Can't install LMDE3 (Unsolvable) hardware limitations

[farkas]

I got an old HP laptop from my sister who is a diehard windows user.
I'm trying to install LMDE3 on this machine to show her that there are better things out there.
I installed Mint 19 Xfce and MX 17.1 as dual boot to test to see how they run. Both run fairly well. Not to fast but acceptable for every day use like email, web searches, etc.
Looking in Mint forums I found topic viewtopic.php?f=60&t=280969 and I thought I'd give LMDE3 a try.

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mint@mint:~$ inxi -Fxz
System:    Host: mint Kernel: 4.9.0-8-686 i686 (32 bit gcc: 6.3.0)
           Desktop: Cinnamon 3.8.8 (Gtk 3.22.11-1) Distro: LMDE 3 (cindy)
Machine:   Device: laptop System: Hewlett-Packard product: HP Pavilion dv5000 (EX203AV) v: F.22
           Mobo: Hewlett-Packard model: 30A7 v: 56.47
           BIOS: Hewlett-Packard v: F.22 date: 12/11/2006
Battery    BAT1: charge: 66.0 Wh 100.0% condition: 66.0/66.0 Wh (100%)
           model: Hewlett-Packard Primary status: Full
CPU:       Dual core Intel T2250 (-MCP-) cache: 2048 KB
           flags: (nx pae sse sse2 sse3) bmips: 6916
           clock speeds: max: 1733 MHz 1: 1067 MHz 2: 1333 MHz
Graphics:  Card: NVIDIA G72M [GeForce Go 7400] bus-ID: 01:00.0
           Display Server: X.Org 1.19.2 drivers: nouveau (unloaded: modesetting,fbdev,vesa)
           Resolution: 1280x800@60.12hz
           GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on NV46
           GLX Version: 2.1 Mesa 13.0.6 Direct Rendering: Yes
Audio:     Card Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio Controller
           driver: snd_hda_intel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
           Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k4.9.0-8-686
Network:   Card-1: Intel PRO/Wireless 3945ABG [Golan] Network Connection
           driver: iwl3945 v: in-tree:s bus-ID: 06:00.0
           IF: wlp6s0 state: down mac: <filter>
           Card-2: Intel PRO/100 VE Network Connection
           driver: e100 v: 3.5.24-k2-NAPI port: 2000 bus-ID: 08:08.0
           IF: enp8s8 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:    HDD Total Size: NA (-)
           ID-1: /dev/sda model: ST98823AS size: 80.0GB temp: 48C
           ID-2: USB /dev/sdb model: Cruzer_Glide size: 64.0GB temp: 0C
Partition: ID-1: / size: 502M used: 44M (9%) fs: overlay dev: N/A
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 55.0C mobo: 26.8C gpu: 50.0
           Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info:      Processes: 184 Uptime: 8 min Memory: 523.2/1003.4MB
           Init: systemd runlevel: 5 Gcc sys: 6.3.0
           Client: Shell (bash 4.4.121) inxi: 2.3.5 
mint@mint:~$ 

It runs great on a live USB, but when I try to install it just doesn't happen.
Tried with the installer from desktop. It starts gparted and I thought I figured it out but it came up with not enough room error.
Next I tried with Calamares installer, selected Erase disk, thinking it will give me a fresh install like it does in Mint 19.
It started then the install window disappeared, just the desktop showing the HDD led blinking. Left it alone for about hour thinking that this is an old machine and it would take a while to format and load the OS.
The desktop was working like nothing happened. Shut down and rebooted and the old OS loaded.
Rebooted with alive USB.
I'm submitting this new topic running on a live USB, which is working just fine.

[kukamuumuka]

Result for

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inxi -po ; sudo parted -l ; sudo efibootmgr

Edit: Cinnamon is too heavy for that computer. Try MX Linux

https://www.cnet.com/products/hp-pavilion-dv5000/specs/

https://mxlinux.org/

[Pierre]

Hi steve,
it's good that you did get both installed Mint 19 Xfce and MX 17.1 onto that machine,
- you could also install the Mate Desktop Environment, into that Cinnamon Desktop Environment,
then log-out & then log-into the new DE to see how the machine now responds.

but - - you may find that the MX-17x is the better system for that oldie

NB: MX-18 is on the way:
https://forum.mxlinux.org/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=47189

[farkas]

Result for inxi -po ; sudo parted -l ; sudo efibootmgr

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Partition: ID-1: / size: 502M used: 54M (11%) fs: overlay dev: N/A
Unmounted: ID-1: /dev/sda1 size: 38.11G
fs: ext4 label: rootMX17 uuid: ca17edb0-2951-475c-af70-5f05fd6b5969
ID-2: /dev/sda2 size: 2.15G
fs: swap label: N/A uuid: 96f6c7b4-8ac8-4f13-a872-f1d5198464df
ID-3: /dev/sda4 size: 0.03G
fs: ext4 label: N/A uuid: 652f79a2-8b92-4694-88cf-e8ec60748387
ID-4: /dev/sda5 size: 39.74G
fs: ext4 label: N/A uuid: 335775e4-1d1d-4b80-a5f3-f249bb2366eb
ID-5: /dev/sdb1 size: 1.67G
label: LMDE 3 Cinnamon 32-bit uuid: 2018-08-28-13-48-10-00
Model: ATA ST98823AS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 80.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 512B 38.1GB 38.1GB primary ext4 boot, lba
3 38.1GB 77.8GB 39.7GB extended
5 38.1GB 77.8GB 39.7GB logical ext4
2 77.8GB 80.0GB 2147MB primary linux-swap(v1)
4 80.0GB 80.0GB 31.5MB primary ext4


Error: Invalid partition table - recursive partition on /dev/sdb.
Ignore/Cancel?
Ignore/Cancel? i
Model: SanDisk Cruzer Glide (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 64.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags


EFI variables are not supported on this system.
mint@mint:~$

[kukamuumuka]

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lsblk -f

[Pierre]

yep - - it's an 1333 MHz cpu,, 80Gb hdd,, Memory: 523.2/1003.4MB,,
- that's an real oldie, win-xp based machine.
definitely would suggest to stay with MX-17 on it.

[farkas]

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mint@mint:~$ inxi -po 
Partition: ID-1: / size: 502M used: 55M (11%) fs: overlay dev: N/A
Unmounted: ID-1: /dev/sda1 size: 38.11G
           fs: ext4 label: rootMX17 uuid: ca17edb0-2951-475c-af70-5f05fd6b5969
           ID-2: /dev/sda2 size: 2.15G
           fs: swap label: N/A uuid: 96f6c7b4-8ac8-4f13-a872-f1d5198464df
           ID-3: /dev/sda4 size: 0.03G
           fs: ext4 label: N/A uuid: 652f79a2-8b92-4694-88cf-e8ec60748387
           ID-4: /dev/sda5 size: 39.74G
           fs: ext4 label: N/A uuid: 335775e4-1d1d-4b80-a5f3-f249bb2366eb
           ID-5: /dev/sdb1 size: 1.67G
           label: LMDE 3 Cinnamon 32-bit uuid: 2018-08-28-13-48-10-00
mint@mint:~$ 

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mint@mint:~$ lsblk -f
NAME   FSTYPE  LABEL             UUID                                 MOUNTPOINT
loop0  squashf                                                        /lib/live/
sda                                                                   
├─sda1 ext4    rootMX17          ca17edb0-2951-475c-af70-5f05fd6b5969 
├─sda2 swap                      96f6c7b4-8ac8-4f13-a872-f1d5198464df 
├─sda3                                                                
├─sda4 ext4                      652f79a2-8b92-4694-88cf-e8ec60748387 
└─sda5 ext4                      335775e4-1d1d-4b80-a5f3-f249bb2366eb 
sdb    iso9660 LMDE 3 Cinnamon 32-bit
│                                2018-08-28-13-48-10-00               
└─sdb1 iso9660 LMDE 3 Cinnamon 32-bit
                                 2018-08-28-13-48-10-00               /lib/live/
sr0                                                                   
mint@mint:~$ 

I think I wiped out MX 17.1 when trying to use gparted. It still boots to Xfce.

[kukamuumuka]

I think I wiped out MX 17.1 when trying to use gparted. It still boots to Xfce.

MX Linux is better than LMDE 3 on that computer, so why to replace MX?

[majpooper]

Hi Steve,
It may be something really simple that I ran into - embarrassed to admit it but I failed to pay attention where MBR was installed. I never had to choose for all the dozens of installs of LM but with LMDE you have to make sure it is the main partition (maybe not the correct term) i.e. sda not sda1 for example. The first time I tried LMDE somehow I got the MBR in the right place but the second time it would not boot turned out the first choice was sda1 which seemed OK to me because I didn't know any better until someone told me it had to be sda.

Of course if you understand MBR and grub etc., which I obviously don't have a clue about, then this is a waste of your time otherwise it may be worth a try.

[farkas]

Thank you to all who responded to my post. I tried your suggested solutions but none of them worked. Maybe if I was more adept in using gparted, I might have had better luck.
LMDE3 ran great on a old HP machine with a live USB, had great hopes for a full install.
After several install attempts I had 4 or maybe 5 different partitions, a total mess. Decided to go back to my original dual boot to compare MX 17.1 to Mint Xfce.
Made a clean install with Xfce, wiped everything else out. Tried to install MX 17.1 alongside Xfce as dual boot, again ran into gparted problems with MX 17.1 install.
Decided to reverse the installs. Did a clean install of MX 17.1 followed by Mint Xfce install.
It was super easy, just use a slider bar to select partition size, done, no messing around with gparted. Thank you to LM team to making it easy to install dual boot options.
Now I'm back to where I was when I started. A great learning experience. Something like the old saying "You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink" .
This old HP laptop got to the LMDE3 desktop but couldn't install it.
I'm going to mark this post (Unsolvable) because of hardware limitations.
Thanks again to all responders.

[Pierre]

Hey steve:
it does seem that most of us, are in agreeance, that you should Single Boot MX-Linux.