Freeze up during install

[TomTom2]

I began an install of Linux Mint 18 on my old Dell Latitude X1 laptop with an old Pentium processor.
I'm loading from a DVD I burned and used to install on an Acer laptop,
When I ran the DVD, the Linux logo appeared and I hit "Tab"
I selected the "Force PAE" option and proceeded.
Linux seemed to load with no problems.
I then selected the "Install Linux" and selected "Format drive and install"
The install proceeded normally until it reached the 3/4 point in "loading files" and the "Stay up to date" image was displayed.
It has been stuck at this stage for over two hours.
The DVD player is clicking and spinning, but no progress is being made.
The spinning cursor is not spinning and cannot be moved with the touch pad. The clock in the tray is not moving either.
It seems that the install is frozen and I don't see an option to stop it.
I don't want to just pull the plug in the middle of this, but I don't know what steps to take.
Appreciate any suggestions.

[michael louwe]

@ TomTom2, .......

...

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I think the Dell Latitude X! has only 256MB of RAM. It could not install or run the heavyweight Linux Mint. Please refer to this link ... https://fossbytes.com/best-lightweight-linux-distros/ . Recommended is the lightweight Anti-X.
... Have a look at this also ... https://www.linuxinsider.com/story/84465.html (Tiny Core Linux)

[TomTom2]

Thanks for the quick reply.
I do have 2 Gb of RAM, but it is an old PC 1.1GHz processor.
Thanks for the links. I'll read them all.

[michael louwe]

@ TomTom2, .......

...

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In that case, you should try LM 17.x or LM 18.x Xfce. Avoid Cinnamon.

[TomTom2]

Thanks for the response.
I did get Ubuntu 10.10 to install and I downloaded Linux LIte, but it had the same PAE issue.
I'll look at LM 17. Maybe it will not be a PAE version. I like LM a lot, so would want to find a version that works.
Thanks
Tom

[jglen490]

LM 17 is probably the best option for your machine, with the Xfce DE.

It looks like you tried the "forcepae" boot option, as per LM's instructions

Booting with non-PAE CPUs

To boot Linux Mint 17 on non-PAE CPUs, please append "forcepae" to your boot arguments. At the boot menu of the live DVD/USB, press Tab to edit the boot arguments and add "forcepae" at the end of the line.

It LM 17 doesn't work, then you may need to find something really light. I used to have an IBM T20 laptop and it's specs were even less potent than yours, but it ran Vector Light very nicely (until it died). Vector Light is a complete and pretty well supported Slackware based distro, with a nice graphical interface, designed for low power machines - but of course it's not Linux Mint.

You may also want to verify what display processor your machine uses, and you may want to try the "nomodeset" boot option, in addition to "forcepae".

[TomTom2]

Thanks for the suggestion. I will look for some "lite" options.

[prestonR]

The lightest Mint I maintain is an Mint 18.3 Lxde respin by some guys who run the main German Mint user site, works in English too, of course. Had it for about a year, no problems whatsoever. Check my post on this: viewtopic.php?p=1413540#p1413540

There's very little between that and, e.g antix, sparky and void but, in my opinion, it's way easier to maintain simply because it's still Mint; stable, solid and with great support .

The announcement with download links on their site (German)
https://www.linuxmintusers.de/index.php ... #msg647865

Or the direct link:
https://sourceforge.net/projects/linuxm ... cial/18.3/