linux mint installation freezes on installing 'package grub2' on acer laptop dual boot with win 10

[Bob____]

I recently tried installing Linux mint on an acer aspire laptop, alongside windows 10, following
https://www.tecmint.com/install-linux-m ... uefi-mode/. It worked perfectly, until it reached "installing package grub2" when it suddenly freezes and I am forced to force shut down and boot into windows again. here is some info:

I am booting from a live USB, by the shift + restart menu
My processor is x64, along with my windows, and the linux mint usb,
i'm not sure if this is important, but I recently formatted the USB, because it was having some driver problems, but it has been working fine since.
my computer uses UEFI Mode, and i have secure boot disabled
snd the linux mint is cinnamon 18.3,
and i have tried installing it twice, and ubuntu when i got fed up enough, to exactly the same effect.

I’ve read:

https://askubuntu.com/questions/392254/ ... age/392273
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2358581
viewtopic.php?t=256244

any help would be appreciated. thank you!
any questions you have i can try and answer, but i might not be able to get back right away

[Bob____]

I just tried it again to exactly the same effect. dont know what is going on here

[Laurent85]

From the Mint live usb session open a terminal. Post command output:

Code: Select all

ls /sys/firmware
sudo parted -ls

[Bob____]

ok, thanks. just wondering, should i do this before or in the process of installation
i'll let you know how it goes when i get around to it

[Laurent85]

Do it now without reinstalling.

[Bob____]

done:
mint@mint ~ $ ls /sys/firmware
acpi dmi efi memmap
mint@mint ~ $ sudo parted -ls
Model: ATA TOSHIBA MQ01ABD1 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 1000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size File system Name Flags
1 1049kB 106MB 105MB fat32 EFI system partition boot, esp
2 106MB 123MB 16.8MB Microsoft reserved partition msftres
3 123MB 758GB 758GB ntfs Basic data partition msftdata
5 758GB 991GB 233GB ext4
6 991GB 999GB 8405MB linux-swap(v1)
4 999GB 1000GB 1074MB ntfs Basic data partition hidden, diag


Model: Lexar USB Flash Drive (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 8005MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags:

Number Start End Size Type File system Flags
1 32.8kB 8005MB 8005MB primary fat32 boot, lba

[Laurent85]

ok now next command output:

Code: Select all

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
sudo ls -l /mnt/efi
sudo ls -l /mnt/efi/ubuntu
sudo umount /mnt

[Bob____]

here:
mint@mint ~ $ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt
mint@mint ~ $ sudo ls -l /mnt/efi
total 4
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Apr 14 2017 Boot
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 1024 Apr 14 2017 Microsoft
drwxr-xr-x 4 root root 1024 Apr 14 2017 OEM
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root 1024 Mar 11 01:38 ubuntu
mint@mint ~ $ sudo ls -l /mnt/efi/ubuntu
total 1171
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root 1024 Mar 11 00:34 fw
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 62436 Mar 11 01:38 fwupx64.efi
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 98 Mar 11 20:31 grub.cfg
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 1133944 Mar 11 20:31 grubx64.efi
mint@mint ~ $ sudo umount /mnt
mint@mint ~ $

[Laurent85]

I suspected an issue with efi ubuntu folder but your problem looks different. Some efi boot files were installed before the freeze occured. I would now suspect an issue with the efi nvram, process freezes while communicating with computer efi nvram. Maybe a bios update if available could help.

[Bob____]

ya, I just downloaded a bios update before I tried for the 4th time. exactly the same thing happened. i read on it that it was because acer computers have something against installing things like GRUB, but then again, there must be some way to bypass that

[Reddog1]

I'm typing this on an ACER 315, dual boot Mint Xfce and Win10. Try making the choice of using the Windows Bootloader, which installs the Linux bootloader NOT to the Linux drive but to the Windows Boot Drive. I had a devil of a time with my machine with hangs during and after install. I believe I tried 3 times before I got the installation to complete, and couldn't finish the installation until I changed my trackpad setting to 'basic' from 'advanced' in the bios. After installation I continued to get hangups until I turned off bluetooth, the last hang so bad that a power button down reboot screwed the bootloader to the 'initramfs prompt' and I had to use the Boot Repair Utility. Since that, all has been well. After installation, I had to change my boot sequence in the bios to load Linux (after using the Boot Repair I think it has an 'ubuntu' label in bios) first instead of Windows. Once I did that the Grub menu appeared at startup with the Mint 18.3 label and several Windows UEFI options, plus 'Windows Boot Loader'. Confusing, but it works. I think my bios is ver. 1.05 and my laptop was built in Nov. 2017

[Pierre]

the thing is that the Windows System is an highly customized system,
whereas any Linux System is just plain vanilla.

so, lot's of those things that will work in the Windows System, simply won't work in a Linux System.

and like Reddog1 has stated, you may have to turn some stuff off, or disable it,
- in order to get your Linux System to be stable.

[Reddog1]

I forgot to mention, after I got the boot situation 'under control', I installed kernel 4.13.0-36-generic. I have had zero crashes since, but I can't say that the kernel is the reason because I've done so many other things in my quest to get Mint installed. I haven't tried to turn Bluetooth back on because I don't need it. I can say, definitively, that this kernel works just fine on this particular Aspire.

[michael louwe]

@ Bob____ », .......

.

.
I presumed you have disabled Fast Startup in Win 10, ie >Control Panel >Power options.

Did you boot the Live LM USB-stick in UEFI mode through UEFI-BIOS setup and ensure that the "Device for boot loader installation" is the Windows EFI System Partition(= fat32/105MB/flagged as boot,esp or boot/efi).?

[Bob____]

I actually hadn't disabled fast startup, am I a complete idiot? And as for the rest of what you said, I had no idea. So that probably means I didn't

[Reddog1]

I did not do this within Windows. There was no bios option to 'disable quick boot' in my Acer's bios, either.
I presumed you have disabled Fast Startup in Win 10, ie >Control Panel >Power options.

My Acer Aspire bios did not offer this particular option. I booted by hitting F12 and choosing the usb stick.
Did you boot the Live LM USB-stick in UEFI mode through UEFI-BIOS setup

I'm thinking that right here is where the problem lies. I did do this and my installation eventually worked.
and ensure that the "Device for boot loader installation" is the Windows EFI System Partition(= fat32/105MB/flagged as boot,esp or boot/efi).?

The options for installing grub are to the partition with Mint installed or to the Windows boot partition. The Windows boot partition was the correct choice on my Aspire. In Bios, I disabled 'Secure Boot' and changed the trackpad to 'Basic', that's all before install. Everything didn't sort out the way I wanted until I'd run the Boot Repair Utility and after that setting the boot order in bios. After install I disabled Bluetooth and replaced the kernel. It's been years since I've had as many problems getting Linux installed as I did on my Aspire, but I did eventually get it working. Don't give up.

[Bob____]

sorry i havent showed up here in a while.
i havent been able to get around to trying it again, but as soon as i can, i will, and I'll let you know how it goes

[Bob____]

i just did it again to exactly the same result

[michael louwe]

@ Bob____ », .......

.

.
Have you disabled Fast Boot in UEFI-BIOS setup.?

[xunorus]

Same problem here
Any ideas how to fix this?
im on acer aspire ES17