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OK so I found and downloaded "SystemRescue" Live DVD. Ran it and the only device shown is /dev/sr0 which is the cdrom device. Went back and tried to boot Win, but is now says: Missing disks signature, so just errors. Looks like the only way to fix this is buy the M.2 to USB adapter and format the drive from my server.
What?
Why those half-baked explanations when you can just try it?
Disable whatever you need to disable in BIOS and install Kubuntu.
ondoho,
The machine is brand new with 512MB Read Only Locked SSD and extra HD bay. Have a 1.5T drive for that, but the drive is not even recognized by Windows or the LiveDVD. Thinking I have to remove it and use tools on my server that can crack the "Read Only" BS, so I can reformat to "Ext4" and then the Kubuntu LiveDVD will actually see the drive and allow the installation.
The only device showing is /dev/sr0 which is the CD/DVD drive.
maybe it has something to so with one of these options in the bios:
SATA Operation Configure operating mode of the integrated SATA hard drive controller.
Drives Enable or disable various drives on board.
or maybe these
Internal HDD-0 Password Set, change, or delete the internal hard-disk drive password.
M.2 SATA SSD-2 Password Set, change, or delete the password on the system’s M.2 SATA SSD.
Last edited by colorpurple21859; 09-17-2020 at 02:02 PM.
OK! Finally got in all the M.2 devices to format this drive externally, but Dell is not using M.2, but another standard, as you can see from the pix, their drive connector is wider than all the M.2 connectors.
So does anyone out there know what Dell's SSD standard is?
Winduhs will boot if a pile of 25 year behind trash is what I want, but I only run Linux!
I'll see if I can get the terminal and execute the cmd!
Cheers!
TBNK
One of the problems with newer Dell machines is that they often have the bios set into raid mode and that prevents some distros from even seeing the drive to do the install. IDK what affect it has on all distros, but it would be worth looking at the bios to see what mode the drive is in. I suspect that could be (at least partly) the cause of your read-only situation.
Then if you wish, you could, as has already been suggested, simply replace windows.
Last edited by computersavvy; 10-22-2020 at 10:05 AM.
M.2 2242 size SSD, i.e. 22mm x 42mm, not the vastly more common 2280 size used for M.2 NVMe SSDs. M.2 2242 NVMe SSDs exist, but you'll have fewer options.
M.2 2242 size SSD, i.e. 22mm x 42mm, not the vastly more common 2280 size used for M.2 NVMe SSDs. M.2 2242 NVMe SSDs exist, but you'll have fewer options.
beachboy2,
Thanks for the link! I got the same run-around and disinformation from Dell Support. They are so "Our Way or The Highway" making everything custom that anyone working at the professional level hates Dell. I would not have bought it, except the sales guy at Micro Center, told me I would have "no problems" doing what I needed to do to make this laptop functional. That was Feb and now it is Nov and still this $1,000 piece of "S**T" is not working.
As for the latter part of your post, not fully understanding which SSD standard they are using, so no idea of what external housing is needed to completey reformat the "M**F***g" drive! If you could add more description, so I understand what you saying I would appreciate it, Need this box to be working!
Storage
Your computer supports one of the following configurations:
One 2.5-inch hard-drive
One M.2 2230/2280 solid-state drive or M.2 2280 Intel Optane Memory H10 with solid-state storage
One 2.5-inch hard-drive and one M.2 2230/2280 solid-state drive
One 2.5-inch hard-drive and one M.2 2280 Intel Optane memory or Intel Optane Memory H10 with solid-state storage
The primary drive of your computer varies with the storage configuration. For computers:
with a M.2 card (either a solid-state drive or a M.2 Intel Optane Memory H10 with solid-state storage), the M.2 drive is the primary drive
with a M.2 2280 Intel Optane Memory M10 or M15, the 2.5-inch hard drive is the primary drive
without a M.2 card, the 2.5-inch hard drive is the primary drive
Ok! I originally purchased the laptop the 3rd week of Feb 2020, exchanged it for the Inspiron 3793 in March, so this issue has been continuing for 10 months now. The problem is I cannot find an external device, utilizing Dell's non standard M series drive standard, where I can apply GParted or another disk formatting tool to reformat this drive. Has to reformat to Ext4 for Linux install.
If anyone knows where such a device exists, please send me a link, so I can buy it.
Ok! I originally purchased the laptop the 3rd week of Feb 2020, exchanged it for the Inspiron 3793 in March, so this issue has been continuing for 10 months now. The problem is I cannot find an external device, utilizing Dell's non standard M series drive standard, where I can apply GParted or another disk formatting tool to reformat this drive. Has to reformat to Ext4 for Linux install.
If anyone knows where such a device exists, please send me a link, so I can buy it.
Thanks in advance!
TBNK
On my laptop (not Dell) with nvme drive I was able to use the windows disk manager to shrink the windows data partition and leave space for the linux install. Once that was done the install into the empty space while booted with the live USB worked flawlessly and I installed dual boot.
Some other thing I have seen that you might try.
1. Raid. I seem to remember that dell has started shipping laptops with the drives set in raid mode in bios and that linux cannot even see the drive in that mode. Switching the settings to AHCI seems to fix that.
2. Secure boot. On some systems disabling secure boot has facilitated installs
3. Fast boot. Same as for secure boot.
Since it appears you cannot even see the drive I would look at #1 first.
On my laptop (not Dell) with nvme drive I was able to use the windows disk manager to shrink the windows data partition and leave space for the linux install. Once that was done the install into the empty space while booted with the live USB worked flawlessly and I installed dual boot.
Some other thing I have seen that you might try.
1. Raid. I seem to remember that dell has started shipping laptops with the drives set in raid mode in bios and that linux cannot even see the drive in that mode. Switching the settings to AHCI seems to fix that.
2. Secure boot. On some systems disabling secure boot has facilitated installs
3. Fast boot. Same as for secure boot.
Since it appears you cannot even see the drive I would look at #1 first.
computersavvy,
The problem is the drive must totally loose windows and be totally blank and formatted in EXT4 in order to install Linux.
Right now windows even screwed it so badly that the drive is no longer even recognized as a drive, which is what Windows does, it screws every thing it touches as it is NOT an OS and was designed to only run an X-Box and nothing else. That is the only thing it knows how to do and any real computer user NEVER uses it!!!!!!
I'm sure someone thought they answered my issue/problem, but I'm both conceptual and technical, so answer has to be exact/precise for me to catch it.
My drive, needing formatting is a:
Quote:
SK Hynix BC511 NVMe 512GTB SSD drive
It is not M.2 as it's form factor is wider than M.2.
With my calipers the M.2 measures 0.77 inches or 19,7 mm. My drive measures 0.78 inches or 19.8 mm and the contact pads on my drive are 10-20% wider than the M.2 contact, to the extent that they will short out the M.2 connector pads. But I'm not sure if NVMe is a physical specification or not.
I got out of hardware 10-15 years ago, so I'm totally behind on the latest standards. I did read up and found the NVMe drives are supposed to be several times faster than the M.2 drives, so guess that is why Dell is using them.
Anyway, all my searching for an external drive adapter has been an exercise in futility as I do not understand what to look for or what I see when Amazon, EBay and Google show me something as I still have to understand the specs.
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