# Windows 10 laptop--can you boot fr/DVD drive? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153 "2016-10-20T16:30:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/1 "2016-10-20T16:30:40Z")
As a newbie to both Windows10 and laptop computers, I have a very basic question: With a new Windows10 laptop computer with a DVD drive, can I assume I’ll be able to boot from a Linux LiveDVD? The sales guy I spoke with didn’t know and wouldn’t let me try a LiveDVD on the display model [Lenovo IDEAPAD 110]. I want to be sure I can press the F12 key to change boot order like I’ve done on Win7 PCs–I’ve read about the UEFI replacing BIOS; don’t know what the situation is with Windows10–don’t want any unpleasant surprises or problems– Thanks for info– ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/2 "2016-10-20T17:03:19Z")
It’s F2 for Lenovo Idea machines, but there are other ways. This link covers all the options - the “Enter BIOS from Win 10” one saves you from furiously mashing function keys. > **[Recommended way to enter BIOS - ideapad - Lenovo Support US](https://support.lenovo.com/us/en/solutions/ht500216)** > > How to enter BIOS in Lenovo ideapad: Access the BIOS on Lenovo ideapad via Novo button or function key for systems with Windows 8, 8.1, and 10 ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/3 "2016-10-20T17:07:26Z")
Sorry, meant to add - you’ll want to disable Secure Boot in the BIOS options, and then you should be good to go. ---
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/4 "2016-10-20T19:03:30Z")
Thank you Baron Greenback–that’s what I needed. Seems a bit more complex than just pressing F12 on the Win7 desktop PCs I’ve used. My laptop requirements while on the road will be very basic–using public WiFi to check email, read web content, some word processing–do you think the 1.6 gigahertz Celeron processor in the Lenovo IDEAPAD 110 will be adequate for that? Prefer to boot from Mint18 LiveDVD– ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2016, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/5 "2016-10-20T19:29:29Z")
> [@LynnM](#): > > My laptop requirements while on the road will be very basic–using public WiFi to check email, read web content, some word processing–do you think the 1.6 gigahertz Celeron processor in the Lenovo IDEAPAD 110 will be adequate for that? Perfectly fine. > [@](#): > > Prefer to boot from Mint18 LiveDVD– I’m slightly intrigued why you prefer to boot from a live DVD, rather than just installing Mint, or dual-booting it with Win 10? ---
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2016, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/6 "2016-10-21T17:47:17Z")
> [@Baron\_Greenback](#): > > Perfectly fine. > > I’m slightly intrigued why you prefer to boot from a live DVD, rather than just installing Mint, or dual-booting it with Win 10? I’ve done a few installations thru the years and they’ve never gone smoothly, and right now I don’t have time to mess with it. I’ve used a Mint LiveDVD on a Win7 desktop recently and once Mint boots up […slowly…] it’s clean, fast, secure, hassle-free. But later when I have time, will look into dual-boot– Thx again– ---
**Author:** ![igor\_frankensteen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/839c29/32.png) [@igor\_frankensteen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/igor_frankensteen)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2016, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/7 "2016-10-22T23:59:46Z")
You have the answer, but for clarity: it doesn’t matter what your hard drive operating system is. It only matters if the PC has a preboot option in the bios. And many newer PC’s, have selections that can be made in BIOS to prevent anyone from booting to anything OTHER than the installed hard drive. Some even provide the owner the ability to block changes to the bios settings, with a password. Something else to watch for: Windows 10 requires many PC’s to have the bios set to UEFI boot. If your thumb drive or optical source isn’t compatible with UEFI boot, then even after you remove the Secure Boot block, you might find that the drive or disk you are using as your source, is invisible to the boot manager. Check your SATA setting, if that’s a problem, and choose one of the alternates to whatever it is set to. ---
**Author:** ![LynnM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/b2d939/32.png) [@LynnM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LynnM)\ **Post date:** [October 24, 2016, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/8 "2016-10-24T21:05:25Z")
> [@igor\_frankensteen](#): > > You have the answer, but for clarity: > > it doesn’t matter what your hard drive operating system is. It only matters if the PC has a preboot option in the bios. And many newer PC’s, have selections that can be made in BIOS to prevent anyone from booting to anything OTHER than the installed hard drive. Some even provide the owner the ability to block changes to the bios settings, with a password. > > Something else to watch for: Windows 10 requires many PC’s to have the bios set to UEFI boot. If your thumb drive or optical source isn’t compatible with UEFI boot, then even after you remove the Secure Boot block, you might find that the drive or disk you are using as your source, is invisible to the boot manager. > > Check your SATA setting, if that’s a problem, and choose one of the alternates to whatever it is set to. Great info–maybe I’ll finally flush microsoft forever– [http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/201722-linuxs-worst-case-scenario-microsoft-makes-secure-boot-mandatory-locks-out-other-operating-systems](http://www.extremetech.com/extreme/201722-linuxs-worst-case-scenario-microsoft-makes-secure-boot-mandatory-locks-out-other-operating-systems) > **[Microsoft tightens Windows 10’s Secure Boot screws: Where does that leave Linux?](https://www.pcworld.com/article/432615/microsoft-tightens-windows-10s-secure-boot-screws-where-does-that-leave-linux.html)** > > Secure Boot could lock down Windows 10 PCs to Microsoft operating systems alone. Or not. Chris Hoffman digs in. > **[Microsoft to stop Linux, older Windows, from running on Windows 8 PCs](https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsoft-to-stop-linux-older-windows-from-running-on-windows-8-pcs/)** > > It doesn't take much reading between the lines to see that Microsoft is going to try to keep Linux, older versions of Windows, and other operating systems off Windows 8 PCs. > **[5 Ways To Clean Up Your Computer With An Automated Script \[Windows\]](https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/xx-ways-clean-computer-automated-script/)** > > Computer maintenance isn't exactly something that most people remember to do. For the general user that isn't exactly tech savvy, when a computer doesn't work, they either call for help or simply buy a new computer. If you have family members or... …search for “why I hate Microsoft” ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [October 27, 2016, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/windows-10-laptop-can-you-boot-fr-dvd-drive/769153/9 "2016-10-27T21:48:33Z")
In the future, you may want to replace the DVD with a USB version instead. Or even using an SD card if your laptop has one and can boot from it. It’ll still be faster. This is what I do on an old laptop that has hard drive problems. Well, except I use Puppy Linux, which has a built in ability to actually save what I’m doing periodically. (But not often enough to ruin the USB drive. Heck, it can even do it on a DVD if you have a DVD writer.)