Format hard drive

[Dan Svarreby]

I have tried to install all the biggest linux distro's and the failure rate is extreme. Almost NO linux distro's can't even boot an GUI environment...

Yesterday, I put MX Linux ISO 18.2 on a USB-stick. To my surprise, the GUI was visible. I had Windows 10 installed (UEFI) and I had created 3 partitions (root, swap & home).

After I had entered my partitions and started the formatting & installation, nothing happened. The installation stalled. I watched the spinning ball for over 30 minutes.

Now, I have backed up everything & would like to try a linux-only installation. I can designate the whole hard drive to MX Linux.

Will I succeed or do you thing that the end result will be the same?


LAPTOP

DELL XPS 15 9560\

Intel Core i7-7700HQ Quad-Core
Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 GPU
15.6" UltraSharp 4K Ultra HD (3840x2160) InfinityEdge touch
16GB DDR4 2133 MHz RAM
512GB HD

/Dan

[BitJam]

Welcome to the forums! I'm sorry you are having so much trouble getting Linux to work on your xps-15. That's a sweet machine.

I have tried to install all the biggest linux distro's and the failure rate is extreme. Almost NO linux distro's can't even boot an GUI environment...

[...]

After I had entered my partitions and started the formatting & installation, nothing happened. The installation stalled. I watched the spinning ball for over 30 minutes.

Now, I have backed up everything & would like to try a linux-only installation. I can designate the whole hard drive to MX Linux.

Will I succeed or do you thing that the end result will be the same?

I think there is a problem. I don't think a 2nd install will work any better (but it might). I suggest you try running MX live for a while and see how that works. If you want a full featured live-usb with persistence, remastering, and all that jazz (and you don't have one already) then boot the live system, plug in a 2nd usb stick and run the live-usb-maker program. Chose "clone" and it will copy the running live system to a full-featured live-usb on the new stick.

The installation problem may be separate from the graphics problems you were having but something seems a bit off.

On an xps-15, the live system with static root persistence on a usb-3 stick will fly. This is quick and easy and you don't have to trash your Windows 10 (yet).

OTOH, someone has recently reported having a terrible experience using MX on an xps-15: Dell XPS 15 9560 and MX 18 but if anything, this reinforces the idea of running live for now until you get things figured out. Several of us here run MX on Dell xps-13 machines. We'll certainly try to help you get it working well on your xps-15. Also, if you get the kinks worked out on the live system, your changes will get copied over automatically when you do an install.

[Dan Svarreby]

Thanks for you input.

I will follow your advice. Will report ASAP!

[fehlix]

Two comments:
1. Change SATA RAID to AHCI with pre-installed Windows

One crucial point to fix at the beginning with would be to change SATA Operation setting from RAID to AHCI,
which can be done within the System-BIOS setup
under Settings -> System Configuration -> SATA Operation

Unfortunatly when you go into BIOS-setup (Press F2 or press F12) and change SATA Operation from RAID to AHCI the next time you boot into the pre-installed Windows it will give you an unfriendly Error and you cannot boot into Windows, because Windows was installed with enabled RAID mode.
The Dell maintenance system will probaby automatically get opened but it could also not "fix" the issue either.

The only way I have managed to fix it and without re-installing Windows would be this way:
Before you change from RAID to AHCI - or if you have already - change back to RAID.

- Boot into Windows normally with RAID enabled.
- Enable next Windows Boot into "Safeboot minimal" this way:
-- Open cmd command line "DOS-box" as Administrator
-- set next boot to minimal safeboot: type

Code: Select all

bcdedit /set {current} safeboot minimal

-- Now reboot and this is the tricky bit
Press F2 or F12 when you see the Dell-logo to go into system-BIOS setup
Change from RAID to AHCI under Settings -> System Configuration -> SATA Operation
Press Apply -> Exit
-- Now reboot into Windows again and reset to normal boot:
-- Open cmd commandline DOS-box again as Adminstrator:

Code: Select all

bcdedit /deletevalue {current} safeboot

Now reboot and check that you can boot into Windows normaly wiith AHCI SATA Operation.

2. Disable Nvidia during first LiveBoot
Another point to mention:
When you boot live with MX Linux it might be better to disable Nvidia as otherwise you might have some "hanger" during operation when installing and also during shutdown.

To do this add this kernel boot parameter when booting live:

Code: Select all

nouveau.modeset=0

by pressing 'e' for edit when you get to the GRUB menu,
and navigate with arrow keys down to the line starting with "linux"
and add after a space at the end of this line nouveau.modeset=0
Press <F10>-key to boot.

As with HDPI the symbols and fonts are so tiny, I just have reset the default screen resolution to 1920x1080
so I can at least start using the system and do an install.
Changing the resolution is easiest done with Open "Display" ,
type display with the menu and select a smaller resolution like I found best to start with "1920x1080".

PS: And to add, best disable Secure Boot and also disable legacy boot.
Do boot MX Linux in UEFI mode with disabled secure boot.

[Stevo]

It looks like that 9560 user eventually did find workarounds for most of the issues. I think the Nvidia driver has since been updated to fix that vulkan hack, but optirun also works fine for me instead of primusrun.