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XPS 8950, booting from a USB external CD drive
Hi,
I have a new Dell XPS 8950 desktop, running Windows 11. It does not have an internal optical drive.
I purchased a USB optical CD/DVD (LG), and it works fine when I need to read or write.
I have Ubuntu loaded on a USB stick, and I am able to boot from it. (Secure Boot is disabled.) I use the live version.
I also have Ubuntu on a CD, and I'd like to boot to Ubuntu from it. But, I put the Ubuntu CD in the USB drive, and press F12, but the CD doesn't show up. (The USB Ubuntu stick does.)
Is it not possible to boot this Dell machine from a USB CD? It does boot from a USB flash drive (stick)?
Tesla1856
8 Wizard
8 Wizard
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17K Posts
1
February 2nd, 2023 21:00
Doesn't sound like it.
I've heard that Ubuntu is one of the Linux distros that is "Microsoft Authorized" so it might be booting from USB because it is allowed to.
https://www.dell.com/community/Linux-General/XPS-8950-boot-from-USB-Ubuntu/m-p/8156419/highlight/true#M17960
Booting from a CD/DVD-ROM is different (obviously).
And with newer versions of UEFI/SecureBoot ... just because you turn it off in BIOS doesn't mean it's completely off and/or disabled. Older versions were like that but not any more.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/security/information-protection/secure-the-windows-10-boot-process