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I have Ubuntu 16 (ubuntu-16.04-desktop-i386.iso) which I'd like to install to a laptop with the following specs:

Dell Inspiron 14 3452, 2GB DDR3L RAM, 32GB eMMC storage.

EFI and Legacy mode are supported.

Initially shipped with Windows 10 which I have since erased from its miserable existence.

I have tried for the life of me every other option you can think of but I can't get the installed Ubuntu to boot. I can boot from the LiveUSB, only through legacy mode. Some suggest to disable all of this and install the OS. But I end with the chicken vs egg thing because the sytem won't install the OS if the USB is in legacy mode. Also, when I flash to the USB using the following tools, it only boots in legacy mode: (Well, there's no EFI/boot directory in the ISO anyway)

  • Rufus (OS or DD mode)
  • UnetBootin
  • Etcher

I have tried converting to EFI through boot-repair and manually but I get other errors.

rEFInd doesn't work either. Spits directory resolution errors.

Isn't there just a simple way to install an EFI bootloader on the primary disk and point it to the kernel?

I am not trying to dual boot btw. It's useless to do that with 32GB storarge space.

Also, is it safe to skip adding swap space since we're talking about an eMMC storage?

chx101
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  • Generallly you need the 64 bit installer to have UEFI boot. The 32 bit does not have UEFI. Is this one of the few with 32 bit UEFI, even though 64 bit system? With only 2GB of RAM, one of the lighter weight flavor will work better than full Ubuntu. Lubuntu, xubuntu, Ubuntu MATE, Budgie are all lighter weight. https://wiki.ubuntu.com/UbuntuFlavors – oldfred Jul 31 '19 at 03:35
  • It doesn't have /EFI unfortunately. I thought I could get clever and install 'Clover' only to find out it's 64Bit. If you could poiint me to a pre-built 32bit EFI bootloader that'd be nice. I've already created an ESP FAT32 boot partition (through live mode) and the system is able to see it. But I'm guessing I can't boot from it either because Clover just hangs (black screen). Probably due to bit width incompatibility(?). And how will the 64bit installer work on the 32bit platform? – chx101 Jul 31 '19 at 04:04
  • There is a 32 bit UEFI boot file which you can download. Older instructions had you compiling it yourself. https://askubuntu.com/questions/775498/ubuntu-on-32-bit-uefi-only-based-tablet-pc & https://askubuntu.com/questions/1040519/installing-32bit-bootloader-on-64bit-ubuntu-solved & – oldfred Jul 31 '19 at 15:03
  • @oldfred I have tried installing the one here: https://askubuntu.com/questions/775498/ubuntu-on-32-bit-uefi-only-based-tablet-pc to the internal eMMC storage but it just hangs. Mind you, I want to install it on the eMMC drive not boot from USB, because I can already to that under legacy, which has allowed me to install Ubuntu in the first place. I'll still be searching. Thanks for the links nonetheless. – chx101 Jul 31 '19 at 16:25

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