The return of 'Problem booting install media on new(-ish) laptop'

I'm experiencing a similar problem as pchristy was when trying to
install Slackware-current via usb stick.

I've used a dvd to install Slackware 14.2 on a laptop that has windows 10.

I've created a usb with 'current on it. When I try use it to install 'current' on the laptop, then the install process halts at the prompt to choose a keyboard map. Laptop freezes completely. Have to use the power down button.

I read pchristy's thread and followed the method described there but no luck.

Tried using usbimg2disk.sh to create usb and modified grub.cfg etc.
But this gives me completely different results to pchristy. The installer doesn't get passed the grub loader (doesn't start loading kernel). Instead it drops directly to the grub prompt.

I also tried the other way described which is: created a GPT partition table and a single FAT32 partition then copied the EFI, kernels and isolinux folders from the -current tree onto the usb. This does bootup but
also fails at the prompt to choose a keyboard map, where it freezes completely.

lsusb
Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0003 Linux Foundation 3.0 root hub
Bus 001 Device 004: ID 8087:0a2a Intel Corp.
Bus 001 Device 003: ID 046d:c00e Logitech, Inc. M-BJ58/M-BJ69 Optical Wheel Mouse
Bus 001 Device 002: ID 0b05:1854 ASUSTek Computer, Inc.
Bus 001 Device 005: ID 13d3:5666 IMC Networks
Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub

/sbin/lspci
00:00.0 Host bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v6/7th Gen Core Processor Host Bridge/DRAM Registers (rev 05)
00:01.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/E3-1500 v5/6th Gen Core Processor PCIe Controller (x16) (rev 05)
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller: Intel Corporation HD Graphics 630 (rev 04)
00:08.0 System peripheral: Intel Corporation Xeon E3-1200 v5/v6 / E3-1500 v5 / 6th/7th Gen Core Processor Gaussian Mixture Model
00:14.0 USB controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family USB 3.0 xHCI Controller (rev 31)
00:14.2 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Thermal Subsystem (rev 31)
00:15.0 Signal processing controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Serial IO I2C Controller #0 (rev 31)
00:16.0 Communication controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1 (rev 31)
00:17.0 SATA controller: Intel Corporation HM170/QM170 Chipset SATA Controller [AHCI Mode] (rev 31)
00:1c.0 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #3 (rev f1)
00:1c.3 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #4 (rev f1)
00:1c.6 PCI bridge: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port #7 (rev f1)
00:1f.0 ISA bridge: Intel Corporation HM175 Chipset LPC/eSPI Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.2 Memory controller: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family Power Management Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.3 Audio device: Intel Corporation CM238 HD Audio Controller (rev 31)
00:1f.4 SMBus: Intel Corporation 100 Series/C230 Series Chipset Family SMBus (rev 31)
01:00.0 3D controller: NVIDIA Corporation GP107M [GeForce GTX 1050 Ti Mobile] (rev a1)
02:00.0 Network controller: Intel Corporation Wireless 7265 (rev 59)
03:00.0 Ethernet controller: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller (rev 15)
04:00.0 Unassigned class [ff00]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTS5229 PCI Express Card Reader (rev 01)

I cannot use the dvd drive any more as it isn't working. Is there a way to install current by booting up to 14.2 without making a mess of things?
Any ideas? I can post whatever info to help.

TIA