Linux Lite Forums

@RobGoss

I have not downloaded and tested LL 3.0 yet, so not sure what is the cause of problem.  Following is just a shot-in-the-dark guess as to what might be causing the problem.  Every once in a while, on certain computers (mostly older ones) the slideshow program that runs during installation causes problems similar to what you're describing.  The solution in those cases was to remove the slideshow package before running the installer.  You might as well give that a try just in case that is causing your issue.

• Boot LL 3.0 live dvd/usb
  
• Open Menu -> System -> Install/Remove Software (which is the Synaptic Package Manager)
  
• Click the Search box and search for ubiquity-slideshow
  
• It should return showing that ubiquity-slideshow-ubuntu (or similar name) is installed -- indicated by green box next to the name.
  
• Click green box next to name and choose Mark for removal
  
• Hit the Apply button along top of interface to carry out the removal operation
  
• Close Synaptic when done.
  
• Now you can run the installer and hopefully it finishes the install correctly.
  

If that doesn't solve problem, then most likely this is the problem:

(08-30-2016, 12:36 PM)torreydale link Wrote: [ -> ]If your hardware architecture is only 32bit, perhaps it is old enough that when advancing to a distribution with a newer kernel, your hardware ends up being unsupported.  As kernels get newer, they drop support for some older hardware.

After everything that was recommended I'm still not able to get any OS loaded up on this old laptop. I've come to the conclusion that it may be a hard drive issue and if so I don't see any reason to proceed with this installation and it's really not worth investing any money in it

I can actually buy 2 machines used machines which are 64 bit for about $80 with no OS on it

It's a very old laptop and I think I've gotten my money worth. The reason I say it must be a hard ware issue is because I try a number of Linux distributions on this machines and I can not get any of them to install including 2.8 which was already installed, I was trying out a new OS and I guess I pushed this machine to its limits

I just wanted to thank you guys for your time and advice..

Just as a matter of interest - does that Dell run LL 3.0 as a Live dvd ?  Does everything seem to work , wifi etc.

(09-01-2016, 12:39 PM)newtusmaximus link Wrote: [ -> ]Just as a matter of interest - does that Dell run LL 3.0 as a Live dvd ?  Does everything seem to work , wifi etc.

The one that I have been trying to install Lite on is a Toshiba laptop with no luck. I think at one point I did try to install it on my Dell 610 Latitude with no luck as well

@RobGoss,

If you don't want to continue on with this, I understand and that's okay.  Since you once had LL 2.8 working on the machine, but can no longer seem to get either LL 3.0 or 2.8 installed to it, we're as anxious as you to figure out what is going wrong.  It is a bit baffling because you seem to be following correct procedures.

If the machine is able to boot into the live LL dvd and it seems to work while in the live environment, (eg. Menu, opening programs, browsing internet with Firefox, etc.), but fails to install properly, you may be right in thinking hard drive is dead/dying.  (If live environment doesn't work properly, then it could be something else causing the problem.)  If you feel the urge to continue on trying, there is something you could install and run in the live dvd to test the hard drive and see if that really is the problem.

Boot live dvd.  Open a terminal and enter following commands:

When install is complete, close terminal and go to Menu -> System -> GSmartControl to open the program.

• Click-to-highlight your hard drive shown in the lower half of interface.
  
• Click "Device" (along top).
  
• If "Enable SMART" and "Enable Auto Offline Data Collection" do not already have a check mark next to them, enable those first.
  
• Then, select "Perform Tests"
  
• In following screen, select "Short Self-test" from the "Test type" menu and hit "Execute" button.
  
• After 2-3 minutes test will complete and you can see results by hitting "View Output".
  
• About 20 lines down from top of report you'll see a summary line like this:  SMART overall-health self-assesment test result:  PASSED  (or FAILED if disk is bad).
  
• There will be more details of results following that line, but to be honest I have no idea how to interpret them.  Mainly, we/you want to know if indeed the drive is failing or not -- which the summary quickly says.
  
• If FAILED, then we have our answer.
  

If the hard drive report shows PASSED, then not sure what problem could be.  Only other question I would have is what type of install did you try?  One where installer uses the whole disk, replacing what is on it and automatically setting partitions itself; or did you pick the "Something else" option where you manually set partitions yourself?

Goldfinger, Hey I'm a Linux user I never give up

I've been trying to load 2.8 up and install it but I'm getting some sort of disk errors now I'll try it again and try to post what errors I'm getting. I had 2.8 running on this Toshiba I should have left well alone it was working good

As far as what methods I've use partitioning I did just about every way I know. I use the whole disk, formatted the disk everything I can think of nothing works now

Let me see if it will even boot in to the live session

(09-01-2016, 09:01 PM)RobGoss link Wrote: [ -> ]Goldfinger, Hey I'm a Linux user I never give up

Stubborn like me I see.

I doubt you're making this mistake, but will put it out there just in case.  If selecting "Something else" and setting partitions manually, make sure that "Device for boot loader installation" is set for "/dev/sda" and not changed to a particular partition number (eg.  sda1, sda5, etc.).

If possible, while booted into live dvd, run this command in terminal and copy/paste the output back here so we can see exact hardware specs of the system.

Thanks.


P.s.  You're not setting it up with a separate /boot partition are you?  If yes, then that is one time you would point "Device for boot loader installation" differently.  In that case, you'd point it to the /boot partition.

Quote:make sure that "Device for boot loader installation" is set for "/dev/sda"

Yes I'm using this method for the boot loader

Linux lite 2.8 will not boot in to the live session now. All it does now is the screen turns black and nothing happens so I'm lost on this one

I also have a Dell Latitude 610 and the 3.0 loaded just fine very strange I can't load it on this Toshiba laptop

As I mentioned, boot LL 2.6, not 2.8.  You can upgrade from 2.6 to 2.8 afterwards.

If you have the time, maybe try out torreydale's suggestion -- can't hurt.

Otherwise, maybe your RAM is going bad or has bad connection to motherboard.  Try removing it, clean the connections, put it back in and see if that helps.  If not, then maybe download memtest ISO and make bootable CD to test memory.  Live LL grub menu has memtest on it, but sounds like you can't get far enough in boot process to choose it.  Maybe a live CD with only memtest on it will boot easier -- just a shot in the dark, I really don't know if it will or not.

If you have some compressed air, also try blowing out fan for GPU.  Maybe it's clogged-up causing it to overheat.  (Grasping at straws here, but it does sound like you could have some kind of hardware problem.)