Can't install Qiana on Dell Inspiron 15R 5537 A20

[fernandocabral]

My Dell Inspiron 15R 5537 A20 came with windows 8.1. First, I tried to run Qiana inside VirtualBox running under Windows 8.1. Did not work (let's forget this).
Then I tried to install Qiana in dual boot to now avail. I activated legacy bios and supressed secure boot. With a pendrive (tested in two other machines), I tried to boot Dell. It seemed to be working, until I got the message that the X-Server could not be started.

Tried again, this time using a (tested and working) LiveDVD. Same problem. The screen blanks out and the system stops reading the DVD. Nothing else happens until I presse Enter. That's when I seen a screenful of text whose 5 last lines read:

Code: Select all

Initializaing built-in XFree86=DGA
Initiializing built-in extension DRI2
Loading extension GLX
(II) [KMS] Kernel modesetting enabled.
X: ../../../../include/privates.h:122 dixGetPrivateAddr:Assertion `Key->initialized' failed.

When I ask to see the detailed X-server output I get hundreds of lines whose three last lines read:

Code: Select all

[ 126.626] (II) RADEON(GO): [XvMC] Associated with GLAMOR Textured Video
[ 126.626] (EE) RADEON(GO): [XvMC] Failed to initialize extension.
[ 126.626] (II) RADEON(GO): RandR 1.2 enabled, ignore the following RandR disabled message.
 

That's old Greek to me. Any hints most appreciated.

EDIT: Next and last message reads:

Code: Select all

The X server is now disabled. Restart MDM when it is configured correctly

(the same LivePendrive and LiveDVD worked OK on two other machines. And the original .ISO from which the pendrive and DVD were made also run good under virtual box on those two other machines. So, I presume it has to do with the Dell hardware)

[PatH57]

it this the one with touchscreen? and AMD radeon graphics?

[fernandocabral]

it this the one with touchscreen? and AMD radeon graphics?

Yes: touchscreen, AMD Radeon HD 8670M (and also Intel(R) HD Graphics Family)

[PatH57]

ok let's try this

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub

a text editor will open with the grub configuration file. Near the top of that file you will see something very similar to this:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

add your custom boot options to the GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT line, so for instance:

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash nomodeset"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

[fernandocabral]

Sorry, I don't know how to do this. If I am booting from a DVD, it does not allow me to do any editing.
If I am booting from a pendrive, I can't find this /etc/default/grub
As to the system that is running, I can't edit, because it freezes up after I read all those messages
about not being able to start X Server.

Even if I could grab a shell during liveDVD startup (which I don't know if it is possible), But even if it is, wouldn't I be only editing a
a temporary image loaded to RAM?

I would think that I should do this to the iso image, before creating the live pendrive or DVD. But I don't know
to do this either.

Can you help me with that?

[PatH57]

sure at boot press tab or e, you will see the grub.
modify the line (temporary fix) install your system and then after it you can modify the file again. If it works.

[fernandocabral]

sure at boot press tab or e, you will see the grub.
modify the line (temporary fix) install your system and then after it you can modify the file again. If it works.

Now, guess what? I pressed tab and started the system in compatibility mode. Well, it ran perfectly well. Even the touchscreen is
working! I will now try to install it and see what happens. (I still don't classify this as solved, but certainly you have put me on the right way).

[fernandocabral]

The problem continues. Hiting TAB and starting in compatibility mode, I was able to install Qiana. Full functionality, including touchscreen. Nevertheless, it was not recognized at boot time. Then I installed rEFInd and it appeared to do the trick. I could start windows 8.1 ok. When I tried to started Qiana, the problem was back. Now, even if I try compatibility mode, it does not work. But, if I go back to BIOS legacy mode, then start from the DVD with the compatibility mode, it does work. After starting one more time from the DVD, I manually mounted the /etc directory and edited the grub file as you suggested. No, it still did not work.

So, perhaps rEFInd uses loader other than grub, in which case, editing the grub file will not help.

What I have in mind now is trying boot-repair (but I don't know if it if it works with UEFI).

Any other suggestion?

[fernandocabral]

Solved. Nevertheless, it took me about 60 hours of hard word (only interrupted for a brief sleep, woolfing down a little thing and pitstop)

Problems had to do with UEFI and the video card Rateon. Working with the two problems and the same time without understanding neither of them
complicated things a lot. Which is good, because it imposed me a intensive training on both.

Summary: we have to configure the grub start up line to include "rateon.modeset=0" (no quotes).
As to the grub/UEFI issue, after trying for about 36 hours I decided to experiment with ubuntu.
Yes, it worked with UEFI. Then I saved the configuration files (/boot/* and /etc/default/grub), reinstalled Mint on top of ubuntu and edited the
configuration files using the saved file as reference. It worked.

I must add that boot-repair helped a little, but it brought its own problemas. First, It would not download on the Mint from liveCD.
I had to download it in a different machine. Second, the .iso file did not start on the new machine, no matter what I did. Third,
to install the .deb package I had to find some dependencies. Dois this, it finally ran on the new machine. Nevertheless, there was
a "apt-get install" line that ended with "linux" which never worked. Inspired by tiredness and madness, I deleted that appendix and
it worked (kind of). At least, it ran till the end.

I still had to do some manual editing (like the rateon.modeset=0) but after two and a half day, it is up Mint is up and running in dual boot with windows 8.1
in my new Dell machine.

I would not recommend this adventure for the faint of heart. Also, I would not say it is as easy as I read about in serveral how-to I found in the Internet. They all made
things seem much simpler and faster then my experience shows (then, perhaps, I am much dumbier than those authors).

Any way, case closed.

[finito]

I faced the same issue on my i7 Inspiron 15R
I installed uxMint 17 64-bit Cinnamon

I installed using USB stick although the fix I will mention doesn't affect the details above i think.

When you get to the list where you choose integrity test normal or compatibility mode press e

Then after the words quiet splash add nomodeset

Then press f10 and install and reboot

You might get an error no hard disk found or the machine asking you to boot through network, just go-to bios and switch legacy boot to UEFI boot.

When you boot you'll face the same issue just the error pop up and press cntrl+alt+f2

Login and plug a network wire into the laptop for internet

Type sudo apt-get install fglrx

Press enter and let it finish.

Reboot by pressing cntrl+alt+del

Viola

[akash-ahmed]

so is there anyone success to installing linux mint kde 17 on dell inspiron 5537?

i am facing the same issue. . . . the X-Server couldn't started.

[PatH57]

Hi,

I would suggest you open your own thread as you have an intel graphic card on this 5537 (HD 4400)
How is the weather in Riyadh? I was based 8 years in Khobar.

[akash-ahmed]

Well, still the same 30 to 52, guess what? don't even think about to come back in K>S>A.

last night I downloaded openSUSE-13.1-DVD-x86_64.iso and it's working very well
now I am going to setup on my laptop, and what if I need any help I will ask you.

thank you patH57.

[rashadkasim]

Hi,
I tried the same for editing the grub. But the try was not successful.

It gave below error message, when I tried cd /etc/default/grub
no folder with name default in /etc

If you dont mind, can you explain the step by step process.

PS: Not an expert

[rashadkasim]

It would be great if you could share the entire details. I am also facing the same issue when tried with Dell Inspiron R 5537

Regards,
Rashad

[clatworthy]

Pat H 57 and fernandocabral,

I cannot thank you two enough for this post. I am now a new owner of a brand spanking new HP Pavillion 15 and had exactly the same issues, boot to an MDM error message, X failing to start, etc, exactly as fernandocabral described.

The holding down the TAB key during boot and editing the GRUB script was superb advice and got the beast running at least (thanks to PatH57 for this). When Mint 17 (64 bit) was installed, I edited GRUB as you describe above to add the nomodeset option. This was sufficient to get everything updated post-installation and software updated, files (data) re-installed, printer configured etc.

Then I followed fernandocabral's advice, added the radeon-nomodeset=0 to GRUB, installed fglrx (sudo apt-get install fglrx) and re-booted. PERFECT.

I have followed your advice and got everything running perfectly. Thanks again Pat H 57 and fernandocabral, Richard

[fernandocabral]

It would be great if you could share the entire details. I am also facing the same issue when tried with Dell Inspiron R 5537

Regards,
Rashad

Rashad
Everything I know about the issue and its solution has been discussed above. (Except for those things I tried but forgot to write down and can't remember anymore.)
Nevertheless, there is something I might add: at least twice, I did something magic I cant' explain, but did help: when cinnamon wouldn't run in higher resolution,
I started in recory mode to try to find what was wrong. I did not find anything, but... guess what? When I rebooted, it did work!

It's magic, I know. Can't explain why it did work. But the fact is, when I needed to install my machine a second time, it happened again, I did it again,
and it worked again... so, perhaps you can give it try: change the file (modeset, etc.), then start in recovery mode and then reboot as usual. When
science and knowledge does not help, magic might work.

[clatworthy]

Rashad,

Summary of what fernandocabral and I have done (with expert guidance from PatH57) to get the HP Pavillion 15 with Radeon graphics card running.

Make sure you have chosen and burned a 64bit Mint 17 DVD

Power on the laptop with F10 pressed to enter the BIOS settings

Navigate to the “boot order” section and make sure that the order is DVD, USB then Hard-drive. For some gormless reason, the default on my machine was hard drive first. You may need to select the legacy option. So long as DVD is first the rest is not important

Whilst powered up, open the DVD drive and insert the Linux Mint 17 DVD

Power-off by pressing and holding down the power button for 5 seconds

Power on the laptop with the Linux Mint 17 DVD in the drive. Immediately press and hold down the tab button and hold it there until the options appear on the screen

Choose “e” for edit and add nomodeset to the options. This is temporary for this boot only. You may see a gray box at the top right of the screen informing you that the CPU is performing the work of the graphics card. This is the effect of the nomodeset option. It makes the kernel ignore proprietary drivers. Just click on the message to make it go away

Allow the machine to then boot up from the DVD

Click on the install icon and perform the Mint upgrade in the normal way

Enter this in a Terminal window

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub

a text editor will open with the grub configuration file. Near the top of that file you will see something very similar to this:-
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

add your custom boot option to the following:-
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash radeon.modeset=0"

Whilst the Terminal session is still running, enter this command:-

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install fglrx

fglrx is the driver for the Radeon graphics card and you need this to use the radeon.modeset=0 option. You need to do the GRUB edit and the fglrx install

NOTE: we used the nomodeset option for the installation boot sequence and then the radeon.modeset=0 for then onwards

Reboot the beast and begin the long process of allowing the software updates to take place

I gave up on WiFi and connected to the router with a cable. I did not bother to determine the cause but I assune the network software has been seriously upgraded from the DVD version

Hope this is clearer. Richard

[rashadkasim]

Rashad,

Summary of what fernandocabral and I have done (with expert guidance from PatH57) to get the HP Pavillion 15 with Radeon graphics card running.

Make sure you have chosen and burned a 64bit Mint 17 DVD

Power on the laptop with F10 pressed to enter the BIOS settings

Navigate to the “boot order” section and make sure that the order is DVD, USB then Hard-drive. For some gormless reason, the default on my machine was hard drive first. You may need to select the legacy option. So long as DVD is first the rest is not important

Whilst powered up, open the DVD drive and insert the Linux Mint 17 DVD

Power-off by pressing and holding down the power button for 5 seconds

Power on the laptop with the Linux Mint 17 DVD in the drive. Immediately press and hold down the tab button and hold it there until the options appear on the screen

Choose “e” for edit and add nomodeset to the options. This is temporary for this boot only. You may see a gray box at the top right of the screen informing you that the CPU is performing the work of the graphics card. This is the effect of the nomodeset option. It makes the kernel ignore proprietary drivers. Just click on the message to make it go away

Allow the machine to then boot up from the DVD

Click on the install icon and perform the Mint upgrade in the normal way

Enter this in a Terminal window

Code: Select all

gksudo gedit /etc/default/grub

a text editor will open with the grub configuration file. Near the top of that file you will see something very similar to this:-
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
#GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_HIDDEN_TIMEOUT_QUIET=true
GRUB_TIMEOUT=10
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

add your custom boot option to the following:-
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash radeon.modeset=0"

Whilst the Terminal session is still running, enter this command:-

Code: Select all

sudo apt-get install fglrx

fglrx is the driver for the Radeon graphics card and you need this to use the radeon.modeset=0 option. You need to do the GRUB edit and the fglrx install

NOTE: we used the nomodeset option for the installation boot sequence and then the radeon.modeset=0 for then onwards

Reboot the beast and begin the long process of allowing the software updates to take place

I gave up on WiFi and connected to the router with a cable. I did not bother to determine the cause but I assune the network software has been seriously upgraded from the DVD version

Hope this is clearer. Richard

"


It worked perfect. I understood where I was stuck. It was after taking compatibility mode, I did not add 'nomodeset'.
Thanks a lot

[rashadkasim]

It would be great if you could share the entire details. I am also facing the same issue when tried with Dell Inspiron R 5537

Regards,
Rashad

Rashad
Everything I know about the issue and its solution has been discussed above. (Except for those things I tried but forgot to write down and can't remember anymore.)
Nevertheless, there is something I might add: at least twice, I did something magic I cant' explain, but did help: when cinnamon wouldn't run in higher resolution,
I started in recory mode to try to find what was wrong. I did not find anything, but... guess what? When I rebooted, it did work!

It's magic, I know. Can't explain why it did work. But the fact is, when I needed to install my machine a second time, it happened again, I did it again,
and it worked again... so, perhaps you can give it try: change the file (modeset, etc.), then start in recovery mode and then reboot as usual. When
science and knowledge does not help, magic might work.

"
Hi fernandocabral,
I got the installation part done. Now I am facing 2 issues
1. Touch pad is not working. I went to settings>input>Touchpad. But it shows a message as shown below
"Synaptics driver is not installed (or is not used)"
2. After updating entire thing, sound is no more working.

Looking forward to see good news.
I am not yet ready to give up