Starting a new thread. I decided to reinstall Mint and only Mint. I don't want Windows anymore and the dual boot thing was complicating things. Tried to use my USB stick to boot up again, but it's not working anymore. I'm getting this blue screen with just the word OK. I click OK and then I get the next image. I click any key and then it just launches Windows again. What am I doing wrong?
Unable to reinstall Mint
- Thread starter UpNorth
- Start date
Brickwizard
Well-Known Member
looks like you may still have fast-boot or secure boot still enabled check in the BIOS/UEFI they are both off
To get rid of all MS before you install linux, you can partition the drive with a program such as Gparted. To do this, boot up a usb live disk or rescue disk which has the Gparted program, or get the Gparted live disk here: https://gparted.org/livecd.php. The mint live usb may have Gparted on it, but I can't say. In any case, re-partitioning the drive will get rid of MS.
wendy-lebaron
Active Member
You better be sure about this!
I don't know which computer you have but there should have been a technique which allows the user to interrupt the first booting process as soon as the computer is turned on. Usually this is achieved by pressing the
ESC key. For example on an ASUS computer I have, as soon as the screen makes any sign that it's coming on I press Escape. On other computers this key could be different, such as F12. You will have to investigate this on your computer.Another thing that is potential PITA is to find out how to get into the BIOS-like program which allows the user to choose an EFI file to boot from. This is very important, because these days almost all Linux live systems boot via UEFI. If this screen is not accessed, from how you were, you will be stuck always going into Windows. Alternatively, in the BIOS-like setup it should be possible to change the order of the devices the computer boots from. The "external USB" should be first on the list, followed by "internal disk" and lastly any other removable media such as CD/DVD, or networking option since you are using a pluggable USB to try to boot.
I'm saying this stuff because I don't know about a bunch of other computers but have two Hewlett-Packard laptops. In either of these I press
ESC as soon as the screen lightens up from turned off. Then I get a menu which tells me if it should go ahead to the BIOS-like settings or proceed to boot into Windows. On either of these computers I press F9 and then I get to choose which EFI file to boot from. Sometimes on one of my computers I have to hunt it down, because I have installations on external media besides three more on the groaning internal hard disk (not SSD).The trick is to boot into the live mode of Linux Mint and then you could use the installer and just tell it to use the entire disk all for Mint.
Welp, I have royally screwed this up. I chose the option to "Erase disk and install Linux Mint." I kept getting warnings about partitions but couldn't even tell you what all they said. I tried to install it anyway and it's stuck here: "Creating ext4 file system for / in partition #2 of SCSI2 (0,0,0) (sda..." Doesn't look like it's moving at all.
I found some instructions online and chose the "Something else" option and followed what it said to do. Went into Installation type, highlighted ext4, added size, and I don't know what else. But I don't know what I'm doing and nothing worked.
Also tried to download gparted, but I don't have any USB sticks big enough for the download. I used the biggest one I had for Mint.
Windows is now gone from my computer so I'm just using the live boot. I can't transfer the pics I took to show what messages I was getting.
Wendy, you were right. Saw your post too late.
I should've just left it alone, but there was definitely something wrong with the grub screen truncated on my monitor, and it still looks that way. I thought a new install would take care of it.
Thanks all for the suggestions. I'm hopeless. Going to drown my sorrows now. Happy New Year, everyone!
I found some instructions online and chose the "Something else" option and followed what it said to do. Went into Installation type, highlighted ext4, added size, and I don't know what else. But I don't know what I'm doing and nothing worked.
Also tried to download gparted, but I don't have any USB sticks big enough for the download. I used the biggest one I had for Mint.
Windows is now gone from my computer so I'm just using the live boot. I can't transfer the pics I took to show what messages I was getting.
Wendy, you were right. Saw your post too late.
I should've just left it alone, but there was definitely something wrong with the grub screen truncated on my monitor, and it still looks that way. I thought a new install would take care of it.
Thanks all for the suggestions. I'm hopeless. Going to drown my sorrows now. Happy New Year, everyone!
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Breathtaking honesty !....Love it !
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
You are in the live boot.
So...click on menu and type in GParted....+ password
Find the drive which you have had trouble with (it had windows on it and also linux...)
Right click on it and select format to ext4
There is a green tick icon just under the Partition name.....click on that and you will format the drive to ext4
Just double check you have the correct drive selected (this just in case you have any other drives connected).....we would not like to wipe a drive you have your backups on !!)
So...click on menu and type in GParted....+ password
Find the drive which you have had trouble with (it had windows on it and also linux...)
Right click on it and select format to ext4
There is a green tick icon just under the Partition name.....click on that and you will format the drive to ext4
Just double check you have the correct drive selected (this just in case you have any other drives connected).....we would not like to wipe a drive you have your backups on !!)
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Be careful....GParted is quite unforgiving. Make sure you are formatting the correct drive
Ah, didn't know I already had it. OK, so I did that and I see two partitions, /dev/sda1 and 2. I don't know which drive is the problem, I guess #2? So I formatted to ext4. There was an exclamation point next to sda1. I right clicked it and formatted to ntfs which is the file type showing. Clicked green check mark. Whatever happened was very fast. Now there's a key symbol next to the sda2. Bad? Good? I ran the installation again. Still getting the same thing as before. I'm letting it run. Looks like something is happening in the black screen. Progress, not sure. Will wait it out and see what happens.
What do I do here?
Do you want to resume partitioning?
The attempt to mount a file system with type vfat in SCSI2 (0,0,0) partition #1 at (sda) at /boot/efi failed. You may resume partitioning from the partitioning menu.
I keep thinking I can't screw this up any worse, but I continue to be wrong.
Do you want to resume partitioning?
The attempt to mount a file system with type vfat in SCSI2 (0,0,0) partition #1 at (sda) at /boot/efi failed. You may resume partitioning from the partitioning menu.
I keep thinking I can't screw this up any worse, but I continue to be wrong.
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Hillbilly H
Well-Known Member
...Brother theres always hope...Have you tried legacy boot mode?
P.S. it may help if you make a signature and put in the specs of your PC for all to see. E.G. My signature.
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Ok, I am back albeit for a short while.
This two partitions are on the same drive on the /sda drive
OS you need to do the same thing to both of them
Do this by clicking on Device, and the selecting create partition table
It will then warn you tnat this will erase all data on the entire disk /dev/sda
click on apply.
Then on the green tick etc
I think I'm now installed! Here's what I did. I googled the message from #10 and found a post on Ask Ubuntu:
So I deleted the 100 MB partition in gparted like the person said. I had no clue what to do about the 2nd part of his comment, so I ignored that part LOL. Instead of Something Else, I continued with the full install. AND IT WORKED!!! Stupid and reckless maybe, but I had already hosed my computer and felt I had nothing to lose.
So I deleted the 100 MB partition in gparted like the person said. I had no clue what to do about the 2nd part of his comment, so I ignored that part LOL. Instead of Something Else, I continued with the full install. AND IT WORKED!!! Stupid and reckless maybe, but I had already hosed my computer and felt I had nothing to lose.
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Brilliantly done !!
ignore my post just previous to yours above !!!
Onward !!
ignore my post just previous to yours above !!!
Onward !!
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
Now...just play with the install for a little while just to see if it behaves as you would expect.
Any funny stuff, just let us know,, but so far it sounds good to me
1. Do you have a spare external drive, by any chance
2. Can you see how much space is used on that drive that you just installed on ?.....and what size the drive was to begin with ?
Click on menu...type in disks.....click on the drive in question and take note of the info there.....might help
Any funny stuff, just let us know,, but so far it sounds good to me
1. Do you have a spare external drive, by any chance
2. Can you see how much space is used on that drive that you just installed on ?.....and what size the drive was to begin with ?
Click on menu...type in disks.....click on the drive in question and take note of the info there.....might help
Condobloke
Well-Known Member
In your spare time, lol....you could make anote of what you use your pc for each day. We already know that you use Libre ofice. and you know of Timeshift's existence. (both can be accessed from the menu key and typing in their names)
and.....if you want easy access to them right click on their name when you find them in the menu approach,,,,and select add to panel or add to desktop....whichever you prefer.
But, what else do you have need of in the way of apps etc
No rush for this.
I will be gone for another half an hour
and.....if you want easy access to them right click on their name when you find them in the menu approach,,,,and select add to panel or add to desktop....whichever you prefer.
But, what else do you have need of in the way of apps etc
No rush for this.
I will be gone for another half an hour
I am here and playing catchup with the above.
I'll be a few minutes and be back with a beer.
I'll be a few minutes and be back with a beer.
You're too kind. I blundered my way through the whole thing.
Below is the disk info. I don't have an external drive but willing to buy one. I only use the PC for personal use, internet, LibreOffice, photos. I can't think of anything else really.
Sweeet
If you are still awake enough, I will give you a couple of tips.
It's also quite possible that an app called Timeshift took a snapshot at the change of the clock to the current hour, we can check on that.
Wiz
If you are still awake enough, I will give you a couple of tips.
It's also quite possible that an app called Timeshift took a snapshot at the change of the clock to the current hour, we can check on that.
Wiz
