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-   Linux - Laptop and Netbook (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-laptop-and-netbook-25/)
-   -   Linux Mint 19 new install won't boot (https://www.linuxquestions.org/questions/linux-laptop-and-netbook-25/linux-mint-19-new-install-wont-boot-4175653632/)

Rendrick 05-09-2019 02:38 PM
Linux Mint 19 new install won't boot
 
Hi. I've installed Linux Mint 19 on an old HP laptop (6910p). Apparently the install has been successful, but when I boot the laptop, after an HP splash screen the boot stalls at a black screen with a flashing cursor in the top left. I installed over the Windows 10 OS that was already on the laptop, using a live USB.

syg00 05-09-2019 07:15 PM
We need some hard data to work with. That looks like a core2 duo, so it didn't come with Win10 - so it has BIOS rather than UEFI for anyone else reading.
To get the info we need, boot the liveUSB and connect to your network - attach the RESULTS.txt the following will generate.
Open a browser and go to bootinfoscript and click the "Clone or download" button and download the zip. Then open a terminal - press and hold <Ctrl> and <Alt> keys and tap <T> - enter the following commands one at a time after each has finished.
Code:
cd Downloads/
unzip bootinfsocript-master.zip
sudo ./bootinfoscript-master/bootinfoscript
It will indicate where the file is, simply attach it to a post here - you must do this while still in the liveUSB session - login to LQ from the browser you opened earlier.

Rendrick 05-10-2019 03:22 AM
1 Attachment(s)
Thanks for your clear instructions. I've attached the results file here.

yancek 05-10-2019 05:29 AM
You have Grub boot code in the MBR of the main drive and Grub on the Mint partition so do you get this error trying to boot Mint after removing the install flash drive and setting the drive Mint is on to first boot priority in the BIOS?

syg00 05-10-2019 06:18 PM
That listing looks normal - nothing to indicate any problems.
I did a quick search and found a similar report from 2014 and Mint 17. No fix was mentioned. I can't help either I'm afraid.

colorpurple21859 05-10-2019 06:32 PM
when you first turn on computer press the shift key to get the grub menu
hit e for edit, add "nomodeset" without the quotes to the end of the line that begins with linux then boot. If that works then can make change permanent.

Rendrick 05-11-2019 05:05 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by yancek (Post 5993611)
You have Grub boot code in the MBR of the main drive and Grub on the Mint partition so do you get this error trying to boot Mint after removing the install flash drive and setting the drive Mint is on to first boot priority in the BIOS?
After removing the flash drive I set the boot priority to ensure that 'notebook hard drive' is first. I presume that is the right option? None of the other options look viable to me.

Rendrick 05-11-2019 05:11 AM
Quote:
Originally Posted by colorpurple21859 (Post 5993819)
when you first turn on computer press the shift key to get the grub menu
hit e for edit, add "nomodeset" without the quotes to the end of the line that begins with linux then boot. If that works then can make change permanent.
Thanks for this. I did as instructed. The word 'loading' came up, repeated down the left side of the screen, with the flashing horizontal cursor below, and then nothing more.

colorpurple21859 05-11-2019 06:33 AM
then add "video=1024x768 nomodeset" to the linux line without the quotes

Rendrick 05-11-2019 07:26 AM
The trouble is that I don't get any option to type anything - even with pressing shift at start up.

colorpurple21859 05-11-2019 10:36 AM
your don't get a grub menu with the shift key? Try the esc key.

Rendrick 05-11-2019 11:57 AM
Still nothing

colorpurple21859 05-11-2019 05:15 PM
boot from live usb open a terminal
Code:
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
sudo nano /boot/grub/grub.cfg
change this line
Code:
set gfxmode=auto
to
Code:
set gfxmode=640x480
and this line of the first menuentry
Code:
linux        /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-20-generic root=UUID=8dbf6e38-56a6-499a-b34e-6cd0f6086985 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
to
Code:
linux        /boot/vmlinuz-4.15.0-20-generic root=UUID=8dbf6e38-56a6-499a-b34e-6cd0f6086985 ro  quiet splash nomodset
press "ctrl-x to exit" and "y" to save prompts
reboot
if it works then can make changes permanent.

Rendrick 05-14-2019 10:31 AM
Thanks for such a detailed reply. It didn't get me anywhere, I'm afraid. I didn't get any option to change the lines you mention: they never appeared. I had to crash out to get out of the terminal.

colorpurple21859 05-14-2019 12:01 PM
open a terminal from live usb
Code:
fdisk -l
to make sure your Linux partition device hasn't changed from sdb1
mount your Linux partition
Code:
sudo mount /dev/sdb1 /mnt
change sdb1 accordingly if needed.
post the output of
Code:
sudo ls /boot
and
Code:
sudo ls /boot/grub


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