem to be getting an accurate Linux experience nonetheless.
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