Linux Lite Won't Install

rgand

I'll keep this as short as possible. I'm fairly new to Linux and have very successfully put Linux Lite 2.6 with a dual boot on two older Toshiba laptops. Confident with what I'd done so far, I decided to finally go with the same on my main computer which is an Asus G75V. To avoid any chance of loosing all my personal data, I cloned the drive onto a new SSHD 1Tb drive I bought just to get this computer up with the best possible drive in it.

When I had the computer apart to swap to the new drive, I installed a second HDD for extra data storage then booted to the install disk and gave LL a try. It worked OK from the disk boot with only one minor issue so I thought I'd install it and then work that out. This was a dismal failure. Nothing would boot up at all. The drive was dead. I changed back to the original drive (thank goodness I had the wisdom to start with a clone) and re-cloned the drive again. This time, I left the second HDD out in case it had been a problem.

The second try was unsuccessful and it would boot to Windows with error messages. It also wanted to do a disk check at boot up, which I cancelled and went on. I thought maybe the problem was the SSHD so I found a smaller SATA drive and decided to use that. I cloned the original to the SSHD for a future install and then cloned the SATA drive and tried again.

The third try was also a bad install and I went online to find out what gives. Two days before there had been a release of Linux Lite 2.8 so I tried that this time thinking that some issue had been corrected.

Try four failed. The LL install had put three new partitions on the drive for a total of 7 or 8. I say 'or 8' because when I checked the drive for partitions, there were 8, two I couldn't identify. The original drive has these partitions: C: (system), (data), Boot and the hidden restore partitions. The LL install added, the system partition, the swap and one other small one that I couldn't identify. Somewhere along the way another hidden partition got shoved in there, too.

At no time did I ever get a working Linux installation and Windows would boot up reluctantly. I never got the dual boot menu to choose which system to boot to.

I'm ready to try this one last time. Does anyone have any idea what is going wrong here?

Thanks for any insights here.

rgand

OK, I'm ready to change distros for Linux. I suspect my computer just needs a system that is more friendly to this Asus. I'm looking at Linux Mint. There are several downloads, though.

I'm used to Windows (up to 7) and have recently started working with Linux Lite. Lite was an easy switch. Which Mint version will give me the easiest transition from those systems? Remember I'm a newbie to Linux and just want a good OS, not something radically different than I'm used to.

Thanks, Robert

cswann1

rgand wrote:

OK, I'm ready to change distros for Linux. I suspect my computer just needs a system that is more friendly to this Asus. I'm looking at Linux Mint. There are several downloads, though.

I'm used to Windows (up to 7) and have recently started working with Linux Lite. Lite was an easy switch. Which Mint version will give me the easiest transition from those systems? Remember I'm a newbie to Linux and just want a good OS, not something radically different than I'm used to.

Thanks, Robert

I think you'll have a good experience with Linux Mint. I did.

I'm an IT tech in a Windows environment and I've been a Windows user since 3.1 I've tried to use Linux many times in the past but have just gotten frustrated with various issues. I get it and appreciate the Linux world for what it is, but it all just seemed so "fidley", for lack of a better term.

Windows 10 finally pushed way past my limits of tolerance on some key issues (privacy primarily), I pulled my Windows 10 drive from my Lenovo v570 (i5 6Gb) and installed a Patriot Blaze 120Gb SSD I had laying around. I installed Linux Mint 17.3 Cinnamon and I was amazed at how polished and seamless the entire experience was. Using Cinnamon from a long-time Windows users perspective is great. I've played around with several Linux distros, usually running on a VM. Mint, so far, has been the most enjoyable for me.

I will probably re-install my Windows drive sooner or later, just to pull my files/pics/etc. I'm sold and am planning to recreate my gaming PC to run Linux and have a Win7 x64 running on a VM.

saqman2060

rgand wrote:

I'll keep this as short as possible. I'm fairly new to Linux and have very successfully put Linux Lite 2.6 with a dual boot on two older Toshiba laptops. Confident with what I'd done so far, I decided to finally go with the same on my main computer which is an Asus G75V. To avoid any chance of loosing all my personal data, I cloned the drive onto a new SSHD 1Tb drive I bought just to get this computer up with the best possible drive in it.

When I had the computer apart to swap to the new drive, I installed a second HDD for extra data storage then booted to the install disk and gave LL a try. It worked OK from the disk boot with only one minor issue so I thought I'd install it and then work that out. This was a dismal failure. Nothing would boot up at all. The drive was dead. I changed back to the original drive (thank goodness I had the wisdom to start with a clone) and re-cloned the drive again. This time, I left the second HDD out in case it had been a problem.

When you had the Linux Lite running from the boot disc, what what the minor issue you encountered? Can you remember in detail what the issue was? Also, would it be possible to submit a screenshot of the your partition setup of your last harddrive. Partition schemes are tricky, and one partition in the wrong spot or removed can cause a system not to boot. Windows' partition layout is a landmine. It can have multiple partitions with only a few that can understood.

saqman2060

rgand wrote:

OK, I'm ready to change distros for Linux. I suspect my computer just needs a system that is more friendly to this Asus. I'm looking at Linux Mint. There are several downloads, though.

I'm used to Windows (up to 7) and have recently started working with Linux Lite. Lite was an easy switch. Which Mint version will give me the easiest transition from those systems? Remember I'm a newbie to Linux and just want a good OS, not something radically different than I'm used to.

Thanks, Robert

Everybody has a preference. I have learned from experience, try out a linux distro that is very light on resource usage, is not graphic extensive or does not require a graphic accelerator and boots into a live session. Mint has a few that offers those features, Mint with LXDE, XFCE, and MATE.

Linux mint

bootneck02

I have recently converted to Linux, I would recommend Linux Mint Cinnamon 17.3 64bit I found it easy to install it comes fully loaded with apps but you are able to down load hundreds more should you need them. I converted to Mint just before Christmas and haven’t looked back and now would NEVER NEVER return back to the Microcrap fold. My PC is about 3 years old and a home build and Mint found all the drivers with no problem. Good luck and welcome to the Linux fold.