Linux Mint 19 new install won't boot

Rendrick · 05-09-2019, 02:38 PM

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

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

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

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