I heard Mint is supposed to be the simplest distro to get started with but my experience so far (following the setup guide on the website) has been:
- Download ISO
- Check ISO (seemed fine)
- Burn image… crash
- Burn image in administrator mode
- Boot from USB via BIOS… crash
- Boot from USB via Bios in safe mode
- Download multimedia codecs… crash
- Not download multimedia codecs… also crash?
And that’s where I am presently, it runs fine off the USB albeit a bit slow, and I know its connected to the internet because I can browse lemmy on it and make annoying posts on the Linux community. I knew Linux was going to be more work than windows but this feels like a ridiculous level of effort right out of the gate, I worry that even if I somehow get it running I’ll spend 10x more time fixing it than actually using it.
You must log in or register to comment.
sounds like the machine has an issue like bad ram/failing hd or something… ive installed mint on hundreds of machines with random hardware and never had these issues…
what machine did you make the stick with that crashed?
Yup, get a recovery/tool ISO and run a memory test.
Doesn’t The Linux Mint ISO also offer to run Memtest86+?
Otherwise: https://memtest.org/
Memtest is quite shit, seriously unstable ram will still pass. If it doesn’t pass memtest it’s actually dead.
Can you recommend a better solution?
The last time I’ve used it, it well identified the addresses of the RAM blocks that were broken.Sadly most good tools are windows only but: OCCT, karhu Ram test and testmem5 (anta extreme config) Are all good choices, but id usually recommend running more than 1.
I followed the instructions to use Etcher, etcher itself crashed but it was a pretty easy fix running it in administrator mode and apparently a known issue. Its weird because the live preview works fine. The stick was made on the same machine I’m trying to install linux on.
that definitely indicates some kind of hardware failure
etcher sucks ass. I read about it even breaking usb sticks, I’ve had it fail the flashing too multiple times. in mint I use the preinstalled usb flashing tool, in other distros popsicle and in windows rufus.
Reporting back, rufus fucked it up even more, laptop is now bricked. I know y’all are gonna say it has nothign to do with Linux but it was working perfectly for years right up until today when I tried to install Mint.
(Bricked as in boots up but won’t boot to the Linux preview OR windows, possibly salvagable with a windows boot stick but currently a paperweight)
This sounds like a hardware issue. Did you get to the installer phase? Linux don’t touch your disk until you hit install and then confirm.
It probably would have done the same if you had tried to install Windows or BSD.
You should use a different USB drive and boot something like memtest86+ and let it run through. Or if it’s something like a Dell with built-in diagnostics, run that. You need to rule out failure of the different components. I’m guessing it’s the drive, but it could also be RAM.
Usually, the Linux installers have memtest86+ built in, as well as media verification. I’d do the verification if you haven’t already, then memtest.
Mentioned in a different comment but I have installed a custom win10 on this same laptop with this same USB stick before.
If it’s crashing when even burning the ISO, it’s not Mint.
I mean I got past that part as per the list. I’ve installed a custom win10 on the same laptop using the same USB before and it worked flawlessly. So far Mint just seems to be far more finicky about hardware than win10.
Yeah but if the crash is happening when burning the ISO then that’s the problem of whatever software and OS you’re using to do that, i.e. the ISO burning tool and Windows. An ISO is an ISO. As described, this problem is nothing to do with Linux. Phew! Once you fix this issue you’ll find Mint is easy peasy and you won’t look back. So keep at it.
Try a different USB
After reading the new behavior I’m fairly confident it’s hardware failure from the laptop, most likely the drive. I’ve experienced odd install failure behavior like this before which was a sad going bad.
OP has said a few times that they have installed windows from the USB previously without issues. Please remember that all hardware will eventually go bad. Just because it worked in the past, that doesn’t guarantee it would work today.
Sounds like your USB is fucked to be honest.
Define crash: exception thrown, Windows crashing, hard freeze…etc
Sure sounds like you have a bad USB drive to me if it’s only happening when using this USB device. Error messages would be helpful.
deleted by creator
Sure, but it’s a serious issue which is worth mentioning. Lots of Linux fanboys conveniently sidestep the whole “having the most popular GPU on the market will wreck your install” issue.
It’s absolutely something worth mentioning when you’re pushing someone to try Linux, because the “it’s so easy nowadays” rhetoric does nothing to help when it doesn’t turn out to be easy. If you’re genuinely trying to get people to use Linux as a daily driver, it’s worth warning them about some of the common pitfalls so they can go in with realistic expectations.
If they go in all starry-eyed and discover it’s not easy, they’re less likely to try it again in the future. After all, they were lied to the last time someone told them it was easy. Why would this time be any different?
Managing Nvidia isn’t all that bad. It used to be awful but now it is in the realm of not ideal.
I’m probably still gonna try it later, managed to re-format the laptop back to windows and get it working again… still no issues outside linux related things but I’m open to the possibility that it might just be bad luck with hardware.
- Download ISO
- Create bootable USB
- Boot from USB
- Install
- profit
This was my experience with Mint.
Add “Horribly mangle the system while experimenting with obscure pre-alpha open source customization software” and you have my experience with Mint.
Lol why the downvotes? I was just trying to be humorous! Y’all need to develop a sense of humor.
You should learn about containers and virtualization. You can experiment for a while and then blow it all away. Podman and virtual manager are your friends.
No, I wouldn’t expect any issues with Mint.
- what’s your hardware
- you say burn, but then mention USB, what are you using to create the install media? If I’m making a bootable usb in windows I exclusively use Rufus and haven’t had issues to date
Seconding rufus. I dont use anything else. This is the way.
