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It's a 7th gen Intel Dell laptop. I receive errors at boot with any Linux I try to install.

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I tried Ubuntu, Mint, and MX so far. With Ubuntu the only way I can get a live thumb drive to completely load is to select UEFI Safe Graphics mode at boot options. As far as installing Ubuntu, it freezes in the middle of install. I'm able to install MX completely, but I don't want MX. The thing is with it though is it freezes if I select restart, shutdown, or log off. My guess is incompatible hardware, but I'm not sure how to proceed.

Using this tutorial, 19.04 Install Tutorial I tried install differently, and allowed online updates. It installed, but with errors, (below), I was able to install 19.04 on a Precision 5520 successfully using same tutorial, and the same live thumb drive without getting these errors.enter image description here enter image description here When I checked the Nvidia x server settings in the Precision after install the Nvidia card was enabled which seemed odd. I booted the Inspiron in text mode after install, and saw that it was on "Hold", but I'm not sure what that's all about.enter image description here I let it run for over ten minutes. No change.

joeRag
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  • In addition to the link I wrote, others mention turning off TCP in BIOS and there might be other things in BIOS you could experiment with: https://askubuntu.com/questions/956444/install-ubuntu-16-04-on-dell-15-7567 – WinEunuuchs2Unix May 17 '19 at 02:14
  • Dell needs UEFI update, and if SSD firmware update. Then drives need to be changed to AHCI, if dual boot with Windows add AHCI driver first. Most models of Dell have same settings & issues. https://askubuntu.com/questions/1072382/post-installation-issues-ubuntu-18-04-dell-inspiron-7559 & https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2386049 – oldfred May 17 '19 at 02:36
  • @WinEunuuchs2Unix When I get back to machine I will look for TCP in BIOS. I didn't notice what it was set to. – joeRag May 17 '19 at 03:51
  • @oldfred I will address UEFI, and ssd updates when I see the laptop again. Also I did notice the drives were set to RAID in BIOS. It never occured to me until now, but I had thought it took 2 of the same type of drive in order for RAID to function properly. This laptop has a 1Tb hdd, and 1 256Gb ssd. – joeRag May 17 '19 at 03:56
  • @joeRag RAID is also needed for Intel RST which accelerates hard drives by piping them through SSDs. RAID is more than just an array for redundant disks. – WinEunuuchs2Unix May 17 '19 at 04:53
  • Intel Optane - See Intel response that no performance difference between RAID & AHCI. https://communities.intel.com/thread/121155 Maximize SATA Capabilities with AHCI http://www.samsung.com/global/business/semiconductor/minisite/SSD/global/html/whitepaper/whitepaper02.html – oldfred May 17 '19 at 13:56
  • Tried changing to MBR/GPT when mounting the usb/dvd? – Jean Nunes May 17 '19 at 01:03

2 Answers2

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I had this same laptop. The issue was solved by installing Windows 10 and updating BIOS from official Dell website, then i could install Ubuntu.

Boburxon Aqoidxonov
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  • I thought I had the latest bios. That was one of the first things I did when I got it from Amazon. A new version was released May 7 though. I will update it again and see if that solves problem. – joeRag May 16 '19 at 23:29
  • It's something about Gnome because Unity loads, and installs just fine. It still hangs during install if I try 18.04 or 19.04. – joeRag May 17 '19 at 01:00
  • Newer Dell can have UEFI update from Linux. UEFI/BIOS updates brand model list for Dell with (uefi >= 0.6.2 & dell >= 0.7.3) https://fwupd.org/lvfs/devicelist – oldfred May 17 '19 at 02:33
  • @oldfred Thx. Will check it out. – joeRag May 17 '19 at 03:59
  • @oldfred https://fwupd.org/lvfs/device/com.dell.uefi1610b70e.firmware From what you say, this what I need, but it's a .cab file. Do I need to be in windows to install this? – joeRag May 17 '19 at 04:29
  • My Dell is too old for Update from Ubuntu. If from grub you boot the 'System setup' I thought that took you to UEFI and you could update from there. One user posted regular updates in Ubuntu also updated UEFI which then changed settings creating issues. – oldfred May 17 '19 at 13:50
  • Found this that has more explanation. https://github.com/rhboot/fwupdate/blob/master/README.md – oldfred May 17 '19 at 13:59
  • @oldfred I posed the UEFI update question to Dell Community. https://www.dell.com/community/Inspiron/implimentation-of-UEFI-device-firmware-updates/m-p/7301747#M53950. Assuming that answer is correct then the firmware on this laptop is up to date as long as it's not OS specific. – joeRag May 17 '19 at 20:12
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I had a similar issues with a Dell thin client (5070) and 18.04... Had a lot of the experiences in @oldfred's links... and when I finally got it to install (w/ UEFI), it wouldn't shutdown. There was no way to get it to install in legacy BIOS.

With no luck finding a UEFI upgrade (or other solution): I took the hard drive out and successfully did the install in legacy BIOS on a different PC, popped it back in and it has worked fine ever since.

I wouldn't call this thee "answer"... but a possible workaround.

WU-TANG
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