[Solved] Mint 20 Cinnamon Installer Crash: Errno 13 Permission Denied

[Iggy64]

I have a Dell Latitude E6400 laptop containing a Samsung SSD with MX Linux installed. I want to replace MX Linux with Mint 20 Cinnamon. I downloaded the .iso and verified it as instructed. I then used Unetbootin to create a bootable USB. I booted from the thumb drive and found working with the LiveUSB to be quite inviting. Mint even discovered my Brother network printer and made it easy to access the Broadcom wifi driver. All is well with the LiveUSB.

However, when I double clicked the "Install Linux Mint" icon, I quickly received a message

Installer Crashed
After you close this window, we'll allow you to file a bug report using the integrated bug reporting tool.......

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/bin/ubiquity", line 658, in <module>
main(oem_config)
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/bin/ubiquity", line 642, in main
install(args[0], query=options.query)
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/bin/ubiquity", line 274, in install
ret = wizard.run()
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/frontend/gtk_ui.py", line 806, in run
telemetry.get().set_installer_type('GTK')
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/telemetry.py", line 36, in get
_Telemetry._telemetry = _Telemetry()
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/telemetry.py", line 51, in __init__
with open('/cdrom/.disk/info') as f:
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/cdrom/.disk/info'

Unfortunately, I am not savvy enough to find or use the integrated bug reporting tool. I don't even know if that is necessary.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the PermissionError statement?
Does this mean there is something wrong with permissions on my USB (it is formatted ext4, like the previous LiveUSBs I have used).
Or, instead, is there a problem with permissions on the SSD to which I am trying to install?
Do i need to reformat the SSD before trying to install Mint? It seems to me I have installed a new distro over an old one several times in the past.

I am lost here and could use direction.
I apologize if the answer is already available in the Forum. I did a fair amount of searching, but failed miserably.

[Welcome]

I have a Dell Latitude E6400 laptop containing a Samsung SSD with MX Linux installed. I want to replace MX Linux with Mint 20 Cinnamon. I downloaded the .iso and verified it as instructed. I then used Unetbootin to create a bootable USB. I booted from the thumb drive and found working with the LiveUSB to be quite inviting. Mint even discovered my Brother network printer and made it easy to access the Broadcom wifi driver. All is well with the LiveUSB.

However, when I double clicked the "Install Linux Mint" icon, I quickly received a message

Installer Crashed
After you close this window, we'll allow you to file a bug report using the integrated bug reporting tool.......

Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/bin/ubiquity", line 658, in <module>
main(oem_config)
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/bin/ubiquity", line 642, in main
install(args[0], query=options.query)
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/bin/ubiquity", line 274, in install
ret = wizard.run()
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/frontend/gtk_ui.py", line 806, in run
telemetry.get().set_installer_type('GTK')
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/telemetry.py", line 36, in get
_Telemetry._telemetry = _Telemetry()
File "/usr/lib/ubiquity/ubiquity/telemetry.py", line 51, in __init__
with open('/cdrom/.disk/info') as f:
PermissionError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/cdrom/.disk/info'

Unfortunately, I am not savvy enough to find or use the integrated bug reporting tool. I don't even know if that is necessary.

Can anyone interpret the meaning of the PermissionError statement?
Does this mean there is something wrong with permissions on my USB (it is formatted ext4, like the previous LiveUSBs I have used).
Or, instead, is there a problem with permissions on the SSD to which I am trying to install?
Do i need to reformat the SSD before trying to install Mint? It seems to me I have installed a new distro over an old one several times in the past.

I am lost here and could use direction.
I apologize if the answer is already available in the Forum. I did a fair amount of searching, but failed miserably.

Linux Mint recommends Etcher to make the bootable live USB.
https://linuxmint-installation-guide.re ... /burn.html

The permission error shows that it was attempting to access a CD or DVD. That doesn't make any sense.

Should be no problem with the permissions on the SSD. I've installed Mx and then LM in the past ... hmmm ... wait ... now that I think about it, I might have deleted all traces of Mx first. To be safe, it's worth trying. Delete all of the current partitions, and give it a go! Should not need to reformat!

[Iggy64]

Thanks for the suggestion, Welcome.

I deleted the partitions on the SSD, so it is now all unallocated space (466GB).

Unfortunately, the installer continues to crash with the exact same message as before.

The Disks utility shows the Samsung SSD as a single partition "Free Space" 500 GB

To my surprise, the Disks utility shows the LiveUSB as having two partitions:
Partition 1 Mint20Cin 31 GB Ext4
Partition 2 MX-uefi 52 MB FAT
I hard formatted this USB before using it (asked Disks to overwrite all the data; it took a LONG time). Don't understand why that didn't remove the MX-uefi partition. Guess I'm still a rookie.

To my further surprise, the Disks utility shows yet another "drive" (besides the SSD and the USB)
1,9 GB Loop Device
Backing File /cdrom/casper/filesystem.squashfx
Unknown (squashfx 4.0) - Mounted at /rofs

How did THAT get in here?
I note that this loop device seems to reference a squash filesystem supposedly on CD ROM --- which hints back at the error message I received from the installer. I'm not experienced enough to interpret all this.

I don't know why my hard-formatted USB has a residual (left-over) partition from MX Linux.
I don't know where the "Loop Device" came from, what it does, or whether it plays a role in the error message from the installer.

[Iggy64]

I guess I'm going to use a brand-new USB drive formatted NTFS, and use the Image-Writer tool you suggested (instead of Unetbootin) to make a new LiveUSB, then give this another shot.

[Welcome]

Yes, please create a new Linux Mint live with that tool.

There's another approach we could also use if absolutely necessary...

Do you have another spare USB drive that you could use to create another Linux Mint live USB drive? And do you still have the .iso file that you downloaded for Linux Mint live? And I guess most important, do you have 3 USB ports so that you can have all three inserted at the same time?

If the answer is yes to the above, create a new Linux Mint live USB using the USB Image Writer in your current Linux Mint live OS.

[Iggy64]

Thanks for persevering with my endless questions and observations.

While you were writing your most-recent suggestion, I was in the process of creating a fresh LiveUSB using a brand-new thumb drive (right out of the package) and using the .iso image writer you suggested.

I popped this new LiveUSB into the laptop, fired it up, and Mint is installing just fine.

I remain puzzled as to why my "hard format" of the old USB drive did not wipe it clean.
I am further puzzled as to where the casper-related "Loop device" came from.
I mean, c'mon, I had the Disks utility supposedly overwrite the entire USB drive before using it. I guess I should have been more observant and checked it out more thoroughly before using it.
I guess I'll need to study up on this stuff, to avoid mucking things up like this in the future.
So much to learn!

Thank you very much for your kind suggestions, and for taking time to help me.

[Welcome]

You're most welcome!

I've learned that it's sometimes hard to get a working bootable USB drive. Some times it works best one way, and other times something else works best.

I would recommend that you do not wipe USB drives unless really necessary. It will shorten the life a little.

The loop devices are normal. Basically, that's how the OS sets up a place to access files.

[Iggy64]

Thanks for the additional info!

If I want to re-use a USB thumb drive, what is the best procedure?
Perhaps it would be:
- Use gparted to delete all partitions
- Use Disks (or whatever) to do a quick reformat (without overwriting)

[Welcome]

If I want to re-use a USB thumb drive, what is the best procedure?
Perhaps it would be:
- Use gparted to delete all partitions
- Use Disks (or whatever) to do a quick reformat (without overwriting)

If you don't need to change the partitions, a quick reformat will make the USB drive ready for re-use.

If you do need to change the partitions, you can also use Disks to delete and add partitions.

However, if you have sensitive info (e.g. your bank account passwords) that you need to protect and it's on an unencrypted USB drive in unencrypted files, then you might want to try to erase the full drive. Or, the other option is the destroy it completely with a sledge hammer! Might be easier to encrypt anything important like that so that you won't have to do either of those two options!

[antikythera]

1,9 GB Loop Device
Backing File /cdrom/casper/filesystem.squashfx
Unknown (squashfx 4.0) - Mounted at /rofs

This is the live environment itself loaded into your system's RAM. It is not permanent and will disappear as soon as you turn off or restart the PC.

[Iggy64]

Thanks to Welcome and to antikythera for the additional information. It improves my understanding of what is going on here, and will likely make things easier for me going forward.

I really appreciate the friendly and patient help that is offered by members of this forum.