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Once you have booted GParted and deleted all existing partitions on sda, these are the 4 newly created partitions (see attached gparted screenshot) for:
sda1………….400MiB…….FAT32……………..flagged as boot/esp
sda2………….. 30GiB……. ext4
sda3……………..2GiB…….linux-swap
sda4…………206GiB……...ext4
Then after booting with the MX Linux drive, here (see attached mx_installer) are the exact same, newly created partitions, sized 400MiB, 30GiB, 2GiB, and 206GiB respectively.
All that is needed is for these 4 partitions to be correctly configured, using the Use For and Format columns for sda.
NB Make sure that Use For is blank for sdb (MX drive).
I thought I understood it all, but then when I clicked on the Gparted icon I remembered what you said about my using the MX21 drive -- that I should be making the partitions on the computer's hard drive [sda]. When I examined the drives I found sdb =29 gigs and sda = 16 gigs. The USB is 16 gigs and I am not using a 32 gig. I started deleting the partitions on GParted to try to get the ability to make a 54 gig sda but no dice. Am I correct to say that when I am making the partitions with GParted using the Gparted icon I am making partitions for the computer's hard drive, i.e., the 64 gig drive?
MY GParted USB hangs. Also it seems the total partition is only 32 gigs -- can't seem to stretch it to 64 gig.
The reason I'm puzzled is that when I am using the live MX USB I am working from the live drive and not from the hard drive [my reasoning] So does the sda still apply to the hard drive?
Tomorrow I will download a new GParted file though I suspect it's something I am doing wrong.
Strange as it may seem, I am feeling more comfortable manipulating MX23 -- at least the first steps.
Instead, use the MX USB drive and utilise GParted from within the MX Installer (see attached HDD_icon_GParted).
Delete all existing eMMC partitions for sda and create new ones for sda2 at 10GB etc.
Once you have partitioned sda, shut down GParted and boot from the MX USB drive a second time.
When you reach "Customise the disk layout", followed by "Choose partitions", you configure the previously created partitions using the black Down arrows (see attached "mx_installer").
NB Under Format for sda4 in this attachment, it should be marked as ext4, not "Preserve(ext4).
It will still work but ideally just use ext4. The Preserve tag is for when there is an existing home partition which contains data.
None of your 4 partitions created by GParted contain any data.
As mentioned previously, some photos would help me better understand exactly where you are in the system and what you are doing at any given point.
I tried before to send photos but it was the demand for a URL that threw me. If I use "http.../folders../photo" would that work? Alternatively, I can take photos and post them on my flickr account. If so, I'll send you my flickr name, etc [have to look it up!]
beachboy2,
I used a digital camera to photograph the screens because I don't think I can as yet use the Asus. I decided to record step-by-step in case you see something that I don't.
As you can see I can't get rid of any of the three partitions or change [increase] sda. I didn't get too far. In fact, this morning I had to make another live USB of MX because I obviously did something wrong last night when I was using the GParted USB. As a result I couldn't boot in, so what I did was stick the MX USB into my PC and then to the Notebook. After three attempts I booted into the MX but it hung. So I re-made the MX USB.
august3330 and the photos are in a folder named ASUS Vivo MX21.
In any case it is much better if everybody can see your uploaded photos.
NOTE: LQ has a maximum file size limit of 256kB, so if your photos are larger, you will need to first reduce them. I find ImageMagick is useful.
To reduce the photos to 1000 pixels wide:
Code:
sudo apt install imagemagick
cd Pictures
cd ASUS
mogrify -scale 1000 photo_name.jpg
Here I am going to upload two JPGs called customise_disk_layout.JPG and HDD_icon_GParted.jpg.
Below this large white text box is a section called Additional Options.
Click on Manage Attachments underneath Attach files.
Clicking on the top Browse button, I go to Desktop where these two JPGs are located and click on Open.
If your photos are located, say, in a folder called ASUS within the main Pictures folder, you first browse to Pictures and click on Open.
Then locate the ASUS folder and highlight it. Click on Open.
Then separately highlight each of the JPGs (maximum of 5 per post) and click on Open.
Then click on Upload. Close the Manage Attachments window.
NB As I have recommended previously, boot from the MX drive and then access GParted from within the MX Installer, not from a separate GParted USB drive (see attached customise_disk_layout.JPG which shows the hard drive icon for GParted beneath the BLUE clockwise arrow.
Your 64GB eMMC drive should be sda. Your MX drive should be sdb.
Delete all partitions for sda and create new ones with that drive formatted as GPT (it should be anyway).
Once you have booted GParted and deleted all existing partitions on sda, these are the 4 newly created partitions (see attached gparted screenshot) for:
sda1………….500MiB…….FAT32……………..flagged as boot/esp
sda2………….. 10GiB……. ext4
sda3……………..500MiB…….linux-swap
sda4…………rest of sda ……...ext4
Close GParted, then boot from the MX drive a second time, (see attached mx_installer) and configure these freshly created partitions made by GParted.
All that is needed is for these 4 partitions to be correctly configured, using the Use For and Format columns for sda.
NB Make sure that Use For is blank for sdb (MX drive).
PS I have just sold my similar netbook (ASUS T100T) with MX 21.3 installed. It was a freebie, but I am certainly not sad at its departure.
Beachboy2,
I haven't digested your last message because I wanted to tell you what I discovered. Although my ASUS specs states "hard drive size 64 gigs" I discovered I have an HD card of 32 gigs. In short 32:32 gigs. I did a GParted on the Notebook using MX and discovered that if I took the HD card out I had MMCblk 32 gig and sda 16 gig [size of the USB I am using]. I then closed, inserted the HD card and opened GParted and discovered: mmblk0 = 32 gig; sda 32 gig; and sdb 16 gig.
I am thinking of removing the SD card and then Gparted the "real" hard drive and MX USB. Or should I leave it in and GParted the hard drive [mmcblk0] with the 4 partitions; sda [HD as just one partition] and the sdb [USB as one]?
I'll send this message and then read and respond to your last message.
beachboy2,
This is too much! I thought I had solved the problem and saw a way in. I was busy during the day, so I turned off the Notebook with the MX USB in the slot. This evening when I tried to open up it wouldn't go beyond the dots, mainly three. So I re-burnt the USB with Etcher and tried again. I think I got in once, entered the password for the WiFi and then it hung. Try what I may I couldn't get beyond the penultimate progress dot.
I suspect I altered something when I tried this morning without the HD card. So I tried to use the GParted on my USB but that went no where.
I'll sleep on it and try again in the afternoon. If nothing else works I may add back the HD card and have sda, sdb, and sdc.
I wonder if leaving the live USB in the computer all day drains it because why should it suddenly stop working?
I was in touch with Flickr and they said the reason why one could not select a smaller size is that I had forgotten to give permission or something like that. Flickr has changed since I first began using it, and I haven't kept up with their "improvements".
I got as far as installing the programme you mentioned but couldn't see it on my PC. I'll try again tomorrow but this unusable USB is my priority. It's like I see the goal but can't go further.
Beachboy2,
Well I tried multiple times without the HD card. First three iterations it wouldn't go beyond the third spot, then I got in as far as connecting my WiFi [although the time before the radiating dial hung], clicked on the GParted button and then it hung. More attempts never got me this far. But I do know the mmcblk0 is the 29 gig hard drive. I'll try again later with all three drives to see if that is a better connection. If I can, I wonder if I can re-name the mmcblk to sda.
On one occasion after I hit Alt-F1 the system asked if I wanted to connect via the command line but I declined. I had tried once a few days ago and got into a real soup.
I am going to take it up with ASUS -- their stating their Notebook has a 65 gig hard drive when in fact it is only 32 gig + a separate 32 gig HD card.
Beachboy2,
I get your point, and I too have reached my end. I tried again with all three drives and got nowhere. I couldn't even get to where I had in some iterations. In one of the few cases where I could see the boot process [Alt-F1] it stated something about segmentation fault, which when I looked up on the web it told me about ascribing whatever to the wrong area. I suspect that I probably entered something I shouldn't have, perhaps when I was trying to install via the command line. Anyway, my ASUS will become my "sword in the stone" for anyone who thinks he can install Linux. My first volunteer is a friend's son who is studying engineering-computer science at university and who knows Linux. He will be coming, if all goes well, next Saturday.
Last week a friend examined my Lenovo laptop and said I could run 64-bit Linux on it but to change the hard drive first. I still want to buy a desk-top with Linux and perhaps my friend's son can advise me on the specs, because they mean nothing to me. All I know is that my ASUS desktop is old, slow, and its graphics chip is not suitable as it hangs after sometime. Buying a Linux specific computer costs a lot more than the standard products, but I fear that any model that uses Windows may have been built with Windows in mind, and I don't want to go through the same problem!
Thank you and all the others for your time and help, and if I ever get it working I will announce it on this forum!
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