Hi. I finally decided to install Linux on my old PC (not booted in years). But when I plugged in my live USB and booted up, my PC is stuck here.
I tried booting up without a USB. Now a windows xp screen is asking me to start normally or boot with safe mode (3 safe mode options to be exact). Normal start does not work (the PC automatically reboots without warning). I choose safe mode with command prompt and bunch text shows up and ends with …/mup.sys
Any idea what should I do here? I have no use for my windows so I don’t mind removing it. Also time resets every time I boot up the PC.
If the time resets, change the CMOS battery (usually a round one, a bit smaller than a coin).
Don’t know about the other issue, it seems stuck trying to detect USB devices, so it may be unable to work with your stick, you could try an older one (usb 2?), but the motherboard or usb controller may just be damaged with no easy fix.
Battery is likely a CR2032
Also time resets every time I boot up the PC.
If the PC has been offline and unplugged for years, the CMOS battery on the motherboard is probably dead. This battery maintains the time & date information, as well as the BIOS/UEFI configuration settings (which includes the boot device order).
Replace the battery (usually CR2025 or CR2032) and then review all of your BIOS settings, especially the boot devices, and also verify that the available RAM is what you expect.
Also, this is a Windows XP machine? You should check the motherboard and power supply for signs of the capacitor plague:
Also, a final educational video
Depending upon the age of the bios, it may not recognise USB sticks over a certain size. If you can burn your Linux ISO to a CD-R you might have more luck.
P4 motherboards are generally modern enough to USB boot, but only if it’s MBR formatted.
I don’t think that I’ve ever seen something like that occur, but can you hit DEL at boot, go into the “boot options” or similar in the BIOS and try manually selecting the USB flash drive as your boot device?
Can you try a different USB flash drive, on the assumption that it’s something about the device?
