Having problem installing Mint, but it may be a general Linux issue

[random9999]

I just spent weeks trying to install Linux Mint without success. Not sure if it's an issue specific to Mint. It may be for all Ubuntu or a Linux-wide issue. So I thought I'd ask here. Do I have to post my question in the not very active Mint forum? Yes, I've already gone to Linux Mint forums at forumslinuxmint.com. They haven't been able to help me finish the installation.

[deadflowr]

Thread moved to MINT

Post your machine specs, as that can help figure out if maybe there is a trick or two to get it installed.

[random9999]

What do you need exactly, because I'll have to write it down on paper, since I can't login to the actual OS. I can open a live session off the DVD. Do you need inxi -Fxz?

[deadflowr]

Machine model, cpu, gpu, and ram are usually a good start.

Also at what point does the installation fail?

[random9999]

CPU: Dual core Intel Core2 Duo E7400 64 bit
GPU: Nvidia GT200 (GeForce GTX260)
Mobo: EP45-UD3R
RAM: (free -m) Mem = 4033 Used = 208 free = 2975

I can only open a live session in 'recovery mode'. Not even a regular live session.

Got to where the installation is almost finished, and it tells you to restart to complete it. When I booted, I usually got black screen. The rest of the time I'd get the chance to type in my password, but the screen had red pixels all over, and pressing Enter after entering my password, nothing happened. then it goes to black screen. Been trying for days to figure out what's wrong. I think it's driver issues. There's 2 drivers available - Nvidia-340.107 and the 'nouveau' driver. Neither of them work. I downloaded PPA to see if there are more video drivers. Got the Nvidia-304. But when I choose it, I get error messages. Tried removing the other drivers, because I read that you can't have more than one installed at the same time, but I get error messages when I try and remove the others.

[oldfred]

You normally need nomodeset boot parameter both to install & first boot. But then once you install the correct nVidia driver, should not need nomodeset.

At grub menu you can use e for edit, scroll to linux line and replace quiet splash with nomodeset.
How to set NOMODESET and other kernel boot options in grub2 - both BIOS liveCD & grub first boot ( also UEFI with grub)
How to add boot parameters, grub menu after install (also grub when UEFI)
https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Kernel/KernelBootParameters &
https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Grub2
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1613132

You should only install the newest driver that supports your nVidia card. Nvidia does freeze older drivers for older cards as newest driver for newest cards has features not supported by older cards.

Updated driver search by nVidia model, do not download, just check correct driver version
http://www.geforce.com/drivers


If wrong nVidia driver or upgrade, you must purge & install correct driver
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread....6#post13649946
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2380061
https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2362351

[random9999]

I spent 2 days going into the OS with nomodeset, without solving the problem. It still gave me black screen even with nomodeset.

Nvidia says the 340.107 driver is the correct driver, the one I need. https://www.nvidia.com/Download/driv...x/135161/en-us I already know that. Except that driver doesn't work. I get black screen. What do I do to fix this problem. Should I install the 304 driver instead? The opensource 'nouveau' driver doesn't work either.

#What is installed
dpkg -l | grep -i nvidia
dkms status
lsmod | grep nvidia
# Shows standard repository versions, which is the same as
System Settings, Software & Updates icon, Additional drivers tab, if ppa should then show the 381.
ubuntu-drivers devices

Remove normally deletes packages, but can save your settings or various hidden configurations.
purge deletes packages and related settings

You can only have one driver in kernel, see dkms above. So must purge older first.


If you have installed any version, you must purge first, old will conflict with new as new install does not overwrite old version.
sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-*
sudo apt-get purge nvidia* bumblebee primus bbswitch-dkms
This may not exist, so if error that would be ok
sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
sudo ubuntu-drivers devices
If you just want default version - recommended one
sudo ubuntu-drivers autoinstall
Or you manually choose any in list.
sudo apt-get install nvidia-XXX

When I type dpkg -l | grep -I nvidia I don't get anything useful. I get

ii nvidia-prime applet 1.0.7
all An applet for NVIDIA Prime

I don't know what bumblebee is or if I have it. How do I purge everything. Purge commands aren't working for me. I don't think they're getting purged, because they're still there when I reboot. I think I need to purge the nvidia drivers and purge the nouveau driver and start over downloading the PPA. Is that correct? What is the EXACT code I need to enter in terminal. Is this it?:


sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-*
sudo apt-get purge nvidia* bumblebee primus bbswitch-dkms
sudo apt-get purge xorg.conf

sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
sudo ubuntu-drivers devices


sudo apt-get install nvidia-304

Or is it this:

sudo apt-get remove --purge nvidia-*
sudo apt-get purge nvidia* bumblebee primus bbswitch-dkms
sudo apt-get purge xorg.conf

sudo mv /etc/X11/xorg.conf /etc/X11/xorg.conf.backup
sudo ubuntu-drivers devices


sudo apt-get install nvidia-340

[oldfred]

Do not know about Mint, but 304 is not supported in Ubuntu anymore.
Doubt if you need bumblebee as that is for laptops with switchable graphics.

I have GT620, but use nouveau for most of my installs. Cannot tell difference between that and installing nVidia driver. I did not think I had nVidia in this install, but now Ubuntu autoinstalls it with some of the newest installers if you check install proprietary drivers.

fred@bionic-z97:~$ dkms status
nvidia, 390.116, 4.15.0-52-generic, x86_64: installed
nvidia, 390.116, 4.15.0-54-generic, x86_64: installed

[random9999]

This is what I get for dkms status.

dkms status:
line 170: /usr/bin/nproc: Input/output error

What does that even mean? I'm not a Linux expert. I don't know what's wrong. Most of the time when I enter a command which is supposed to solve a problem, or just tell me what problem I have, I get errors, and I don't know why.

edit: If this isn't specifically a Mint issue, could we move it back to the main forum? This forum is deserted.

[oldfred]

While Mint may be based on Ubuntu it is not Ubuntu.
Main forum is for Ubuntu.
Do not know differences with Mint vs Ubuntu.

But those that use Mint should be looking in Mint sub-forum or use Mint's own forum.

But your issues seem related to some underlying issue, as I would expect dkms to be the same, but again do not know what changes Mint has done.