Hi All,

To give a little background, I have once successfully installed Ubuntu on my husband's old laptop to give it new life so our son could use it. But that was a clean install.

I just bought a refurbished Toshiba P775-S7215. It comes with Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit installed.

I made an attempt to install Mint as a dual boot. I shrunk the volume in windows, created partitions, yada yada, installed Mint, went into Windows to add it into boot loader.

After that I was able to boot Mint. But, it crashed and gave me a black screen with a lot of stuff printed on it but it flashed up and rebooted so fast I couldn't read it. After that I booted back into Mint and everything seemed fine for about 20 minutes and then it froze and I had to power the machine down. When I booted it again it did the same thing after about 5 minutes. When I tried a third time it didn't even finish booting before it froze.

So, then I had a machine with working Windows 7 with a shrunk volume. So I did a clean install of Windows 7.

And that's where I am now.

I would like the great brains of the forum to point me to the best and clearest instructions - something a complete newbie can handle. I'm not a computer dunce but the world of Linux is new to me.

Also, I am happy to consider other distros - considering the machine I have, and also considering that I do a lot of statistical programming with big data (mostly in R) and I connect up with my workplace network using citrix (if that matters). I will be using this machine for both personal (movies, music, surfing, writing) and work (big data and remote connections).

Thanks, in advance, to any assistance you could provide.

I have never tried with installation of mint so I am not very much familiar with this

But for a start I would like you to check this link for dual installation of mint with windows 7

install-linux-mint-on-your-windows-computer-or-netbook

http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/52

Or I would suggest you(what I do generally) to give a try on a virtual machine with windows 7 installed on it and if everything works fine move further for your laptop.
It would at least save your laptop from further unnecessary format.

Best of Luck

1 members found this post helpful.

Hi deep27ak,

Thanks for responding!

When you say virtual machine do you mean running a live version? Because I did that and it seemed to work fine.

I have more detail to add and I apologize for not including it earlier.

The first time Mint crashed and gave me the black screen I was using the application manager, or whatever it's called where you download and install apps. Specifically I was trying to download and install Chromium.

Thank you very much for those links. Those instructions seem clear and I will give them a shot!

By virtual machine I mean VMWARE workstation or virtual box

As you said you have already installed windows 7 so instead of taking a risk again install vmware workstation.

Then install windows 7 and try the link which I have given you.

I know it sounds lengthy but will be helpful in the long run.

If you have any other laptop with any vmware workstation then you can also try on that.

1 members found this post helpful.

Oh, thanks for that info. I don't have another laptop or computer to work with so I suppose I could install virtual box (since it's free) on my new one.

I'll give that a shot.

Thanks!

I have installed Linux Mint alongside Windows 7 (in the past) without any problems. It usually works reasonably well. I have had this problem once before and I had a similar problem (not completing boot). Unfortunately, I did not investigate too much but I re-installed Mint and updated the system and did not have that problem again. Which release of Mint were you trying to use? I was using Mint 11.

If you want to install linux on the laptop, you could install ubuntu from within windows (using wubi) and see how well that works. The advantage of doing this would be that you will be able to see the "dual boot" and removing ubuntu (if it does not work well) is a simple uninstall from within windows.
Ubuntu Windows installer

The WUBI installation is good for experimenting with Ubuntu, if you change your mind about it you can unistall it from windows control panel with the add or rem programs tool.
But I think sabbyATL is in the right path by shrinking the windows partition. then install Mint in the unallocated space in the hard drive.

To be safe keep the windows 7 back up (recovery) disk on hand. shrink the volume then reboot back in windows to make sure still works. Windows will probably shows that space as drive D or some letter.

Once you have verified windows still works move on with the mint installation. Keep in mind how much space you have unallocated in your hard drive and when you are in the mint installer select where you want to install the OS. It should be like a drop down menu listing all partitions and their size in your drive.
Because Linux name its partitions as sda, sda1,sda... is kind of confusing to tell what is the name of the unallocate partition but you will know because its size.

Good luck to you

@nonamedotc - I will keep this information in mind as a backup plan. I'd really like to try Mint, though. I know Ubuntu makes it super easy to switch over to Linux and I may end up just going with that for a the short term.

@TroN-0074 - Thanks for that info. I will give it another go this evening when I get off work.

Hi Tr0N -

I followed the directions here: http://www.linuxbsdos.com/2011/06/11...and-windows-7/


And it seemed to install fine. In fact, I am using it right now!

But, when I try to download stuff, either from the application manager or just files from the internet (using bittorrent or even just an e-book from Amazon) it totally freezes.

And by that I mean it's completely unresponsive - keyboard and mouse/touchpad. No Ctl+Shift, etc...nothing. When I hit NumLock or CapsLock I don't get the light turning on. I have hard keys at the top of the keyboard for wireless, sound, etc, and they are not responsive.

The only thing I can do is power it down with the power button and reboot.

I probably need to give you info for you to help me. Please let me know what you need.

Here's from "uname -a": Linux sabby-Satellite-P775 3.0.0-12-generic #20-Ubuntu SMP Fri Oct 7 14:56:25 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux


But here's what I got from "sudo lshw"

sabby@sabby-Satellite-P775 ~ $ sudo lshw
[sudo] password for sabby:
sabby-satellite-p775
description: Notebook
product: Satellite P775 (PSBY1U-00D006B)
vendor: TOSHIBA
version: PSBY1U-00D006B
serial: 7B370999K
width: 64 bits
capabilities: smbios-2.6 dmi-2.6 vsyscall64 vsyscall32
configuration: boot=normal chassis=notebook family=ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ sku=PSBY1U-00D006B uuid=50713C64-ADDF-11E0-A2B0-B870F4C6846C
*-core
description: Motherboard
product: PHRAA
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 0
version: 1.00
serial: 0123456789AB
slot: NULL
*-firmware
description: BIOS
vendor: TOSHIBA
physical id: 0
version: 1.60
date: 09/08/2011
size: 64KiB
capacity: 1984KiB
capabilities: pci upgrade shadowing cdboot bootselect socketedrom edd int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5printscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer acpi usb biosbootspecification
*-cpu
description: CPU
product: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz
vendor: Intel Corp.
physical id: 4
bus info: cpu@0
version: Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-2630QM CPU @ 2.00GHz
serial: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
slot: CPU 1
size: 800MHz
capacity: 3800MHz
width: 64 bits
clock: 100MHz
capabilities: x86-64 fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe syscall nx rdtscp constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good nopl xtopology nonstop_tsc aperfmperf pni pclmulqdq dtes64 monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm sse4_1 sse4_2 x2apic popcnt aes xsave avx lahf_lm ida arat epb xsaveopt pln pts tpr_shadow vnmi flexpriority ept vpid cpufreq
configuration: cores=4 enabledcores=1 threads=2
*-cache:0
description: L1 cache
physical id: 5
slot: L1-Cache
size: 128KiB
capacity: 128KiB
capabilities: internal write-back unified
*-cache:1
description: L2 cache
physical id: 6
slot: L2-Cache
size: 1MiB
capacity: 1MiB
capabilities: internal varies unified
*-cache:2 DISABLED
description: L3 cache
physical id: 7
slot: L3-Cache
size: 6MiB
capacity: 6MiB
capabilities: internal unified
*-memory
description: System Memory
physical id: e
slot: System board or motherboard
size: 6GiB
*-bank:0
description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1333 MHz (0.8 ns)
product: M471B5773CHS-CH9
vendor: Samsung
physical id: 0
serial: 812DA89C
slot: ChannelA-DIMM0
size: 2GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 1333MHz (0.8ns)
*-bank:1
description: DIMM [empty]
product: [Empty]
vendor: [Empty]
physical id: 1
serial: [Empty]
slot: ChannelA-DIMM1
*-bank:2
description: SODIMM DDR3 Synchronous 1333 MHz (0.8 ns)
product: M471B5273CH0-CH9
vendor: Samsung
physical id: 2
serial: 6506C446
slot: ChannelB-DIMM0
size: 4GiB
width: 64 bits
clock: 1333MHz (0.8ns)
*-bank:3
description: DIMM [empty]
product: [Empty]
vendor: [Empty]
physical id: 3
serial: [Empty]
slot: ChannelB-DIMM1
*-pci
description: Host bridge
product: 2nd Generation Core Processor Family DRAM Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 100
bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
version: 09
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: driver=agpgart-intel
resources: irq:0
*-display
description: VGA compatible controller
product: 2nd Generation Core Processor Family Integrated Graphics Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 2
bus info: pci@0000:00:02.0
version: 09
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: msi pm vga_controller bus_master cap_list rom
configuration: driver=i915 latency=0
resources: irq:51 memory:f7800000-f7bfffff memory:e0000000-efffffff ioport:f000(size=64)
*-communication
description: Communication controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family MEI Controller #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 16
bus info: pci@0000:00:16.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=mei latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:f7f0a000-f7f0a00f
*-usb:0
description: USB Controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #2
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1a
bus info: pci@0000:00:1a.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:16 memory:f7f08000-f7f083ff
*-multimedia
description: Audio device
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family High Definition Audio Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1b
bus info: pci@0000:00:1b.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=HDA Intel latency=0
resources: irq:52 memory:f7f00000-f7f03fff
*-pci:0
description: PCI bridge
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.0
version: b4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:16 ioport:e000(size=4096) ioport:f0000000(size=1048576)
*-network
description: Ethernet interface
product: RTL8111/8168B PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet controller
vendor: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:02:00.0
logical name: eth0
version: 06
serial: b8:70:f4:c6:84:6c
size: 10Mbit/s
capacity: 1Gbit/s
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress msix vpd bus_master cap_list ethernet physical tp mii 10bt 10bt-fd 100bt 100bt-fd 1000bt 1000bt-fd autonegotiation
configuration: autonegotiation=on broadcast=yes driver=r8169 driverversion=2.3LK-NAPI duplex=half firmware=rtl_nic/rtl8168e-2.fw latency=0 link=no multicast=yes port=MII speed=10Mbit/s
resources: irq:41 ioport:e000(size=256) memory:f0004000-f0004fff memory:f0000000-f0003fff
*-pci:1
description: PCI bridge
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 2
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.1
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.1
version: b4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:17 memory:f7e00000-f7efffff
*-network
description: Wireless interface
product: Centrino Wireless-N + WiMAX 6150
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:03:00.0
logical name: wlan0
version: 67
serial: 40:25:c2:50:a9:d0
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi pciexpress bus_master cap_list ethernet physical wireless
configuration: broadcast=yes driver=iwlagn driverversion=3.0.0-12-generic firmware=41.28.5.1 build 33926 ip=192.168.1.76 latency=0 link=yes multicast=yes wireless=IEEE 802.11bgn
resources: irq:50 memory:f7e00000-f7e01fff
*-pci:2
description: PCI bridge
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 4
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.3
version: b4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:19 memory:f7d00000-f7dfffff
*-generic:0
description: System peripheral
product: SD/MMC Host Controller
vendor: JMicron Technology Corp.
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:05:00.0
version: 30
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm pciexpress msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=sdhci-pci latency=0
resources: irq:19 memory:f7d03000-f7d030ff
*-generic:1 UNCLAIMED
description: SD Host controller
product: Standard SD Host Controller
vendor: JMicron Technology Corp.
physical id: 0.2
bus info: pci@0000:05:00.2
version: 30
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm pciexpress msi cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:f7d02000-f7d020ff
*-generic:2
description: System peripheral
product: MS Host Controller
vendor: JMicron Technology Corp.
physical id: 0.3
bus info: pci@0000:05:00.3
version: 30
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm pciexpress msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=jmb38x_ms latency=0
resources: irq:19 memory:f7d01000-f7d010ff
*-generic:3 UNCLAIMED
description: System peripheral
product: xD Host Controller
vendor: JMicron Technology Corp.
physical id: 0.4
bus info: pci@0000:05:00.4
version: 30
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm pciexpress msi bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:f7d00000-f7d000ff
*-pci:3
description: PCI bridge
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family PCI Express Root Port 6
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1c.5
bus info: pci@0000:00:1c.5
version: b4
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pci pciexpress msi pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=pcieport
resources: irq:17 memory:f7c00000-f7cfffff
*-usb
description: USB Controller
product: uPD720200 USB 3.0 Host Controller
vendor: NEC Corporation
physical id: 0
bus info: pci@0000:06:00.0
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm msi msix pciexpress xhci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=xhci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:17 memory:f7c00000-f7c01fff
*-usb:1
description: USB Controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family USB Enhanced Host Controller #1
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1d
bus info: pci@0000:00:1d.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: pm debug ehci bus_master cap_list
configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=0
resources: irq:23 memory:f7f07000-f7f073ff
*-isa
description: ISA bridge
product: HM65 Express Chipset Family LPC Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.0
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 33MHz
capabilities: isa bus_master cap_list
configuration: latency=0
*-storage
description: SATA controller
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family 6 port SATA AHCI Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.2
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.2
logical name: scsi0
logical name: scsi2
version: 04
width: 32 bits
clock: 66MHz
capabilities: storage msi pm ahci_1.0 bus_master cap_list emulated
configuration: driver=ahci latency=0
resources: irq:40 ioport:f0b0(size=8) ioport:f0a0(size=4) ioport:f090(size=8) ioport:f080(size=4) ioport:f060(size=32) memory:f7f06000-f7f067ff
*-disk
description: ATA Disk
product: Hitachi HTS54757
vendor: Hitachi
physical id: 0
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/sda
version: JE4O
serial: 110503J2790054H2MRVG
size: 698GiB (750GB)
capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=f29ed495
*-volume:0
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,1
logical name: /dev/sda1
version: 3.1
serial: 18b3-af3a
size: 1498MiB
capacity: 1500MiB
capabilities: primary bootable ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2012-01-09 21:08:04 filesystem=ntfs label=TOSHIBA System Volume state=clean
*-volume:1
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 2
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,2
logical name: /dev/sda2
version: 3.1
serial: 5831dadc-adb6-304d-8cd2-4724feb30752
size: 352GiB
capacity: 352GiB
capabilities: primary ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2011-05-15 23:55:11 filesystem=ntfs label=TI106169W0D state=clean
*-volume:2
description: Windows NTFS volume
physical id: 3
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,3
logical name: /dev/sda3
version: 3.1
serial: 1e43-a52d
size: 14GiB
capacity: 14GiB
capabilities: primary hidden ntfs initialized
configuration: clustersize=4096 created=2011-05-15 23:56:27 filesystem=ntfs label=HDDRECOVERY state=clean
*-volume:3
description: Extended partition
physical id: 4
bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,4
logical name: /dev/sda4
size: 330GiB
capacity: 330GiB
capabilities: primary extended partitioned partitioned:extended
*-logicalvolume:0
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 5
logical name: /dev/sda5
logical name: /boot
capacity: 285MiB
configuration: mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,stripe=4,data=ordered state=mounted
*-logicalvolume:1
description: Linux swap / Solaris partition
physical id: 6
logical name: /dev/sda6
capacity: 4767MiB
capabilities: nofs
*-logicalvolume:2
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 7
logical name: /dev/sda7
logical name: /
capacity: 7628MiB
configuration: mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,stripe=1,data=ordered state=mounted
*-logicalvolume:3
description: Linux filesystem partition
physical id: 8
logical name: /dev/sda8
logical name: /home
capacity: 318GiB
configuration: mount.fstype=ext4 mount.options=rw,relatime,user_xattr,acl,barrier=1,stripe=1,data=ordered state=mounted
*-cdrom
description: DVD-RAM writer
product: BDDVDRW CT31F
vendor: HL-DT-ST
physical id: 1
bus info: scsi@2:0.0.0
logical name: /dev/cdrom
logical name: /dev/cdrw
logical name: /dev/dvd
logical name: /dev/dvdrw
logical name: /dev/scd0
logical name: /dev/sr0
version: HT03
capabilities: removable audio cd-r cd-rw dvd dvd-r dvd-ram
configuration: ansiversion=5 status=nodisc
*-serial UNCLAIMED
description: SMBus
product: 6 Series/C200 Series Chipset Family SMBus Controller
vendor: Intel Corporation
physical id: 1f.3
bus info: pci@0000:00:1f.3
version: 04
width: 64 bits
clock: 33MHz
configuration: latency=0
resources: memory:f7f05000-f7f050ff ioport:f040(size=32)
*-battery:0
description: Nickel Cadmium Battery
product: BATT 1
vendor: Battery Manufacturer
physical id: 1
version: 01/01/2007
serial: Serial Number
slot: Location of the battery
capacity: 232mWh
configuration: voltage=5.0V
*-battery:1
description: Nickel Cadmium Battery
product: Battery Name
vendor: Battery Manufacturer
physical id: 2
version: 01/01/2007
serial: Serial Number
slot: Location of the battery
*-power UNCLAIMED
description: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
product: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
vendor: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
physical id: 3
version: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
serial: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
capacity: 32768mWh
sabby@sabby-Satellite-P775 ~ $

I just want to add that I am at work now and I won't be able to access my Linux computer until I get home. So, I appreciate all responses and will try suggestions and/or response after about 7p EST.

Thanks!

I really don't know what can be causing the problem. I just found some explanations on why the system can be behaving that way

That can happens if the RAM is not sufficient but the OS would use the SWAP partition


Update the OS perhaps that helps.
This link also has some information that might help https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebuggingACPI

Hopefully somebody else can share previous experience with similar problems

Hi TroN,

I threw in the towel. I called Newegg and requested an RMA so I could get a replacement as the policy for returning this machine expires in 2 days.

I don't know if it was important to mention but I'd been having trouble with Windows 7. From the moment I turned the machine on it gave multiple BSoDs with Stop code 1e (kernel related) or would have a non-BSoD random shut down with a critical error of event 41 task 63 (also kernel related). No amount of updating Windows and proprietary drivers, etc, would fix it.

It didn't happen in Safe Mode so I thought it wouldn't happen in Linux. But now I have to think the total freeze in Mint is related. This points to a hardware error.

I may be wrong but I won't find out. I'll call this thread solved. When the new machine comes in I will report back as to how both Windows and Mint are doing.

Thanks, all, for your help!