# Mint 15 64-bit not installing.



## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Have this posted at the mint forum since yesterday, but no replies, so thought I might try here.

Used this same cd to install mint on my wife's pc yesterday. Went just fine and up running now. Want to install it on my machine, but it's not cooperating. It get to the first screen (Will boot in 7 seconds) and then goes to a grey screen with cursor flashing. Just like it did yesterday. But then the screen goes black, with the no signal box floating around. I let it sit for a few minutes like that. Watched the dvd drive activity light blink for a bit, and then it stops. Still let it sit for about 5 minutes like that, but nothing changed. Used this same machine to burn the dvd from an .iso, so it should work.

Tried it in compatibility mode (think that's what it was called) and it flashed a bunch of stuff. Then it started showing the same thing over and over

/init: line 7: can't open /dev/sda: No medium found. It changes from sda to sdb, c and d. Then back to sda and keeps repeating those lines.

Any other option from the first boot menu gets the black screen/no signal thing.

Got it to run in compatibility mode using a usb flash drive, but when it got to the page where you can run install, it wanted to install on the flash drive.

Just so you understand, yesterday was my first trip into the other world that is not windows, so any help should be explained like you are talking to a 1st grader or less.  Help would be most appreciated.

BTW... I'm running Win8 on this machine. Also, for some reason I can't access the bios using the wireless keyboard. I have to plug in a usb keyboard to make it work.

System specks are... 

Gigabyte GA 970A-UD3
AMD FX-4100
2x 2gb G Skill pc3-12800
Corsair 600w PSU
PNY 650Ti


Thanks


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

There are three different versions of that mb and the later ones have uefi. Turn OFF the secure boot in the bios or more properly uefi and retry the install. Read your mb manual for a detailed description of the menus/options available in uefi.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

One other thing. Mint has what it calls mint4win; you can install mint from within windows. You can also uninstall it just like any other windows program.


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Thanks for your reply(s).

Shows "secure boot disabled" on boot. Not trying to dual boot with windows. Trying to get rid of windows and go with just Mint.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

If you intend to wipe windows and just go with linux, have you tried wiping the drive then doing the install?


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Yep, used killdisk to wipe the drive, then tried the install. Same thing. Gets to the first screen, then the no signal and black screen. Only way to get back up is reboot.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Have you tried writing the iso to a usb flash drive and booting from the flash drive? This will not cost you another dvd disk and it might boot for you. 
Here are some instructions for making a bootable usb drive.
http://community.linuxmint.com/tutorial/view/744


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Tried it with 2 different flash drives. One a 2gb and the other a 16gb. Tried with LinuxLive USB Creator and UNetBootin. Flash drives have the same effect. First screen and then no signal.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Have you tried some other version of linux, ie ubuntu, fedora, etc? If not, I would do so. You can even boot with a windows disk and see if you could install windows.

This will tell you if you have a problem with just linux mint or if you have a hardware problem ie failing optical drive, failing hd, etc.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

I am off to work in the morning so I will not be here for a few days. Good luck.


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Ubantu also had the same problem. I now have Mint installed, but not the way I wanted. Wanted it to be the only OS, but ran the install from within windows. It's now a dual boot system. Why would the install run from windows but not the cd? Tells me it's not a hardware problem. It's got to be bios or mbr/gpt related. But what??


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## saikee (Jun 11, 2004)

I could not confirm but newer versions of Linux like Ubuntu and Mint do have probelems in the installation. If you want successful installation download the older versions and you will find them a lot easier.

Haven't bottom it out myself the newer Linux appear to be "a lot" less capable than those they replace. It is quite possible that the new kernels are orientated to tablet application thereby neglecting the stability with the normal desktop PC. Ubuntu is a lot worse than it was before and Mint is catching up in this department.


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

If it gets bad enough I'll move to an older version. For now I'll keep the dual boot. Tired of reformatting to try again and again and.... LOL My big problem with this install is that even with the 310.xx drivers installed, the highest screen resolution I can get is 1360x768 and it isn't right for my widescreen monitor. Running at 1024x768 and everything is HUGE! Can't find a way to get higher resolution choices.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

Mint 16 RC is out and the full release version should be out by the end of next week or so. Why either install mint 16 RC or wait until the release version is out?


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Didn't know about that. Might just do that and use the dual boot for now. Still wish I could get higher resolution. Not used to everything so big.


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## crjdriver (Jan 2, 2001)

I have a nvidia 650ti and there is no problem getting the res to the native 1050x1600. Even with the open source driver and not the proprietary driver the res was fine. I am using linux mint 14 MATE until I can get the time to install 16.


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

And on my other 2 systems with Mint 15 installed, I can set mine higher. Just not on this one. Wondering if it has something to do with dual boot and having drivers installed on the windows side.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

dickster said:


> And on my other 2 systems with Mint 15 installed, I can set mine higher. Just not on this one. Wondering if it has something to do with dual boot and having drivers installed on the windows side.


What video card/adapter do you have in the system giving you problems? I'm running Mint 15 on a Toshiba laptop and it runs at full resolution just fine. I forget what video adapter it has in it, but I think it's an ATI chipset.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Mine is a home built desktop with a PNY GTX 650 Ti video card. I've been searching, and it seems it might be a problem with reading my monitors EDID. On the nvidia settings in Mint, it shows as a crt monitor. Mine is an Acer 22" LCD. Can't find any info on how to get it to read the right setting.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

That makes sense. I found this thread, which might help. Mint is based on Ubuntu.

Let us know if you get this resolved. 

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Well, that was an adventure. Ended up with only 640x480 resolution. I thought everything was big at 1024x768. LOL

Finally had to delete the xorg.conf file to get back to where I was.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Hmmm, can you try a different monitor to confirm the EDID theory?

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Tried another Acer monitor. It's all I have. Same issue. Not recognized and listed as crt with the same resolution settings.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Another Acer monitor of the same model?

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

No, mine is the p221w model. The other one I tried ie the S230HL.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, I've got and eye-dee-er.  Could you download a live CD ISO from another distro, Ubuntu, PCLinuxOS, who knows what, and boot that on your system and see if the resolution issue persists?

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Ubantu dvd wouldn't even get to any choices before the black screen and no signal box. OpenSuse gave me the choices to install or boot to hdd. But it did show a resolution option that had a couple more choices.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Weird. Were you able to get the desired resolution with OpenSUSE? If possible, see if you can access the Xorg.conf file on the OpenSUSE CD to see what it's settings are, then maybe you can mimic those settings.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Can't find a way to use the OpenSuse. Don't see an option to run from the cd. Only an option to install.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

On this page:

http://software.opensuse.org/131/en

I see downloads for GNOME and KDE OpenSUSE live CD images. Maybe you could try one of those.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

The KDE live cd showed the same resolution choices that Mint shows.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

dickster said:


> And on my other 2 systems with Mint 15 installed, I can set mine higher. Just not on this one.


What are the specs on the systems on which Mint 15 does work, namely the video cards in these systems?

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

All 3 are running the same vid card. It's a PNY GTX 650 TI

http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16814133473


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, and they are all using Acer LCD monitors, like the one you're having resolution issues with? What happens if you boot the KDE live CD on one of those other systems? One of the systems that works fine.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Tried it in another pc and it had the same resolution options as it had with mint. Up to 1600x900 which is where I'm looking to get with this system.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Cool, so there must be something particular with this particular PC, Linux, and that video card. Have you tried a different monitor cable? (Process of elimination ) At this point, I would try another video card in this "problem" PC. I would try another brand/model card or, if possible, one of the cards from a system that works (I know that would be a PITA).

If Mint and OpenSUSE (KDE) both support 1600x900 on the other PC and both DO NOT support that resolution on the "problem" PC, then there's got to be something different about this one PC. Are all of the systems using the same brand and model of motherboard?

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

No, One of the other pcs is using an Asus Rampage Formula intel 775 board with a quad core intel chip. The other is using a MSI board with an AMD Denab 940 quad core cpu.

I'm still at the point where I think it's a problem with Mint 16 or the Gigabyte board or vid card not reading the EDID of these Acer monitors. But it can't be the card since it reads it on the other pc. And yes, tried a different monitor cable.

Will see if I have another vid card I can try in this pc.


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Tested with a known good EVGA GTX 260 vid card. Booted right up, but same resolution settings.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

dickster said:


> I'm still at the point where I think it's a problem with Mint 16 or the Gigabyte board or vid card not reading the EDID of these Acer monitors. But it can't be the card since it reads it on the other pc.


That *particular* card in the other PC is working, that's why I mentioned do a switch-a-roo and see what happens. Maybe the card in the "problem" PC is having an issue. Of course, I have no clue what's actually wrong but I'm just going through a diagnostic process. 

Maybe there's a mobo support issue with Linux and that Gigabyte board.



> Will see if I have another vid card I can try in this pc.


Cool. :up:

Peace...


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

dickster said:


> Tested with a known good EVGA GTX 260 vid card. Booted right up, but same resolution settings.


Well, that pretty much leaves the mobo as being suspect or a culprit. Not that it's bad but Linux is having an issue with it.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

But then, why is my monitor recognized in windows and I have full control over resolution? I think it has to be something in Linux causing it not to be able to identify my monitor. It labels it as a crt and limits the resolutions to what a crt would use. As stated at the beginning, I'm a total noob in Linux, but I can't see anything else it could be.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

dickster said:


> But then, why is my monitor recognized in windows and I have full control over resolution? I think it has to be something in Linux causing it not to be able to identify my monitor. It labels it as a crt and limits the resolutions to what a crt would use. As stated at the beginning, I'm a total noob in Linux, but I can't see anything else it could be.


Because the mobo *drivers* for Windows are better, probably with help from the mobo manufacturer. I'm not saying the mobo is "bad", as in defective, but that the Linux drivers for it are possibly buggy or otherwise need some "help". I don't know how new the mobo is but if it's a very new mobo, the Linux drivers might need some work. Since you tried a different distro on the machine, and it didn't work and that SAME distro worked on a different machine, there's something about *that* machine that is causing you grief. Since swapping the video card didn't help, the mobo appears to be the "constant" in all this.

So, focus on Linux support of the exact brand/model of your mobo and make sure that's properly supported by current Linux kernels. I would look at the hardware compatibility list at LinuxQuestions.org and see if your mobo is listed along with comments from people about their experience with it.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Nothing about my board there. And not finding much googling it.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Ok, I did a Google search on your mobo brand and model followed by "Linux" and I found several hits, but nothing relating to video:

https://www.google.com/search?clien...utf-8#channel=fs&q=Gigabyte+GA+970A-UD3+linux

http://www.linux-hardware-guide.com/2012-10-23-gigabyte-ga-970a-ud3-motherboard-sockel-am3

http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2178596

http://www.skial.com/threads/having-trouble-dual-booting-win7-kubuntu.40410/

http://forum.giga-byte.co.uk/index.php?topic=12830.0

and several more. It does appear people are having some issues with Linux on that mobo.

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

Yeah, I saw most of those. But as you say, nothing about video. Might just wait until the offical release of Mint 16 and see if it will fix things. Thanks for your help.


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

My resolution issue is solved. It was a setting in the xorg.conf file. My old one had these settings.

Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"
HorizSync 28.0 - 33.0
VertRefresh 43.0 - 72.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

My new one looks like this. Note the changes to the HorizSync and VertRefresh settings.


Section "Monitor"
Identifier "Monitor0"
VendorName "Unknown"
ModelName "Unknown"
HorizSync 30.0 - 80.0
VertRefresh 50.0 - 75.0
Option "DPMS"
EndSection

Now running at 1400x900 with other choices.

Thanks to all that helped.


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## tomdkat (May 6, 2006)

Wow, how did you find this solution? Talk about an almost trivial fix! 

Thanks for posting this. 

Peace...


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## dickster (Dec 13, 2001)

A member of my home forum (pcpitstop.com) spotted it in my xorg.conf and had me change it. WOW is right. After fighting this for over a week, it was a simple fix like that!


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