install on a Dell XPS Desktop NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050. Machine has never been used. Install crashes on INSTALLATION TYPE window, this is the first window that opens during the install not getting a wipe disk and install or dual install option. Partition may be incorrectly set. Noobie to the nth degree.

The vast majority of users here aren't psychic, so you might want to include useful information such as what distro you're trying to install and from what medium.

don't know what medium means Distro is LinuxMint Cinnamon 18.3

Bootable USB?
CD/DVD burned with an ISO?
PXE Boot?
Floppy Disk?

Ok, so maybe the last one is a bit far-fetched...

of course. Bootable USB

Take a photo and post that. If you can't attach it directly (due to being a new user), put it on the web somewhere, and post the link.

New machine, never been used came with no operating system on it, is that correct?
Did you verify that your download of the Mint iso was good after the download?
What method/software did you use to create the 'bootable' usb?
Have you tested it on another computer?

Yes I have tested USB on another computer and it is working
Desktop came with Windows 10
USB created with Rufus

If you have windows 10 pre-installed, it is likely taking up the entire disk and is almost certainly hibernated. You would probably be best off resizing (shrinking) your windows partition using windows Disk Management tool to create some unallocated space on which to install Mint. After doing this, reboot windows and run chkdsk on windows. Turn off hibernation and fastboot and anything related. If your windows 10 was pre-installed, it is almost certainly using UEFI/GPT and you would need to boot Mint and install it UEFI. If you don't know how to do that, there are numerous tutorials available online.

binaries distros only sometimes works. regardless of the date and age of the hardware.

For example freebsd did not boot properly on an outdated box a few months ago.
opensuse has network issues. What do i do with a linux without multimedia codecs and no proper network support. I installed suse several times and no installation on several different hardware platforms had a working network support. regardless if i wanted ethernet or wlan.

a binary distros usually has some issues. that means only sometimes you are lucky with a working network, working graphical user interface, working package manager. The working package manger refers to linux mint, 4 months ago.


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Regardless back to the topic.

It seems you need information.

I suggest that you start with the gentoo amd64 handbook. It explains everything. The binary distros may complete or hang somewhere. And when it hangs you need to start looking up errors and such. And even when the installation completes you are stuck somewhere becuase you have no reference, the system is wrongly / half configured.

a gentoo installtion may costs you several days but than you know the basics. You will have to invest the time anyway later for the same topics, issues.

As reference I recommend the gentoo wiki and the arch linux wiki.

the topic about bootloader, setup up discs, dual booting is well covered with forums.gentoo.org, gentoo amd64 handbook, gentoo wiki, arch linux wiki.

I would not recommend that you use a binary distro, as it is obvious you are lacking the basic knowledge with linux. I recommend to aquire that knowledge first, e.g. gentoo installation with handbook or reading a linux book about basics + binary distro installation.

It is advised, read first than act. not act and than read. most distros have an online installtion guide. And also bear in mind. Is the documentation shit, is the distro most likely shit. a proper decent distribution has decent guides, decent support forum

edit: dual boot is problematic. linux mint for example overwrites boot related sections without asking. windows does the same. When you want dual boot you have to find a proper guide which explains dual boot with windows 10.

and not every iso can be booted from usb. usb booting is problematic. The thing which usually works in 95 percent is booting from optical media from an optical drive. I do boot from sysrescue-cd regularly when i make backups. I tried using usb and found it complicated and it was a lot of hassle. as said not every iso can be used to boot with usb pen drives