@mva Michael,
Yes, thank you, I still need help.
- ISO burned to USB with Rufus… going to try Balena Etcher next as per a @Vasileos suggestion in a different thread. Have successfully installed different Distros on two other laptops.
- No Dual boot. Will be booting into “test” mode and install on external drive/2nd drive. Waiting for adapter to swap out DVD tray for HHD. Eventually going to make Windoze a distance unpleasant memory.
- F2 to check/change Bios settings including boot order. Legacy Boot; Normal boot speed. F12 direct to boot selection.
- No Secure Boot option.
Have spent way too many hours on this. All my research results are about problems with machines booting into Windoze. My Windoze boots just fine. Only have the problem when boot from USB selected so starting to suspect that problem is with the USB and NOT the Win 7 Boot Manager?
Does the Linux ISO burnt onto the USB contain a “Boot Manager”? I see mention of “GRUB” but not sure if that applies here.
My first two laptops were “dead”. Linux did a Lazarus on them and opened the door to a new world. Sadly the hardware is too outdated. The Toshiba is my workhorse and I had hoped to convert it to Linux.
John