To my dismay, I have attempted to install several Linux systems in the past month. I have tried Oz Unity's Star Sapphire 3 times and Ubuntu 14.04.1 3 times without success.
The first time it appeared to install without issue (dual UEFI and Legacy boot), it restarted after removing cd just fine, but after updating and trying to launch Steam and install Steam games, on reboot, it hung overnight and went to a black screen with lots of errors.

I restarted and chose the recovery option but nothing worked and fdsk did not fix it, it hung overnight at 2%. I decided to reinstall, installation hung and went to 's to skip or m for manual recovery', manual recovery just gave more error messaes and I did not feel confident to tackle this.

So I tried another install, this time I wiped the hard drive with Webroot System Eraser and it seemed to be installing a thousand times quicker but hung at install after a couple of error messages about Glib while copying files: 'Source ID 3498 etc was not found when attempting to remove it'. I did select Erase all files and install at the splash screen as there was no other option for install (even though I had wiped the drive).

After reading a post about Steam games not working in Star Sapphire I decided to try Ubuntu 14.04.1 as several forums suggested Steam works in Ubuntu. It seemed to install fine but on reboot I get a black screen with copious process error messages. No Grub. System Rescue Cd provided no fixes.

The last attempted reinstall with Ubuntu 14.04.1 in UEFI, the install process went all the way to restart, I tried to install updated while configuring hardware and that failed, at the prompt I removed the cd and press enter, then a black screen for ages, then appeared '[195.952592] systemd-udevd (348): timeout 'mtp-probe/sys/devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:1a.0/usb1/1-1/1-1.3 1 4', a very, very long delay then, Purple Ubuntu loading screen for another very long time, then black, it then switched off. When I switched it back on a purple boarder appeared around the edge then black - then nothing. I hard powered it off and back on, black screen, no grub.

I am at my wits end! I am desperate NOT to go back to Windows (it kept hanging 20-30 mins after bootup in Windows 8) and want a Linux OS.

My system may have a lot to do with it but I also suspect the BIOS setting are not working. It is a 2013 (less than 2 years old) Medion Akoya with Windows 8 pre-installed (was, as it has since been wiped). I have followed all the Ubuntu official guides for UEFI turning off 'Secure Boot' etc. I've tried changing boot type from UEFI to Dual to Legacy. I have promoted the boot sequence to CDROM.

Nothing is working and I feel like I have a $500 brick that used to be the center of our home entertainment.

Laptop: Medion Akoya E6232 (MD 99222) notebook Processor: Intel 3rd gen Core i3 2.5GHz Intel Core i3-3120M RAM: 4.00 GB Intergrated Graphics Card: Intel HD 4000 Internal storage: 500GB

I received the following advice from AskUbuntu:
Take a deep breath.

Generally problems like you're describing come from two areas

A corrupted system image on the installation media. Check the checksum to avoid wailing and gnashing of teeth. A corrupted image only leads to tears.
Hardware failure, or impending hardware failure.
If you have a bona fide image on a USB in the form of a LiveCD, and the LiveCD boots, and runs, use the tools on the LiveCD to verify the integrity of your hardware, and *pre-*setup your machine to accept the new system.

Use GParted and partition it as you wish. I have a personal preference to at least 3 partitions (swap partition equivalent to RAM size; /, a root partition 10-30GB, depending; and the rest of the space devoted to /home)
Typically,

/dev/sda1 = / (root)
/dev/sda2 = /home
/dev/sdaX = swap
The order and numerical sequence is more important the OCD you are.

Now, after you have partitioned and formatted this unknown harddrive, check and mark any badblocks that might give you a bad day.

Open a terminal <ctrl><alt><t> at the same time, and enter sudo badblocks -v /dev/sda > bad-blocks
This goes over the drive and notes any 'bad blocks' and writes the information to a file bad-blocks in the current working directory (on the LiveCD).

While it's churning away this is a good time to check if the machine is overheating. Granted it's subjective, but does it feel hot? Are the vents clear and the feel/hear the fans blowing off the heat?

Remove any bad block from future use via the bad-blocks file you have just finished creating sudo fsck -t ext4 -l bad-blocks /dev/sda changing the ext4 to the format you laid down on the partitions.

Run some of the memory tests available when as you boot up the LiveCD. You don't have to run the whole series, but just let it run for 10 minutes to see if it throws an error. (If it does, then that's another matter.) What you are looking for is a point of failure; image and hardware integrity, a sloppy USB connector...something that might suggest not everything is optimal for a carefree installation.

Everything passes?...the machine doesn't overheat, or spit up running from the LiveCD after running through its paces, and a test drive on the internet, or whatever?

Now, try an installation, using the Something else option, and place the system in your pre-defined partitions.

Good luck.



Nodak
363

Thanks so much, Nodak! I have hope now! Am giving it a go as I type. I have put the BIOS settings back to Dual boot (both UEFI and Legacy) as that was the last setting that was most successful (and the first try at installing). What type of file system should /root be in? In G-parted it says it's fat32. I read elsewhere it should be ext2 (grub) or ext4 (grub2). What is correct?? I have also installed Boot Repair just in case. I'm not sure if this will be of any assistance as Grub loads fine, it just hasn't progressed anywhere after that in previous installs. – Lisa 2 hours ago

G-parted has crashed. When I tried to update gparted is said there was no space left on disk. Am running the USB Live CD as advised. – Lisa 2 hours ago

Rather than update GParted, if GParted is crashing that would point more toward a corrupted image. I don't know what tool you have on hand, but I'd recommend heading down this path help.ubuntu.com/community/HowToMD5SUM – Nodak 1 hour ago

Partition format, to a degree, is a matter of preference and intended end use. 99.44% of the time you can't go wrong with ext4. help.ubuntu.com/community/LinuxFilesystemsExplained – Nodak 59 mins ago

Lastly, MD5SUM crashed and could not heck the hashes.

I have decided to wipe the HDD again, burnt an updated G-parted onto a USB and will try the Star Sapphire OS via USB one more time.

How do i check if it's hard rive issue?

"How do i check if it's hard (d)rive issue?"

I suggest that you find out what brand of hard drive it is and run an diag suite from the maker of the drive. If they don't offer one then use a generic like UBCD or other that has tools.

Be sure to run memtest for a day or so too.

(side note) remove most of your post, too confusing.

We'd need laptop specs (that was good.)

What happens when you try to run the installation media. Do you have a way to test media at boot?

First off, don't mix tools. If you are installing UEFI you must not use fdisk, or whatever Webroot Eraser is.

This error occurred when the Linux device configuration code (udev) was probing a device attached via USB.
What USB device do you have attached? It may have a problem.

The third comment in the link below has step-by step instructions for somebody installing Ubuntu on a Medion Akoya system.
Read through it to see if it helps.
http://askubuntu.com/questions/29967...8-preinstalled

Hi there,

Thanks for you help. Sorry for the long confusing post. I thought it was best to give you all the responses from the ask ubuntu forum. I've never had this much trouble installing a linux os on a computer before and I have done it many times in the past several years ago. Which is why I have forgotten how to do almost everything.

I have re-installed Star Sapphire (SS) x64. Yesterday it restarted after install without issue, I shut down last night allowing it to shut down in it's own time. However, when I rebooted from install it said low memory error and when I tried to update, it said no memory available. I partitioned the drive myself at install but I fear I have done it incorrectly.

Secondly, I switched it on again today and it loaded grub and the SS loading screen came up for 20-30 mins, then the screen went black and switched off. I will check the post above for further insight. I suspect my hardware is designed to reject any os other than windows.

To answer your last question, I have tried via cd and usb with the same results. Every OS fails to install.

I have performed memory tests that have all come back without any errors. I think the issue is the UEFI settings which I can't get any clear answers on. I am happy to post screen shots of the UEFI settings if that helps. There is no access to the bios that I can reach.

BIOS & MBR - (U)EFI & GPT - use one or the other, they are two totally different ways of setting up a hard drive's partitioning & booting system.

The (U)EFI looks for a partition with its boot data, whereas BIOS looks in the MBR for its data; your computer can only use one of them.

Belladonna,

Try starting again from scratch.

According to Medion, the BIOS access key is F2. Tap this repeatedly immediately after the laptop is switched on in order to enter Setup.

Once inside Setup, set the following:

CD ROM Boot... Enabled

Secure Boot... Disabled

Legacy Support... Enabled

Ignore UEFI settings.

Legacy Boot Order:

1. USB Diskette/USB HDD
2. Internal CD/DVD ROM
3. Notebook HDD

Insert a freshly burned DVD for Linux Mint 17.1 MATE or whatever you prefer, but not the disk you used previously.

Press F10 to Save and Exit.

Hopefully LM17.1 (or whatever) will load and then later set the partitions to, for example:

sda1 as root (/) 25GB ext4 Primary
sda2 as swap 2GB swap Primary
sda3 as home (/home) rest of HDD ext4 Primary

I was also going to suggest another distro or another download of Ubuntu or whatever flavor you are interested in.
As a new "distro hopper" I have had a lot of issues with different burning programs and getting a good burn, especially in windows. If you have the bandwidth and time, I would look at a few different distro's to be sure that it is not the system at fault...and if you have already wiped the HDD, then for the 1st install, I would just let the partitioning software repartition the entire drive "guided use entire drive" should be what you choose..that is what I did.

I made-burned two copies of Netrunner 15 before getting it to install on my box...(I'm loving KDE plasma 5 btw)

I can't tell you how many coasters I have burned in the last year learning and burning Linux.
I never heard of your brand of laptop, but you should make sure that you are using a 32 bit version if the computer is older than say three years, or if you do not have enough ram (though you do have enough ram if I read your post correctly),
My system has only 2gb ram so I decided it would be best to run a 32 bit system. 32 bit is better for legacy and compatibility issues that sometimes come up with older equipment and a lot of programs that are still viable today.

I hope this helps even if just a little

Just to point something out here. IT is very important that you learn the difference between "memory" and "storage" (otherwise known as "disk space" and use them correctly. If your system really did say "out of memory" then there is something wrong here becahse 4GB is more than enough RAM for any distribution. If, on the other hand, Linux complained about not enough disk space then you should reinstall with a larger partition -- I suggest about 15GB at least for root if you have it just in case you want to install a lot of software.

consider using opensuse from opensuse.org. download the 4.5gb dvd installation iso for 64 bit pc (x86_64) and burn to dvd, hopefully you have a working computer to do that on.

on your Medion Akoya E6232 laptop, in the "bios" set it to be UEFI as opposed to BIOS or Legacy.
make sure your hard drive is recognized, and that ATA mode is set to AHCI and not ata, raid, irrt.
setting ata mode for the hard drive to raid or irrt might be your problem, which can require a hard disk controller driver which your linux os does not contain. AHCI and ATA is universally supported, with ahci being the newer and better one.

booting your laptop with UEFI (and not bios) have it boot the linux install dvd and everything should go smoothly from there.
because you are using uefi, /sda1 needs to be FAT and only 100mb or so, /sda2 will be swap of 1 to 4 GB, and the rest of disk as /sda3 formatted as EXT3 or EXT4. the install will ask you for automatic disk setup and this is what it should do.
I have installed opensuse in the past on dell desktops that only had 1GB of RAM (memory).
You can easily get by with a 20GB hard drive, linux fully installed has run around 10GB.

I'll correct my comment maybe by saying that yes, more is better.

Since you have disabled uefi and secure boot (and it shouldn't have needed it on ubuntu so they claim) almost any distro should work on this laptop (minus video and network issues.)

Maybe try making a live usb by some means to see if the system will in fact run from a usb.

To boot to a usb it would be a hard drive choice just so you know. Not a usb boot option.