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I have a Lenovo W540 laptop currently running windows 8.1. I have burned an ISO image of a linux-based OS onto a DVD-R using the Mastered burn type (not live file system). I cannot figure out how to get my laptop to boot from this disk. Within the BIOS settings, I have disabled secure boot.

I do not want to install this OS onto my computer, I want to boot it from the disk every time.

Below is an image of the boot order in the BIOS. Would one of those work? I already tried "USB CD

Image

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    maybe try #4, the only one that says DVD in it?
    – MattDMo
    Jan 23, 2015 at 22:11
  • Why would you boot an os from a dvd? I suggest making a bootable usb device, it's cheap and 10 times faster than using regular cd/dvd. Plus almost any system nowadays is supporting usb boot...
    – brobken
    Jan 24, 2015 at 1:23
  • @brobken I did not have a USB large enough to hold the os, thr dvd is all I have available at the moment.
    – user3308082
    Jan 24, 2015 at 1:34
  • I suggested this because you stated in your question that you want to boot it from dvd every boot? Spending some money to an usb device will save you many headaches and destroyed mice or keyboards ;)
    – brobken
    Jan 24, 2015 at 1:40
  • @brobken I probably will get a USB flash dive in the near future, but as of now, all i have are a bunch of DVD-R to work with.
    – user3308082
    Jan 24, 2015 at 2:27

3 Answers 3

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  1. Make sure to select Legacy Boot or UEFI in the BIOS depending on the type you want to boot.*
  2. Select ATAPI CD0 HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GU90N in that list.
  3. Alternatively, put that entry first in the BIOS to automatically boot to it.

If it doesn't work, there may be a problem with your installation medium.

(* For Linux it likely is Legacy Boot that you want.)

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  • I selected Legacy Boot, and moved ATAPI CDO HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GU90N to the top of the list, but no luck. It gave me a message saying "media test failed, check cable" and wouldn't boot.
    – user3308082
    Jan 23, 2015 at 22:38
  • Does the installation medium even work on other computers or a virtual machine?
    – Tamara Wijsman
    Jan 24, 2015 at 0:25
  • I do not have another computer to try it on currently, and I do not have any virtual machine software installed, so I have no way to test this.
    – user3308082
    Jan 24, 2015 at 0:32
  • I attempted this again with a different linux live CD, and it did work. I selected legacy boot and the device you mentioned in your answer and it successfully booted.
    – user3308082
    Aug 13, 2015 at 17:57
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Set the DVDRAM device as the boot device. Are you certain the iso you downloaded is a live cd? It could be an install only disk.

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  • I am sure that it is meant to be booted, not installed. I tried the dvdram device and it did not work
    – user3308082
    Jan 31, 2015 at 23:17
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Your quote "I do not want to install this OS onto my computer, I want to boot it from the disk every time." Well, then the ISO is not for you. I believe the ISO will go through the installation process each time. What you want is a Linux Live CD. The Live CD has everything you need and loads a fresh environment each time you boot into it. If you need it to save things in your Linux environment, you should consider making a dual boot system, or use a virtual environment in Windows.

To answer your question, you would choose boot option #4 ATAPI CD0 HL-DT-ST DVDRAM GU90N

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