Linux Mint Forums

Apparently there are no such things as "stupid" questions....so here goes

I have an old Sony laptop (7 years old) and want to put Linux Mint 17.1 onto it.

I have successfully installed linuxmint onto a few PC's using a bootable usb.

However, the old laptop will not boot from a usb. I can only use a cd/dvd or a hard drive etc.

So here's the dumb question.The iso file is approximately 1.3 GB. Does this mean I have to burn this file to a dvd that has a capacity of a least 1.3 GB?

I've just checked all my dvd's and CD's and the capacity is a max of 700mb.

Do I have to try and purchase some writeable dvd's that hold at least 1.3GB or is there some other way to test linuxmint on the laptop.

I don't want to install it onto the laptop straight away as I need to make sure I can get various things working under linuxmint first, such as wi-fi, video, etc. Then if I can get these working, then I will do a proper install.

Thanks,

Colski

dvd recordable are all at least 4.7gb, dual layer 8.5gb
cd recordable are 700mb
Also there is a boot utility called Plop boot which allows most pcs to boot from usb devices
even though it does not normally do so.

If you have a USB slot on your laptop then you can boot from a USB stick with a Linux Mint 17.1 ISO on it.

After you have pressed the "power on" button (with the USB stick plugged in), repeatedly press "Esc". That should generate a screen offering various options for boot. Select the USB stick and you are good to go.

You can boot from USB with Slitaz boot floppy/CD.
http://www.slitaz.org/en/get/#floppy

PS. You can make a bootCD using K3b, using floppy image as a boot image (new data project -> edit boot ... ).