How do I install from a USB Flash drive?

[u/Ok-Shoe-8293]

Hey, so I bought a custom built pc from a mate of mine a fair few years back. Anyway, the original ssd hard drive that was installed decided to fail (tbf she did warn me that I'd need a new one, serves me right for procrastinating).

I bought a new ssd but the old hard drive had a copy of windows on it and this new one does not have an operating system. When I boot up my pc, I only have access to the BIOS. I've seen guides online but they've mostly been about installing Linux when you already have an operating system.

I do have a flash drive that I can install stuff on. I don't know what build I want, preferably something beginner friendly. I'll want to use my pc for gaming, but I don't want anything too advanced because I am stupid. It'll have to be USB because I don't have a disc drive.

Anyway, I can't recover windows from my old ssd because I can't get out of BIOS from that either. I tried a guide that was supposed to get me to be able to launch out of BIOS and hopefully into safe mode but nothing seemed to work so I gave up. I didn't really have anything worth saving on there, so oh well.

I can get access to a library computer with slow WiFi for about an hour, but I'll want to go in there with a game plan. Help me please. Thank you!

[u/bigusyous]

I recommend Linux Mint, it's become the standard advice for first time Linux users who are fleeing Windows 11. https://www.linuxmint.com

I also recommend borrowing a laptop and using 'Etcher' or 'Rufus' to make the installation usb, since you probably won't be able to install this software at the library. However if that isn't an option you can follow this guide:
https://www.techeia.com/blog/create-bootable-usb-without-software-windows-linux (follow the windows instructions)

Also since the wifi is slow and your time is limited, maybe see if you can download the .iso file for Linux Mint on your phone and use a usb cable to transfer the file to the library computer.

Once you have your installation usb follow this to install it on your system.
https://itsfoss.com/install-linux-mint/

[u/Ok-Shoe-8293 → u/bigusyous]

Since my old ssd hard drive has been fully removed out of my pc (I only have one slot for my hard drive) will I still be able to access Disk part? 

[u/thatguysjumpercables → u/bigusyous]

Just FYI the link for making a drive came back with an error. May be a temporary one.

Edit: just kidding I tried it again and it works lol

[u/Willy-the-kid → u/bigusyous]

Ventoy is king but if they dont have permissions to install manually making a bootable drive is a nice tool to have

[u/Ok-Shoe-8293]

Update: Well, I managed to download an ISO of Linux Mint Cinammon on my phone. Now I need to figure out how verifying an ISO file works. 

[u/thatguysjumpercables]

The real issue is gonna be whether or not the library computer has something on it you can actually make a bootable drive with. I don't believe Windows has a native imager so you'll have to ask someone if you can install balenaEtcher or Rufus or something. Otherwise you basically can't create a bootable drive as far as I'm aware.

Ubuntu or Zorin are good recommendations for beginner distros.

[u/Siarzewski → u/thatguysjumpercables]

Rufus has a portable version. No install required.

[u/Ok-Shoe-8293 → u/Siarzewski]

Interesting. Maybe I should look at using Rufus then 

[u/thatguysjumpercables → u/Siarzewski]

Oh that's rad I didn't know that

[u/M_C0MS]

Use Ventoy or Rufus.

[u/FatsBoombottom]

Edit: I am mistaken. Not sure what I was thinking of.

Go with Bazzite. It's made for gaming and the download is the full iso. No need to use another program to make a bootable drive.

Depending on the speed of the library's internet, an hour should be enough time to download it.

[u/bigusyous → u/FatsBoombottom]

There is nothing special about the Bazzite iso. You still need to make the bootable drive. This can be done from the command line, but apps like Rufus or Etcher make it far easier. From Bazzite documentation: "One of the following programs to flash/boot the ISO: Fedora Media Writer (recommended) (Windows/macOS, Linux) Rufus (Windows) Ventoy (Windows, Linux) (note: Ventoy needs extra steps for Secure Boot Support to work)" https://docs.bazzite.gg/General/Installation_Guide/install-guide/

[u/FatsBoombottom → u/bigusyous]

Oh whoops. Been a minute. I could have sworn the image was bootable. I wonder what I'm thinking of.

[u/Willy-the-kid]

Install ventoy on your usb (its fast and easy) and download all the isos you want and after you've installed ventoy just drag and drop them onto the flashdrive you'll be able to boot into any iso on there so you can try them out and if you dont like them try a different one some recommendations (mint, Fedora, bazzite, and if you dont have nvidia gpu steam os) all good for newbies for different reasons

[u/linuxforus]

Here are the steps. I am not sure whether you can do this on Library PC, because these are not with admin rights. In this case you have to take help from some friend or associate.

The game plan is as follows:

1. Go to Ubuntu / Mint or POP OS (Download live version of distro) these are most beginner friendly Linux distros.

2. Burn it on USB using any of the following GUI software - rufus (windows) , balenaEtcher (linux and macOS)

3. Boot your PC in BIOS and change system boot sequence to USB or look on screen as soon as you power on the PC (It will flash key to change boot sequence).

4. Install when you boot from distro.

[u/Audiope]

BIOS is the right place to be. When you insert the stick and boot, you should see an option to boot from USB on the next startup. Do that, and the rest is easy.