Score:0

Ubuntu doesn't seem to recognize my USB Drive as a boot option

id flag

I installed Ubuntu a month ago, but it isn't for me. I'm wanting to install Manjaro, but the problem is my system won't recognize it, despite me using BalenaEtcher to put the Manjaro ISO on it. Anyone know how to fix this?

sudodus avatar
jp flag
This is something that the computer should do **before** starting Ubuntu. Usually there is a hotkey (diffierent depending on computer, maybe F9, F12), that you should press repeatedly at the very start of the boot process. It should start a termporary boot menu. Another hotkey (also different depending on computer) should bring you into a menu system to modify the settings of your UEFI/BIOS system. You may need to turn off secure boot to make the computer accept Manjaro. There should be better help for Manjaro at the Manjaro web site.
ddove97 avatar
id flag
I tried turning off Secure Boot, to no avail. I even tried multiple thumb drives to see if it was the thumbdrive that was causing it to do that, which it wasn't.
sudodus avatar
jp flag
I have tested Manjaro, and had no problem to boot from a USB drive (cloned from the iso file). Did you check that the download was successful. You can check the iso file with a checksum, that should be available at the same web page as you downloaded the iso file. Etcher is a cloning tool, and should be reliable. You can also try with some other Linux distro in this computer, and try Manjaro in some other computer. See also [this link](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/FromUSBStick#Booting_the_Computer_from_USB) and links from it.
sudodus avatar
jp flag
Please tell us the brand name and model of the computer. It might help us help you.
ddove97 avatar
id flag
It was successful so I don't see why it refuses to acknowledge it as a booting device. How would I go about resetting the thumbdrive to its default state, since it won't let me delete the files because it got turned into read only.
sudodus avatar
jp flag
What do you mean by "It was successful"? If you still have Ubuntu, you can install [mkusb](https://help.ubuntu.com/community/mkusb) and wipe the first mibibyte of the USB pendrive. After that most partitioning tools will work. You can also let mkusb make it into a standard storage device directly..
ddove97 avatar
id flag
I was referring to the download of Manjaro being successful. Ubuntu keeps setting my thumbdrives to read only.
sudodus avatar
jp flag
A USB drive cloned from an iso file (with Etcher or some other cloning tool) is read-only because the file system iso9660 is read-only by design. That file system was made for CDs and DVDs.
sudodus avatar
jp flag
Even if there was no complaint during the download process, it is worthwhile to check with a checksum (md5sum or sha256sum) that the iso file is correct.
ddove97 avatar
id flag
Is there a way to remove the read only restriction? Because now its to the point where it wont recognize my thumbdrive at all. I hear the sound it makes when a thumbdrive is plugged in, but it doesn't show it.
sudodus avatar
jp flag
An iso9660 file system is always read/write. But your latest comment makes me think that your USB pendrive is failing. It looks like 'grid-lock': the drive itself is read-only (and cannot be modified). The next step is total failure. -- But it might be false alarm. I suggest that you reboot the computer, and if still problems to see the drive, please analyze the problem according to [this link to another question at AskUbuntu](https://askubuntu.com/questions/144852/cant-format-my-usb-drive-i-have-already-tried-with-mkdosfs-and-gparted/933035#933035) and if you are lucky, you find a solution.
Score:1
zw flag

Try another USB drive. I've got Manjaro on most of my hardware, it never failed me. I think sudodos is right. Something must be wrong with you USB drive (if the md5sum check works)

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