USB Live Boot works on some systems but not another (Kernel Panic blah blah)

[pjstock]

So, a little update on my Ubuntu World.
A) my new system call it A (on which I inadvertently blew everything away, and after reinstalling W7 and 18.04 did not show me the classic boot options menu) after a Boot Repair, is happily running Ubuntu 18.04. all good there.

B) my laptop (call it B) which as W7 and 16.04 working happily BUT on which I stupidly didn't separate the /home location on first install. So I would like to push /home to the spare 400gb space on the HDD. and I might do that simply by Live Booting 18.04 from USB (which works on this laptop) re-partitioning etc. and voila!

C) this is the weird one. This was my old workhorse (16.04 with a dual W7) but here I also stupidly didn't seperate /home. and I would like to do that. here. BUT the LIve Boot USBs (i have made 2 of them and I have reburned them each twice) which Live Boot on A and B above, does not Live Boot on C. I get the Kernel Panic not syncing error which is widely discussed elsewhere.

But I don't think it can be the USB sticks themselves. They work on two other systems, one of which also has 16.04 and W7.

Now this is a backup system and so I might just figure out how to get by without the live boot. I don't NEED to upgrade to 18.04 and I can probably figure out how to migrate /home to another location.
but it bugs me that I can't Live Boot. That seems like a principle of Ubuntu. When In Doubt Go to LIve Boot. and I can't make it happen.

suggestions?

Peter

PS. I am so happy to have my Ubuntu back functioning well. It's been a "learning" week. thank you all for your help.

[oldfred]

What brand/model system?
Some systems need boot parameters.
Sometimes settings in UEFI/BIOS can make a difference also.

And some just do not like one flash drive or another. Or will only boot from one port, but not another.
Post #14 some flash drives that did not work
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2120196
More tests Flash drives post #5 - C.S.Cameron
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2130234
Brand of flash does seem to make a difference. One user's experience liked 32G Sandisk
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2120196&p=12577208#post12577208

This user had installer modify flash drive, creating issues.
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2366670&page=2

[pjstock]

originally this was an HP Compaq DC5800
https://support.hp.com/ca-en/document/c01358056

I'm surprised that computer systems would differentiate between drive makers or which USB port. BUT I will try some other brands and I will try the other ports. (hmm, have I tried a DVD yet? I burned one but I am not sure tried it yet.)

can the version of the ISO be a factor? I burned an 18.04 ISO because I wanted to upgrade to that, but I guess I would be as happy just reinstalling 16.04 if it gave me the opportunity to reconfigure the /home location.

[oldfred]

That is an older BIOS only system?
How much RAM?
You may be better with only of the lightweight flavors like Lubuntu?

Light weight flavors
Lubuntu, xubuntu, Ubuntu mate, Budgie
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuFlavors

[pjstock]

Indeed it's pretty old. AMD 2.2ghz with 4gb of ram.
I've limped along pretty well it for the last few years bit in the last 6 months it started failing - frequent grey outs, freezes, needs for reboots daily...

I was never sure if it was the specs or that i had used root partition also for /home And so was often running out of space.

When my interest in a reinstall with a newer version (or lighter) and /home isolated.

And now I am just curious about this USB boot fail.