Absolutely unable to install LMDE RC 2012

[wjstarrsiii]

Hi,

I have been completely unable to install the x64 MAT/Cinnamon on my laptop. Here is what I tried:

dd'ing the hybrid iso to 2 different usb keys... When I do this, the keys will not boot. If I examine them in the disk utility, I see the LMDE partition at the far end of the drive, but before it is an empty unformatted partition that reports the total capacity of the key (ignoring the 1.2Gb that is reportedly copied with dd).

I then just burned a DVD directly from the iso using Brasero. This too will not boot. The computer just hangs at the bios screen.

Next I tried using unetbootin, which succeeded in giving me a bootable key. I was able to start the installer, and it went to perhaps 30% of the progress bar when it stopped when copying /usr/doc/cups-pdf-gutenprint (or something like that). I tried again, same stopping point. I then tried unetbootin on a 2nd usb key, exact same results, same hanging point.

I was able to install successfully in Virtual box from the downloaded iso. That is the only success I have had.

md5 checks out fine. Can't understand why the hybrid won't boot and or why the unetbootin method stalls at exactly the same spot...

hw: HP EliteBook 6930p
installation target: specific partitions on a 750Gb usb external drive (don't touch the C: drive, it's a work laptop!)

Thanks for any assistance,

wjstarrsiii

[linuxdad]

Just returned from a stay in Precise land for a while and came back to Mint12. Tried the LMDE 64bit with out any sucess, installation just hangs.

[linuxdad]

Screenshot.png (51.85 KiB) Viewed 2028 times

I have 64bit Lisa runnig fine but can't install LMDE 64bit

[wjstarrsiii]

ss1.png (85.85 KiB) Viewed 2008 times

I was able to install via DVD on my dual-core desktop. No issues with the file copying stalling out.

Any ideas? I would love to have this on my laptop.

Thanks,

Bill

[wayne128]

dd'ing the hybrid iso to 2 different usb keys... When I do this, the keys will not boot. If I examine them in the disk utility, I see the LMDE partition at the far end of the drive, but before it is an empty unformatted partition that reports the total capacity of the key (ignoring the 1.2Gb that is reportedly copied with dd).

this is odd.

can you explain what instruction you used for dd?


if you really cannot boot laptop with usb stick, with DVD, etc, there is another way.
But this requires the laptop to already have another working Linux OS.. do you have that?

[wjstarrsiii]

Hi,

I used the instructions here from the mint community article here: http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/744

Code: Select all

sudo dd if=linuxmint-201204-mate-cinnamon-64bit-rc.iso of=/dev/sdx oflag=direct  bs=1048576

usb key in this case was /dev/sdc

I get 1.2Gb data copied when dd wraps up. Tried this on a 16Gb key that I had previously used to install Mint12 32bit on some old machines.. then tried on a 2Gb key. No success either way.

And yes, I have linux on this machine as well. Fedora 16 x64(with cinnamon, of course) and LM11 x64. LMDE would be the third boot on this external 750Gb hard drive.

[wayne128]

I always use simple method:

dd if=/home/wayne/Downloads/name_of_iso.iso of=/dev/sdY

as I download iso file and save in /home/wayne/Downloads folder.
I never use other argument for all kind of distros and all works

I tried LMDE201204 both xfce and gnome using the above dd, no issue to boot all computers and laptop..

may be you can try again, and see that it works on desktop.
if it works on desktop, perhaps something is funny on laptop's bios?

[wayne128]

And yes, I have linux on this machine as well. Fedora 16 x64(with cinnamon, of course) and LM11 x64. LMDE would be the third boot on this external 750Gb hard drive.

Well, if you have multiboot this laptop, then it is quite simple to add LMDE from another working partition ( i.e. from your desktop)

In fact , since your Linux OSes resides on external hard disk, it is even easier to handle.

I assume you have simple set up, that is, LMDE is only in one root partition.


Just do this steps:
1. you already have LMDE running on desktop.
2. prepare a target partition on 750G external hard drive, target partition must be equal or larger than that of the desktop's LMDE partition in order for gparted to work.
3. run from desktop, using LMDE live CD or other CD that had gparted
4. run gparted, copy the LMDE root partition over to the target partition.
5. now that 750G had a LMDE target partition.
6. plug 705G external hard disk into laptop
7. run Linux OS on your laptop, get into your grub2 boot loader, do a update-grub, it will automatically pick up LMDE target partition and provide you with grub config,
8. reboot laptop, select LMDE and run from there

[linuxdad]

LMDE 64bit xfce.png[/attachment]I successfully installed using LMDE xfce 64-bit, then installed Cinnamon. Installation went well.

LMDE 64bit xfce.png (46.6 KiB) Viewed 1960 times

[wjstarrsiii]

Inspired by the above, I decided to give x64 xfce a shot. Same issue with the hybrid iso, I think it must be a bios issue with this laptop.

However, creating a stick with unetbootin, I was able to boot and install successfully... no hangups anywhere while copying the live image across. So I am using it on the laptop now, and man does it boot and perform fast. Still wish I knew why the install hangs for me with the mate/cinnamon version, interesting to hear if anybody else is having similar issues.

Thanks,

Bill

[jon2000]

Hey I'm having the same issue as the OP. I have Linux Mint 64-bit Cinnamon running on my HP 6910P but can't boot my USB installer key from my HP 6930P. The LED on the usb key flashes repeatedly as it hangs. I got to the bootloader screen on my MSI Wind U100 netbook using the same key as well. I'll keep looking for a solution.

Jon

[jon2000]

update: I was able to get Mint 13 Cinnamon x64 installed on my HP 6930P Elitebook by clearing my USB stick, setting it up as FAT file system then using Unetbootin with the Mint ISO image file I downloaded. I updated the BIOS and also enabled UEFI in the CMOS but I'm not sure if this did anything. I'm posting this from Mint.

Jon