Grub/Linux still has issues with SSDs?

guyonearth · 06-29-2016, 01:57 AM

Tried installing four different distros on a new SSD I bought...none would produce a bootable system, grub error, initramfs error, blinking cursor. Even Mint, my go-to distro that has always worked, did not work. However, when I switched from manual partitioning to LVM, it installed no problem. Strange.

Keruskerfuerst · 06-29-2016, 02:01 AM

Hardware setup?

If you give no information about your hardware and software setup, then it is impossible to solve the problem.

syg00 · 06-29-2016, 02:14 AM

Never had a problem with either grub or Linux on SSD. All of my dual boot machines use grub.

jefro · 06-29-2016, 04:02 PM

Not typical. The only few issues that used to be with distro's were some timing issues. I believe they are all fixed with a possible exception of some distro's using a very very fast pci-e ssd.

Generally the drive should report correctly in bios before you attempt to install. Might be that your bios has a bug that used some wrong settings? Why a LVM would work I can't say other than to correct some prior information on drive.

I'd zero it out and try again.

guyonearth · 06-30-2016, 01:37 AM

Hardware is super generic, MSI-7850, Intel I3 dual core 3.6, 16gb RAM, Nvidia 750 GTX Ti, nothing special. Research doesn't give me any clear answers, except that there are some claims that newer SSDs with a 4096 byte block size can cause problems if a partition boundary spans a block, but I'm sure that I checked that the partitions were on a correct boundary. Like I said, LVM works fine.

sgosnell · 06-30-2016, 10:38 AM

SSDs work fine. The only spinning rust I have are a couple of external USB HDDs for backing up data. Never had a problem with installation on an SSD, across more than a half-dozen computers with SSDs, starting way back with the original Asus eee-pc.

guyonearth · 06-30-2016, 03:06 PM

But what's your block size, and how did you partition?

jefro · 06-30-2016, 04:02 PM

The 4K has been around for a few years. It generally affects only speed. Your issue is locating /boot I think.

Does bios report it as exactly what it is and in the order that you have it?

Did you ever load linux on it before or use dd on it?

sgosnell · 06-30-2016, 04:36 PM

I generally align to cylinder, but don't always bother. Usually I just accept the defaults. Partitioning varies, depending on the system and the size of the SSD. I've never seen either make any noticeable difference.

guyonearth · 06-30-2016, 08:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

The 4K has been around for a few years. It generally affects only speed. Your issue is locating /boot I think.

Does bios report it as exactly what it is and in the order that you have it?

Did you ever load linux on it before or use dd on it?

No, this was a new-out-of-the-box drive, a PNY.

jefro · 06-30-2016, 10:07 PM

Does it report in bios as exactly what is should be?

Did you create a /boot partition low on drive? How old is this system?

Guess you could consider zeroing it out maybe on last ditch.

guyonearth · 07-01-2016, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jefro

Does it report in bios as exactly what is should be?

Did you create a /boot partition low on drive? How old is this system?

Guess you could consider zeroing it out maybe on last ditch.

The system is pretty new. I usually create a root partition, a home partition, and a swap partition. I find it strange that I could apparently install 4 different systems with no errors, until I tried to reboot.

sgosnell · 07-02-2016, 10:53 AM

You installed 4 operating systems without rebooting? That might possibly have something to do with your problem. Good luck fixing it.

guyonearth · 07-03-2016, 12:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sgosnell

You installed 4 operating systems without rebooting? That might possibly have something to do with your problem. Good luck fixing it.

No. I tried 4 different operating systems. They all installed but none of them would boot. I thought I made that clear.

beachboy2 · 07-03-2016, 09:39 AM

guyonearth,

If your SSD is anything like this PNY 120GB one, then the reviews on Newegg are less than stellar.

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820178456

Returning it and getting an Intel one similar to this would probably help:

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16820167175