OS won't install

[maaasha]

Hi,I have an old laptop(HP Pavilion dv 6700) and it has an old HDD(WD Scorpio 160GB).
I want to make it usable in 2022 and install an SSD and maybe run Windows 10 or Linux.
The problem is when I try to install Windows(windows says it can not install on this partition),I tried everything that I read on internet,formated partition changed from GPT to MBR and vice versa,tried to mess with BIOS settings but there is not much to mess with,its soo simple and without many features.
When I try to install Linux,everything is fine until it says to restart comp,after that its says to unplag media drive and hit eneter and than OS should boot from SSD but after it restarts comp says OPERATING SYSTEM NOT FOUND.
I can install and boot from HDD.Please give me suggestions here and i will as you say and post pictures.
Thanks and I hope yall can help me.

[PeterOz]

Hi you won’t get much out of this laptop
You can max the ram to 4gig only.
Does the ssd show in the bios
If the ssd shows in the bios it could be the way you install linux
Which version of linux
what size ssd

[Bruce]

that HP laptop came out in 2008. well before SSD’s and Win10 were even thought of.
so you may be pushing the proverbial uphill right from the get-go, but I reckon I’ve done something similar with my old units so let’s check a few things.

have you tried seeing if there are any BIOS updates for it?
does the BIOS have an option to set the drive as ACHI rather than IDE?
try changing the boot type from Legacy to UEFI. (legacy uses MBR disks, UEFI uses GPT)

are you trying to to install Win10 32bit or 64bit?
is your CPU 64bit capable?

and also remember, even if you get Win10 up and running, you are then chasing; video, sound, network, chipset, finger print reader, etc drivers - which will be another potential headache. aquick web search found a few issues trying to get that wifi card installed under Win10.
and add to that, the HP has no gigabit LAN, and only USB2 ports.

as long as you know what you are getting yourself into before you expend the resources!
if you have the time and patience, it may simply be a fun exercise, especially if we were still doing the isolation thing.

[Bruce]

OP hasn’t been back since starting thread.
closing as abandoned.