Mint has a BIG Problem.

[pleasefixthatbug]

Hello all,

Just want to bring a very important bug to the communities attention.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... bug/658865

This bug has been around since 2010 with few effective workarounds.
Finished weeks of trying to find a solution to no avail.

It forced me to move onto Ubuntu.

Users trying to install Mint for first time alongside Windows - Install fails and destroys partition information. Epic Fail!
Trying to install from USB using entire Disk. No chance.

Why not use a CDROM you ask?
CD/DVDs are not being added to laptops.
You are forced to install from USB.
Use a USB CDROM device? Not when you can't get one.

Mint must be hemorrhaging potential users at this point.
Hopefully someone can escalate the importance of fixing this bug.
If Ubuntu's Ubiquity works on the latest Ubuntu, it can't be that hard to fix.
Especially given Mint is kindof a front end for Ubuntu.

[Moem]

Trying to install from USB using entire Disk. No chance.

is that so? Then what is this laptop doing here right next to me at this selfsame moment?
That's right: installing Mint from USB using the entire disk. How can this be?

[karlchen]

Hi, pleasefixthatbug.

Actually I am not quite sure I understand
+ why you put the blame on Linux Mint
+ although the alledged/reported bug is in Ubuntu's ubiquity
+ how this should be less of a problem when installing genuine Ubuntu
+ although (see above) they use the same ubiquity software (it is theirs)?

As a matter of fact, this seems to be a problem of how unetbootin creates the live medium which seems to break some ubiquity rule.

Suggested solution/workaround:
I have created all my USB pendrive live systems using WinSetupFromUSB, which quite in contrast to its name, creates perfectly functional Ubuntu and Mint live systems. The "trick" very likely is that using WinSetupFromUSB the ISO file is copied onto the pendrive as an ISO file and loop-mounted by the pendrive grub4dos bootloader. Therefore the filesystem structure inside the ISO is always correct.

Best regards,
Karl

[Pjotr]

Trying to install from USB using entire Disk. No chance.

is that so? Then what is this laptop doing here right next to me at this selfsame moment?
That's right: installing Mint from USB using the entire disk. How can this be?

That doesn't count, because you have magic hands.

[Moem]

Then what is this laptop doing here right next to me at this selfsame moment?
That's right: installing Mint from USB using the entire disk. How can this be?

That doesn't count, because you have magic hands.

That must be it! It's the only explanation that makes sense. And to think that I even used unetbootin to write the USBstick...

[CaptainKirksChair]

Strange. I'm on a dual boot system right now; I bought the parts and put it together myself. I upgraded my wife's computer to Mint 18.3 yesterday -- dual boot with Windows 10. I have two full Mint only installs on a Dell laptop and an iMac 9.1. All were built with a LiveUSB and ZERO problems. The only issues I encountered were MY errors, not Mint.

If that bug actually has an effect on anyone, then it is VERY specific for specialized hardware. Otherwise, none of my systems would have been built. The stated problem has something to do with the file system on the USB drive. Which would lead me to believe the utility used to create the USB from the ISO caused the problem. All of the ISOs I've ever created have worked fine.

[majpooper]

Trying to install from USB using entire Disk. No chance.

is that so? Then what is this laptop doing here right next to me at this selfsame moment?
That's right: installing Mint from USB using the entire disk. How can this be?

I am shocked I tell you - shocked! - I have stopped installing Mint from DVDs for well over a year or more and install strictly from USB and I aways use the entire disk. How is this possible?

[Pjotr]

I am shocked I tell you - shocked! - I have stopped installing Mint from DVDs for well over a year or more and install strictly from USB and I aways use the entire disk. How is this possible?

You're suffering from a dangerous delusion....
I advise to consult a qualified physician!

[rumpus]

pleasefixthebug, I'm sorry you have a problem with mint install. As a newbee, knowing nothing about computers,perhaps I have no voice.

But , when I installed mint on my computer I knew I knew nothing and followed the instructions. As a result I had a perfectly good system.

I still know nothing about computers and it's still running.. Oh yea. I installed it from a stick...Easy as 3.14....r

[Joe2Shoe]

I created a LM18.3 Cinnamon 64-bit .iso USB flash drive (32GB) boot drive yesterday with Unetbootin, and it would not boot.
I then created it with USB Image Writer (LM) and it works great.
For what's it's worth.

[jimallyn]

Mint must be hemorrhaging potential users at this point.

Not likely, unless there are lots of people who, like you, don't bother coming to the forums to ask questions. Had you done that, almost certainly you'd be running Mint now.

[JerryF]

...
Users trying to install Mint for first time alongside Windows - Install fails and destroys partition information. Epic Fail!
Trying to install from USB using entire Disk. No chance.

Onto what machine were you trying to install Mint?

[coffee412]

I used multibootusb and it works great. Never had such a problem.

With the size of flash drives now (Im using 16gigs) I also reserve a bit of user space when installing so that some things can be installed like TeamViewer or something so when I boot up the flash drive I have it available.

[Spearmint2]

For the newer distros after Mint 17, the best to use is mkusb, especially if you want persistence set up on it.

[kc1di]

Another good live usb burner is call Etcher which is an appimage and can be run on any platform including windows and I have never had it burn a bad image yet.
The problem does not seem to be the installer but what ever your using to burn the .iso to the stick.
Etcher can be found here:
https://etcher.io
I've litterally install mint on 60 machines over the last 7 years and only in one instance could not get it to run and that was a hardware problem not Mint.

[pbear]

FWIW, Etcher is the USB burner recommended by the official Installation Guide for users coming from Windows, Mac OS or Linux other than Mint.

[Pepi]

This thread has brought back my panic attacks

[kc1di]

This thread has brought back my panic attacks

[Rebel Dog]

I figure if I can do it,,anybody can. I fail to see the problem.

[RobertService]

Rebel Dog wrote--

"I figure if I can do it, anybody can. I fail to see the problem."

Most unfortunately, you're not the only one; but others are charged with seeing the problem.
One of the problems, particularly in this case, is that a Moderator solution is to engage in sarcasm rather than trying to "...see the problem...", and trying to help.

Did anyone ask this individual for any details? Why not? There is no excuse for not asking.

It is understood that sarcasm from a commenter is to be expected, but totally unacceptable from a Moderator, in lieu of trying to help. Is it not obvious that the use of sarcasm is an extremely lame excuse for a total lack of knowledge, and a desire to get rid of the pesky problem--individual--as quickly as possible? Is it not understood that simply saying, "I don't know, but..." will NOT tend to drive people away--as a sarcastic answer surely will?

Perhaps it needs to be suggested, in the strongest possible terms, to Clement Lefebvre that a very healthy dose of solving the problem of 'quis custodiet ipsos custodes?' is desperately needed here; and that he has a serious problem in need of addressing.

Warmest regards...