I am in the process of deciding which Linux is best for this system. I have downloaded a ISO of Linux Mint only to discover reading that the Compact Disc/rw will not boot from this. So, I purchased a 32gb usb bootable disc with 30 different linux OS. Help me if I am heading the wrong direction. Also, would like some pointers on how to set up a boot from usb stick.

Linux Mint 17 Qiana Cinnamon version is very good for personal PC.Go for Mint...you are in right path
You can use Universal Usb intsaller software to boot Linux ISO image in pendrive.To install from the pendrive check on your motherboard bios...booting device option.There are many guide in internet.Good Luck

If it has specs like this shows here, with 256MB of ram and possibly some of that lost to an integrated graphics card, you will have to run something very lite on that. I had one of those a long time ago; the machine was out around 2004....not sure it will even boot from USB, I cannot remember.

I would try distros like AntiX, Slackel or such.

Mint won't work on that machine unless the specs are much higher than I found after googling the model. When I had mine I ran Slackware on it with Windowmaker or Fluxbox desktops.

Can you verify the specs on the machine, ram, and especially if it uses integrated graphics? That will help.

Thank you for the quick reply! I bought the Dell Dimension second hand. It is good condition but was not up to "speed" so to speak. I have run a program that gets rid of old files etc to increase more "free space" on the hard drive. I recommend this for all computers- www.privazer.com But, on this computer it was having more difficulty due to the different hard drive. I did some searching and located a disk defrag program called "intelligent defrag" on www.slimcleaner.com Both programs have freed up space as well as ram. I run the disc "intelligent defrag," then the privazer pc cleaner. I use a registry repair from www.glarysoft.com to make the registry is working right.

The specs have greatly improved! The Dell Dimension 2400 has windows xp
Memory 768.00 Available 348.30
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
BIOS Dell Corp A00
Hard Drive 37.2 GB Free Space 17.6 GB

---------- Post added 09-26-14 at 08:36 AM ----------

Thank you for the quick reply! I bought the Dell Dimension second hand. It is good condition but was not up to "speed" so to speak. I have run a program that gets rid of old files etc to increase more "free space" on the hard drive. I recommend this for all computers- www.privazer.com But, on this computer it was having more difficulty due to the different hard drive. I did some searching and located a disk defrag program called "intelligent defrag" on www.slimcleaner.com Both programs have freed up space as well as ram. I run the disc defrag, then the "intelligent defrag." I use a registry repair from www.glarysoft.com to make the registry is working right.

The specs have greatly improved! The Dell Dimension 2400 has windows xp
Memory 768.00 Available 348.30
Total Virtual Memory 2.00 GB
Available Virtual Memory 1.96 GB
BIOS Dell Corp A00
Hard Drive 37.2 GB Free Space 17.6 GB

I made a mistake in my last post and meant to say " I run the "intelligent disc defrag" first. Then run the privazer pc cleaner second.

I had a Dell Dimension for a server before. I can't remember the number.

It was mostly Linux-compatible, but with some notable exceptions. The audio card was all messed up. The "Master" volume did absolutely nothing, you really needed to control the "Headphone" (which controlled both the front and rear jacks). No big deal, I just had to arrow over once or twice once I opened alsamixer.

Also, I never got lm_sensors to read the CPU temp. I think that it was a mobo issue, but it could be that the CPU just didn't have a sensor.

Other than that, it ran fine. I ran Debian on it, and it never had any issues.

I did upgrade the RAM, though, I think it had 1.5 GB total.

Hope this helps!

As far as booting a live distro is concerned, there are two possibilities:
1. When the computer is switched on, you may see an option to press a key to select the boot device.
2. When the computer is switched on, you will see an option to press a key to alter the BIOS settings, where you can set the order in which devices are checked for a boot-loader.
Did you do either of these when you tried to boot Mint? If you didn't, the BIOS just ignored it and went to the hard drive.

With the usb stick, either method will do, unless you are very unlucky. Some very old computers say they'll boot from a usb port but won't actually do it.

Now you've bought the usb stick, consider the distros you have on it. They will vary according to the GUI they use. If the stick didn't come with that information, you can see the default GUI of a distro by looking it up at http://distrowatch.com/ Don't bother with Ubuntu or any distro with Gnome, Cinnamon, or KDE: they will all be slow with 768MB of RAM. Look at any with Mate, Xfce, or LXDE and see which you like.

If the device is the one I've just seen from Vladstel at Amazon, look at AntiX, Lubuntu, Mint, and Xubunbtu. The others will be too big (e.g. OpenSUSE) or too technical (Damn Small Linux). Two of those listed are dead and no longer supported — Bodhi and Pear.

WHERE did you bought that???

I tried to install Linux mint-cinnamon from my disc which I burned on my newest computer. I could not figure out the bios page. It would not allow me to boot up from a new disc. And, the only option was the XP windows OS. I was able to access the 2 different pages. Before I attempt to try another install I want to get as much information I need and resources.

Yes, I purchased the 32gb Sandisk usb stick from Vladstel from Ebay, under search "usb bootable sticks." I have not received it yet though-should be arriving by monday. It is supposed to have 30 different OS I am familiar with www.distrowatch.com And, will read the program OS linked when I decide which OS is the best.

Even though these directions are for a windows installation from a usb stick, will this work for other OS?

This is a "scrib d" article/post- http://www.scribd.com/doc/81473099/I...ows-8-From-USB

Link to the usb bootable 32gb Sandisk OS stick- -Multiboot-Flash-Drive-30-Bootable-Linux-Systems-Wifi-Windows-Repair-/331049855702?pt=US_Operating_Systems_Software&hash=item4d141bead6

Link to the 32gb usb bootable Sandisk 30 OS stick- <moderated>

Quite a few of those OS's are end-of-life, like Zorin 7, the *buntu's 13.10 etc.

Well. after looking at your ebay link. I run AntiX on some of my gear like this one.
http://www.linuxquestions.org/questi...ml#post5236866

My specs are posted in that thread. My processor is slower than yours but I bumped the ram to 1.25 Gig
on it. It runs respectable.

CentOS on that stick would be another good choice.
Crunchbang is another you could boot and test as a live session.
Debian 7.2 should get a test drive also.
Porteus 2.0 also should be fun to test.

I won't mention the others because they seem kind of outdated to me (Ubuntu 13.10<14.04)
Fedora 6 month release cycle makes Fedora on that stick obsolete.

Puppy Slack0 is at version 5.7 but 5.6 is still relevant (it uses Salix and Slackware packages)

Slax also is still relevant and should be tried.

Just my 2 cents on a friday afternoon before I step out.

Edit: Just realized. Your Dell bios might not be usb boot capable.

So you might need to make a bootable PLOP CD.
http://www.plop.at/en/bootmanager/plpbt.bin.html#runcd
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4q3zsYCE5gA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7b4F6QJhVM

Search term I used for youtube videos

It is not relevant to linux live isos so leave it be. It is a red herring path.