[Solved] Impossible to install on MSI X370

[jibe]

Hi,

I just got a MSI 370 GAMING PLUS mother board, with a AMD A10-9700 and DDR4 2666MHz memory, but I'm unable to have it working. Any DVD or USB key I use (particularly with Tera Mate 64 and Serena Mate 64 installation DVDs), I get the grub message, and after that it reboots.

I'm sure that all the DVDs I tried are good, as I can use them on others computers. I tried with defaults BIOS settings and also several other options (and more especially changing legacy+UEFI/UEFI only) but I have always the same problem : reboot after the grub message.

My BIOS date is Aug 3, 2018

I returnd the MB thinking that it has a problem, but the vendor confirms that it is working well with Windows 10 and that he cannot help me for Linux. I found on the web that some people use this MB with Linux (ie in this thread)... What can I do to install Mint ?

[Pierre]

you've said "install" but - do you actually mean that the Live Media won't boot up ?
or can you get to an usable Live Desktop ?.

if not, can you use the 'compatibility mode' & which is usually the 2nd item on the Live Boot Menu.

BTW: don't rely on any information from your supplier about the Windows System,
as that is such an highly customised system, when compared to Plan Vanilla Linux Systems.

[jibe]

Ooops, sorry, that was effectively not clear. It's the Live DVD that does not boot up.

I'll retry in compatibility mode, but I'm almost sure that I already did without more success...

Another idea ?

[zcot]

Look at the section for "Solving Freezes" in the release notes: Mint 19 MATE: https://www.linuxmint.com/rel_tara_mate.php

If you have any questions about that stuff then let us know.

The idea is to fine tune a bit based on the hardware situation, and then after successful boot and install, you can set the installation to properly boot by using the appropriate module parameter, specific drivers, or whatever is needed.

[jibe]

Hi,

Thanks for your reply. I just got back my MB that I returned to the vendor. As I said, he tested it with Windows 10 and found it working, but what he didn't say is that he changed the BIOS. Now I have Sept. 25, 2018 version. I don't know why he changed it, but at least I have now the last one !

I tested the "nomodeset" option and others as said in your link ("nouveau.noaccel=1" and "noapic noacpi nosplash irqpoll"), but it's always the same : it reboots almost as soon as I press F10 to boot after I edit the grub line.

I tested as well in compatibility mode, with the bios set on "Legacy+UEFI" or "UEFI", with several others linux distribs, always with the same result. Only OpenBSD seems a little better, as it loads the kernel and I obtain the "Install /Upgrade etc." choice, but it warns about a lot of unknown material, so I did not go further. Maybe I could get the last (6.4) version and try... Note that OpenBSD's installer is in text mode only, possible reason why it's working well...

The idea is to fine tune a bit based on the hardware situation, and then after successful boot and install, you can set the installation to properly boot by using the appropriate module parameter, specific drivers, or whatever is needed.

Yes, the problem is probably in some tweak to do. But I'm not knowing well how it's working and don't know what I could try... Can you help me or point me to some good doc please ?

Thanks in advance

[rbmorse]

Have you run MEMTEST on that motherboard/memory combination? I keep running into DDR4 2666 modules that aren't. If you see a lot of errors from memtest, try setting the memory speed in the EFI setup to 2133 and run MEMETEST again.

Also, check the motherboard documentation for memory related options settings. There is one particular option, equivalent to what Intel calls XMP (extreme memory profile), that may have to be activated. The setting allows the motherboard to read a small NVM on the memory module to get optimal (alternate) voltages and timings that may be necessary for the modules to work reliably at the 2666 clock setting.

[zcot]

Bummer.

Nothing obvious.

If you're using USB3 sticks, maybe try USB2 and/or the respective port.

Try checking into BIOS for a setting that says to run specifically "Windows". Not sure what that would be on that board/bios but dig around in a hardware setting section and if there is that setting you would want a generic setting, not specifically for Windows.

Is there any selection of different graphic modes available?

And checking the various Mint start modes of course. That might be a lot of combinations.

[jibe]

Hi,

Thanks a lot : it's working

All settings about the RAM were on AUTO in the bios, and the auto selected speed for my 2666Mhz RAM was 2400MHz (obviously the processor limit). I forced it to 2133Mhz and I have been immediately able to boot as well as with a live CD as with a live USB stick ! I tried then to force the speed to 2400Mhz and found back the same problem as before.

I don't know why it cannot work at 2400MHz, but at least it works well at 2133Mhz.

[zcot]

Great!