Failed to start from the hard drive after setting up Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon version 64-bit
Failed to start from the hard drive after setting up Linux Mint 17.1 Cinnamon version 64-bit
Hey there, I recently transformed my old Lenovo ThinkCenter A720 A720 into a compact form factor PC. I swapped the outdated Windows 8 for Linux Mint. I set up a USB boot drive using UnetBootIn and managed to install Linux Mint successfully. However, when I restart and switch back to the HDD, I still get the error “Error 1962: no operating system found.” In the BIOS I see the HDD is detected and all setup appears correct, but it won’t boot. Also, I notice the old Mint partition is visible during a reinstall. What could be causing this issue?
Consider clearing the whole storage to a standard FAT32 format and using Rufus to set up Linux Mint, since the Ubuntu version you tried a few days back functioned properly.
Create your bootable USB with Rufus. When prompted about installation type, choose 'Erase disk and install linux mint'. This will wipe everything; back up important files beforehand. After installation completes, if issues remain, remove the USB, reset BIOS to defaults, and ensure the HDD appears first in the boot order. Also, clarify why you’re targeting version 17.1—currently 19.1 is recommended unless you have a specific need. Rufus: https://rufus.ie/ Mint 19.1: https://linuxmint.com/download.php
The issue stemmed from 17.1, which caused the problem you described. I repeated some BIOS adjustments, but it didn’t resolve it. I plan to try 19.1 and Rufus tomorrow, as I tend to succeed with unetbootin more often.
I’ve gathered some additional info on what I might attempt this morning. I plan to run it live from the USB boot drive to verify and adjust the EFI boot sequence, and I’ll try reinstalling in compatibility mode—something I should have done earlier since I often run into issues with Lenovo hardware. I’ll keep you posted on the progress.
I gave it everything I had, tried countless solutions, but ultimately had to give up. I chose openSuse because it’s proven reliable, not because it was easy. Hope this warns others who want a Lenovo Linux setup.