How should I proceed to remove Windows from a new refurbished Dell Latitude

Vicktoria

Active Member
Joined
Mar 16, 2020
Messages
293
Reaction score
76
Credits
1,669
Hello All. I've been advised to start a new thread. I am looking for guidance for the step by step process of removing Windows from a new purchase of a refurbished Dell Latitude E6440 laptop, Core i5-4300M 2.6GHz, 8GB Ram, 256GB SSD, DVDRW, with Window 10 Pro. I turned it on and it wants me to install Windows. I wanted to check to see how I should best get windows off and Linux on. As always, Thank you for your excellent work.
 


Have you got your chosen distribution burnt to a bootable pendrive?
If so put it in switch on the machine whilst jiggling F12 [this should bring up the short boot menu] select boot from USB and enter, it should then load a live session to your ram this is your time to make sure everything works ok and your happy with your choice of distribution double click on the install icon .
when it has done a machine check it will ask what type of install , select use all disc , it will then re-partition and format the entire disc for Linux use once done it will begin the install, when it asks if you want to install non-free/proprietary drivers say yes
you should end up with a linux only machine once the install is finished and you re-boot

Bwiz
 
I'm slightly confused , (as usual) you say you have Windows on it, but it wants to install Windows ?

Boot a live linux OS from a usb fire up gPArted, take a screenshot if you can . That would be handy to see whats on the h.d
 
I'm slightly confused
Welcome to my world..
the op has a re-furbed laptop , it comes with an on disc windows pr-install, as soon as she switches it on and allows it to boot it will fully instal windows [which is what she doesn't want to happen]
 
So how do I want to partition drive using gparted intending to install Linux Cinnamon 20.2?
 
So how do I want to partition drive using gparted intending to install Linux Cinnamon 20.2?


you dont you let the install do it it's self
it will then re-partition and format the entire disc for Linux use
 
@brickwizard what do you think then in Vicktoria case just select "use whole drive" to install ?
yes, its the easy way for beginners who dont want windows alongside , if at a later date she wants to load say a debian as a second distro the space on the HD can be re-allocated by that install
 
Great, thanks again everyone. I've played with partitioning drives before trying for a duel boot. Yet as you've noted there is no need to partition as I don't intend anything else on the Dell and if I add a distro it will repartition then. Guess it is time to dive. Will update you all soon I hope.
 
Ratsafratsa...Invalid partition table is the message; Intel boot agent; media test failure check cable; exiting intell boot agent; no boot device found. Unfortunately we hit a wall. Any ideas?
 
In your BIOS, do you have something called AHCI?

For the life of me, I'm having a brain fart. If it's enabled, disable it (change it to SATA or whatever it says). Or go the other way, if it's not enabled. Whatever setting it's on, try the opposite.
 
didn't get that on my re-ferbed HP desktop that was pre-loaded with W10 , have you booted from the install medium on another machine [or do you have another machine you can try it on?
 
right I'm back...
in the BIOS under storage options the settings are
SATA Emulation >AHIC
Removable boot Enabled

[to enter bios on HP jiggle ESC as you switch on]

Bwiz
 
I'll look at bios for AHIC in a moment. I tried again and this time went to 'something else' as I've done before while trying a duel boot. I'm using the Dell Latitude for Linux
/dev/sda
free space 1MB
/dev/sda 1 EFI 536MB 33MB
/dev/sda2 Ext4 255522MB 14054MB Mint 20.2

Device for boot loader installation
/dev/sda ATA KingFast [256.1GB]

No root file system is defined
 
AHCI* - it stands for Advanced Host Controller Interface. That much I 'member. Whatever it's on, change it. Then try to install.

(And just use the full disk if you're not dual booting.)
 
I found the AHCI listed under 'SATA Operation' no 'Storage' option. Under SATA Op 'RAID ON' is selected. We also have Options:
Disabled
ATA
AHCI

Is ATA the proper one or Disabled?
 
It appears I've got it. I chose the ATA and just reinstalled and it. It seems to be working. Thanks everyone. Any recommendations on BIOS settings or anything else, let me know please, and thank you very much.
 

Members online


Latest posts

Top