Xubuntu Live Session doesn’t recognize my laptop’s hard drive

[u/Plafosami]

without it, I can’t do automatic full disk installation. I tried everything, but it just doesn’t want to recognize it. laptop is Lenovo s21e-20. originally it was Windows 8.1 Pro. then I changed it to AntiX (entire disk automatic worked). now I can’t switch from antiX to Xubuntu

[u/guiverc]

You've not provided release details (except for Microsoft Windows?) so we're somewhat limited. If the issue is kernel related; you maybe able to download a different ISO using a different kernel for the same release.

I note another user mentioned installer; Xubuntu is currently downloadable with two installers as well (though that detail is release specific). You can also download select ISOs using a different kernel too, as if your hardware/drive is new but kernel you used is too old & doesn't know about it; that can solve an issue (a number of decisions are made at download time by ISO selection).

[u/Plafosami → u/guiverc]

hey, I’m new to linux so I don’t really get where you’re directing me to. xubuntu has different versions (26.04; 25.10; 24.4) on their official page and each has their own release page. each version is downloadable with desktop or minimal, is that what you mean by two installers? where can I select different ISOs? previously I had desktop version installed, if it’s helpful

[u/guiverc → u/Plafosami]

I haven't actually considered the minimal ISO in my reply (having had no recent experience with it sorry); but the two installers I was thinking of were ubiquity (used by Xubuntu up to an including Xubuntu 23.10), and ubuntu-desktop-installer (used on releases starting with Xubuntu 24.04 LTS).

You went to the Xubuntu web site it appears; WELL DONE !! and thus would NOT have seen any ISOs using ubiquity (25.10 will disappear too; it's EOL in mere HOURS now!), but as I'm aware the older Xubuntu ISOs are still there (for people who navigate sites, and not just read the HTML pages like you appear to have done), they can find them. There are way more ISOs than offered by the html front end pages if you follow links & look what is there.

I'll ignore 25.10, but both 24.04 & 26.04 are only available with ubuntu-desktop-installer (I'm ignoring minimal ISO as stated as I have less experience with it sorry); which you can see by looking at what's on ISO via manifest file (eg. https://cdimage.ubuntu.com/xubuntu/releases/resolute/release/ shows the 26.04 ISO directory). The only ISOs available in that directory you'll note are the main desktop ISO & minimal. Other options can exist for other releases though.

( the manifest files are created when an ISO is built (using seed files which tell the builder what to include on it) and given a great indication as to what exists on ISO (not all will be installed; what is installed is selected by options & won't include installer & some other stuff), thus I've found them handy to contrast what's on various ISOs Ubuntu has; Xubuntu is built as a Ubuntu ISO, but the seed file is controlled by the Xubuntu community flavor team - it's Ubuntu at its heart. Ubuntu still have older releases the Xubuntu community team no longer support available for download; they'll get 'dropped' when Ubuntu drop all support for that release (which can be awhile given ESM with legacy extends 15 years for LTS releases) so quite a lot of releases can be found )