Linux won't install on Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P

[mo3r99]

Hi all,
I'm relatively new to linux and I've been trying to install it on my PC after using it on my laptop for a while. I tried installing Ubuntu 20.04 first, but the installation would fail as soon as it started. Then I tried elementary OS 5.1.5, which wouldn't load unless the USB installer was in a USB3 port, and the mouse and keyboard wouldn't work unless in a USB3 port also. I saw another thread on here which said that IOMMU should be disabled in the BIOS, and "iommu=soft" be added to the GRUB commands. This worked in the live system, but when I went to install it (when I loaded the installer in EFI mode), it failed saying: "Failed to create ESP partition on /dev/sda1" or something similar. When I ran it in legacy mode, it would install fine, but when I rebooted the computer to run it, it wouldn't load, and would eventually say "error: no such partition" and show "GRUB rescue". I followed a YouTube guide (

) it would show "Filesystem is unknown" for all the drives. I tried installing again and again to no avail. I have no idea what I'm doing wrong.

My specs are:
AMD FX-8320
Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P
RX 580
installing on a SATA internal hard drive

Not sure what else would affect it.

All help is greatly appreciated.

 

[Vrai]

Have you tried using a Live .iso (installation image, such as the one on your USB) and using GParted to create an EFI partition prior to attempting to install? Might help.

Also, at the same time you could create the partition for the install and then just point the installer to it.

I don't know if the Ubuntu install image includes GParted but there are many Live images which do.

 

[sp331yi]

Also, can you boot to a LiveCD? (as Vrai asked, roudaboutly)
More hardware specs (peripherals) would prove useful, OP.

 

[mo3r99]

Hi, Vrai. I haven't tried partitioning the disk using GParted yet, but I'll try it today and see if that helps. I think it's included in elementary so I'll try that.
sp331yi, I can boot to the live CD fine, it just won't install for some reason. I have a regular Dell wireless mouse and keyboard which I keep in a USB2 port. I have 12GB DDR3 RAM. There's also a DAC in a USB2 port. And I'm using ethernet (which won't work without the "iommu=soft" GRUB command). I'm installing on a 5400RPM Toshiba 2.5" hard drive (because no other spare drives). Not too sure what else would help.

 

[Alexzee]

Here's the link to download g-parted:

GParted -- Live CD/USB/PXE/HD

gparted.org

Is the machine that you are installing Linux to a desktop or a laptop?
Is it a Lenovo? Sony? HP? What make and model, RAM and GPU?

 

[mo3r99]

Hi Alexzee. Thanks for the link.
It's an older custom built desktop. As I mentioned, it has an AMD FX 8320, a Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P motherboard, RX 580 GPU, 12GB DDR3 RAM. I'm installing it on a 5400 RPM Toshiba Hard drive salvaged from a laptop as I don't have any spare SSD's at the moment. I'll try using GParted to partition the disk and I'll keep you updated!

 

[openinf0]

Hi have you checked your boot order in the bios of your computer eg when booting from live CD set your first boot to dvd-cd drive then second boot to hard drive as you may only be running in live cd??

 

[Alexzee]

Hi Alexzee. Thanks for the link.
It's an older custom built desktop. As I mentioned, it has an AMD FX 8320, a Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3P motherboard, RX 580 GPU, 12GB DDR3 RAM. I'm installing it on a 5400 RPM Toshiba Hard drive salvaged from a laptop as I don't have any spare SSD's at the moment. I'll try using GParted to partition the disk and I'll keep you updated!

You're Welcome-
If you don't have another os already installed on your Toshiba HHD than using g-parted should be easy to create the partitions you need for Linux.

 

[openinf0]

Hi as I see its a older motherboard. do you have the 32bit or 64bit image as you would probably need the 32bit image and a light version of Linux

 

[openinf0]

Try downloading Lubuntu desktop 32bit .iso image and burn it to disk then try installing that version see if that works its a lighter version

 

[mo3r99]

Hi everyone! Thanks so much for your help! I used GParted to create a partition for EFI and an ext4 partition on the hard drive, then went to install elementary os onto it. The installer kept giving error 5: input/output error, so I burned the iso image to a DVD, then went to install it. It was a bit slow, but it installed just fine, and, when I restarted, it booted into elementary OS from the HDD! Writing this from my new linux installation now! Thank you everyone!

 

[light_eater]

Well done @mo3r99. Hope you enjoy your new system, please let us know what do you think about it in a few days.
@openinf0 AMD FX 8320 is definitely not a new piece of kit (end of 2012) but it is a 64 bit CPU for sure, 8 cores, no multi-threading, 3.5 GHz, 4GHz in boost mode. It can handle any Linux distribution except Qubes OS, but what can. Peace Always

 

[TimSC]

I also have a 970A-DS3P. I upgraded from Mint 19.3 (kernal 5.4.0-40) to Mint 20 (based on Ubuntu 20.04, using the same kernel) and it failed by booting to command prompt with no network. Booting from USB is almost hopeless and I have not tried a live CD.

 

[Condobloke]

@TimSC
Read this first.... https://blog.linuxmint.com/?p=3946

Then this...https://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/2485

 

[TimSC]

@Condobloke Thanks for the encouragement. Upgrading to Mint 20 worked on 2 of my 3 computers, so they are doing ok. The 970A-DS3P was always a pain with linux, particularly with USB support. I might give it another go with a DVD drive installed.