Hello.

This is a problem I faced on Linux Mint and Ubuntu, so it looks like a cross-debian problem.
I am going to test out FreeBSD on this too, but I haven't yet.


I have a netbook without optical drive.
I have not tested this problem with USB/SD card booting yet.

If I live-boot the Laptop while only the external optical drive is connected to the port, then the touchpad and built-in keyboard work normal.

If I boot from the live DVD with a SATA adapter disc drive, or with the USB disc drive among other connected hardware such as USB hubs, SD card and USB sticks, then this happens:

• Laptop mouse and touchpad do not respond.
• Not even SysRQ does work.
• The laptop is not frozen, which can be seen due to taskbar clock and screensaver.
• Connecting one external pheriphial, sr0 (live media) will be re-allocated to sr1, making system un-useable. Mount won't work due to the headache called "libsudo".
• External periphials work, even through USB hub.

Is that a known problem?
How can I fix that problem or locate the origins?
I can not look into the boot logs due to missing live media access.
Terminal also refuses to open.

Some basic tools such as terminal or libsudo should be loaded into the RAM during boot.

please test with usb/sd card booting.
i suspect the poorly configured distro you are testing is getting confused by the external drive.

btw,linux mint is based on ubuntu so there's no reason (yet) to assume this is a cross-debian problem.
ubuntu even uses their own installer iirc.

It happens on both Linux Mint and Ubuntu.
I will try it out with SD/USB.

I would like to figure out the root of this problem.

You need to set your CD/DVD drive to boot first in your BIOS, or the eqivalent for UEFI, otherwise the computer will attempt to boot from the first found media.