I'm sure I just wrote a thread - I don't know if they have to go through an approval process?

I've installed a new ssd, so I'm installing Lubuntu from a usb. This is the only usb I have, but I'm wondering if the image might be faulty?

I've tweaked all the boot options and orders, installed in both legacy and uefi - neither would boot. Either 'no boot device' or 'no operating system' errors.

I tried boot-repair in both modes:
legacy: https://paste.ubuntu.com/p/W5DPCMByjp/
uefi: http://paste.ubuntu.com/p/C3jMp42K7d/

I tried manually partitioning, but couldn't mount them in Gparted and the installer didn't like it much either. Wasn't entirely sure what I was doing, but had a go since it's a fresh drive and no risk of data loss.

Currently quite flummoxed, overwhelmed by all the information out there and which direction is best to take.

Any help and suggestion very welcome and much appreciated.

TIA

The first thing I'd try is to turn off secure boot.

But if the usb is booting it's getting round secure boot.

uefi did not work, one you booted into legacy mode both times according to boot-repair, second the disk type is msdos not gpt.

Go into the firmware/bios and disable legacy/csm mode.

Boot the lubuntu usb.

Use gparted to set device>create-partition table>type gpt,

Start installer, during partitioning stage select "erase disk and install"

So, if I go into bios and select uefi with csm - does that not count as uefi?

On uefi without csm the usb wasnt recognised as a boot option.

The penny dropped that I needed to update the firmware on the new ssd, but I don't know if this would make a difference?

I booted in both legacy and uefi with csm. So, is it the csm thats making the system think it's not in uefi?

The only way to boot in uefi without csm is with an efi file - and I have no idea which filename to enter.

I have turned off secure boot as far as I can tell (only indicated by a checkbox to clear secure keys - there is no explicit on/off option).

The usb boots only through F9, ie, manually.

Thanks!

duckwobble,

For UEFI boot, follow colorpurple21859’s suggestion but then create a 300MiB EFI system partition (esp), formatted as FAT32. This will be sda1 (see below).

NB Once this is created it is essential to right click on this partition and flag it as esp/boot, then exit gparted.

Hopefully this will boot and you can then select “Something else” and create 3 primary partitions along the following lines.

Make sure to select Beginning for the location of each partition.

Highlight the free space and click on Change.

First create sda2:
sda2....formatted (X in the box) as ext4 as the root partition (/)......Size: 25000MB
Click on OK.

Highlight the free space and click on Change.

sda3.....not formatted (no X in the box) as the swap partition.............Size: 2000MB.
Click on OK.

Highlight the free space and click on Change.

sda4......formatted (X in the box) as ext4 as the Home partition (/home)......Size: Remainder of hard drive.
Click on OK.

Install on sda.

Thanks for the little partition guide beachboy - very much appreciated..! I had made a little fat32 partition, but didn't know about the esp/boot.

Just to clarify, is the boot mode 'uefi with csm' suitable for this method?

Also, is the swap for a dual boot setup?

And finally, when I go to install and 'erase disk' - the partitions will remain?

Thank you for the assistance ��

No, csm is an implementation of the old way of booting a system on a uefi system.
This indicates the usb is only booting in csm/legacy mode not uefi mode. What is the name of the iso you used and how did you put the iso onto the usb?

on the usb it will be a EFI/Boot/Bootx64.efi file.

It is possible to install a system in uefi mode while booted in legacy/csm mode, but may be daunting for someone that isn't familiar with linux and the use of the console/terminal.

No, the installation will create all new partitions including the efi partition if the usb is booted in uefi mode. You will have to use "something else" option to keep a previously created partition table.

The existence/nonexistence of /sys/firmware/efi directory indicates whether or not your booted in uefi or legacy/csm mode.

A simple of test if it's existence from a terminal/console is this
This will come back as "it is a directory" or doesn't exist message.

1 members found this post helpful.

Aha, so the problem is that I've been booting in 'uefi with csm'.

I downloaded the iso from lubuntu and installed it with unetbootin, but that's all I know. I think I'm going to try again, but with some efi configurations. Although, I might try that filename first!

By "something else", the options were to add a partition for the install, replace a partition or manual partition, is this what you mean? I did try manual on the installer, but it never activated the 'next' button.

I very much appreciate your time explaining through this with me, it's such a tonic to be able to ask directly. A lot of searching tends to be one big puzzle with missing pieces!

Currently in transit but I'll be getting my laptop shortly to try all these suggestions thank you!

I think this is your problem. If using windows, I recommend rufus https://rufus.ie/ It has two different modes to install to usb, it has iso-image or dd mode. choose iso-image as it will allow to copy additional files to the usb if needed, whereas dd will make the usb read-only like a regular dd/cd, if iso-image doesn't work then use DD mode. Accept the defaults on the first screen that comes up.

If I write another usb it'll have to be done on the live OS. Does Unetbootin also have that feature?

If you decide to try downloading again, make sure you use the official download site at the link below and also make sure you verify the download process was good. That is explained in a link on the page.

https://lubuntu.me/downloads/

There is a lot of information available online, much of it inaccurate so using the official documentation is usually best. Link below is the Lubuntu install guide including setting the drive (gpt,msdos) type and partitioning.

https://manual.lubuntu.me/stable/1/1...tallation.html

You make reference to option in the BIOS firmware but have not indicated the manufacturer (HP, Dell, Toshiba, etc.) which could help someone to help you with regard to firmware options.

Here are links to ways of doing this.
https://www.pragmaticlinux.com/2021/...nux-iso-image/

https://www.howtogeek.com/414574/how...rive-in-linux/
I have had good luck with balena-etcher.

Make sure you select the correct usb.

Oh my... what do you mean by correct usb? Just that it's correctly formatted to boot? Ohhh you mean the right drive, ie, if I have two plugged in?

My laptop is a HP ProBook 4540s, now with a Crucial mx500 ssd.

Thank you for the links cant wait to try all this!

Turns out all I needed was that file name! Installation and reboot went smoothly, no issue whatsoever! I had tried searching for that to no avail. Big thank you colourpurple..! What a load of faff.... best part of three days and it was installed and running in about 3 minutes. Amazing.. haha. Very pleased anyway, and I've learnt a lot in the process. Much gratitude for all contributions here