Thinkpads Forum

Installed Linux Mint 23.2 on my Thinkpad t420
installed OK downloaded updates asked to restart but failed to

t420 bios set to default settings need, help to set startup settings please
Linux Mint starts OK from cold boot but not from restart.

not used to thinkpad bios any help appreciated.

"t420 bios set to default settings need, help to set startup settings please"... can you explain your problem a bit more in detail?

so you've set the bios to default settings, saved and rebooted successfully your comp

when you start from zero you get to linux mint
when you restart from inside linux mint you don't get till the linux mint login screen?
is that it? if so, what do you see?

have you tested another distro? have you tested a previous version of linux mint? what have you actually done to test your device in different settings to isolate the problem? or you just immediately start a topic ?

Have installed Linux mint 23.2 twice from etcher & rufus both work perfect but fail to reboot automatically
however if a full shut down mint restarts from screen select option

Bios after reboot states boot loader error
Have tried a few bios start up settings

This doesn't even sound like a BIOS or even Linux issue. Something seems very wrong on a hardware level.

Old drive, or drive not really 'ready' for Linux, e.g. Exfat or NTFS?
Try reformatting the HDD/SSD in Ext4 or even BTRFS, then do a fresh Linux install.

mannyrd12 wrote: ↑

Mon Mar 23, 2026 12:49 pm

Have installed Linux mint 23.2 twice from etcher & rufus both work perfect but fail to reboot automatically
however if a full shut down mint restarts from screen select option

Bios after reboot states boot loader error
Have tried a few bios start up settings

ok so you didn't try any permutations. you simply re-installed the same distro on the same hardware with probably the same live medium..
install other distros? install older versions of linux mint? change ssd/hard drive? .... localize what part of the equation gives the problem

and tbf, you've not even stated what the specs/set-up is from your t420. that's like saying i've got car x model y but failing to mention if it's diesel or petrol, or what motor is in it, if its automatic or shift transmission etc

My advice is never install any updates or connect to the internet after installing Linux.

First take a snapshot to make sure you protect the existing initial setup.

My advice is never install any updates or connect to the internet after installing Linux.

I hope that was sarcasm.

coolcat37 is wise. I find Linux questions are most efficiently answered on distro-specific fora and reddit, with hardware questions best answered
here and on reddit. I also use AI search (not taken as gospel but to get pointed in a useful direction) because of the enormous volume of Linux content.

Linux makes boot loader repair fairly simple. Search "linux mint boot loader error T440". If Windows was previously installed add "after deleting Windows" to the previous search string.

A very nice tthing about live Linux install media is it's also a repair and recovery tool. You can boot like, install boot-repair, run that etc.