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Installation & Upgrade => Installation => Topic started by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 12:52:28 AM

Title: [SOLVED]Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 12:52:28 AM
Hello all first post here. Also my first dive into the world of Linux since Win 7 support is ending. Have been thinking of switching forever anyways.

So I'll save you all the initial issues I had first. Such as installing Debian(Buster) in it's entirety cause Sparky install attempt said kernal was missing. Did that Debian installed, but will not boot. But now my live USB Sparky GameOver is booting and loading.

The issue I kept having with Calamares installer was the partitions. No matter how I set them up or let the installer set them up it would install to a point and give me errors with "Jobs" of partitions to make. Below is only one I wrote down...

Need Partition 512MB /DEV/SDA
Create file system FAT 32 on /DEV/SDA1
Command mkfs.fat -f32 -l -v

It also asked me in other attempts to setup an unformatted 8MB grub partition.

No matter what partition setups I tried the installer would spit out new contridictory "Jobs" to install Sparky.

So now I'm running the advanced installer it started up fine, time was set correctly, but it has been running a good 3+hrs to setup on 2TB hdd... Is it stuck should I reboot and try again?

My motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-Z170MX-GAMING 5  board. The HDD is a Seagate 2TB 5400rpm I believe. I have 16GB of high performance RAM.

Oh yeah I also had a ton of issues with debian installer not recognizing my CD-ROM mid install...

What am I doing wrong? Can someone lay out how to partition the drive? I don't want a dual boot I'm just installing Sparky WIN 10 is gone dont want it.

Oh yeah I also disabled my AMD 5500 XT and am installing via onboard video as Debian installer was not having it.
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 12:54:55 AM
And yes I turned off boot security in bios.
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 05:27:43 AM
See below results of my latest attempts. Everytime I start install it warns me it should be GPT, but that's not how the installer set it up itself... im completely lost going nuts.

Every failure it gives me that list of what I need to do, I do my best to do it and it doesn't work and I get a new list of what I should have done. Can anyone help me please!?

This attempt was after I tried using Calamares again with erase option and a 17.1 Gib linuxswap. Calamares setup the failed partition. I had to cancel the install after it hung at 30% for over an hour.

Sorry you're just gonna have to click links to see photos cause the [img httpblahblah.com[\img]http://does not work.



PARTITION SETUP
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/Sh33p0

INSTALL SUMMARY
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/13wo37

FAILURE RESULTS/INSTRUCTIONS
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/x23366

PLEASE HELP! I've been at this for three straight days now...

Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: lami07 on June 08, 2020, 08:36:04 AM
Hi. If I were you I would go with:
- GPT partition scheme
- 512MB fat32 /EFI/boot
- 16GB swap
- 60GB system partition ''/''
- ''/home'' partition - rest of the hard drive

Install bootloader on the device (/dev/sda),  instead of system partition.

BIOS-grub partition is not needed on system with UEFI
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 09:19:56 AM
Thank you will try that.

I am going to get this to work I don't care how long I'm banging my head on the wall.

Much appreciated.
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: lami07 on June 08, 2020, 09:29:17 AM
''/' and ''/home'' can be every filesystem supported by linux, but I highly recommend ext4
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 08:56:58 PM
You're suggestions got me to a higher % of install to 40% to be exact. But no matter the % Calamares always gets stuck of copying/unpacking/writing the live image to the HDD at 102238/225940 in the image writing process. That number used to be at 30% I got past 30% to 40% but it hung on that exact same number of the install process.

GParted Summary: I put in the mount points you noted, but this shows post install hang cancel that it wrote to some tmp/ folders some data... so its getting somewhere just won't finish.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/7Q6Mn1

It forced that esp flag on the fat32 partition... does the swap partition even need the swap flag? Do other partitions require certain flags?

There's a setting in my bios for OS's can set it to Win 8/10 or "Other OSs" I've tried it both ways.
I also tried the above partition scheme adding the 8mb unformatted grub_bios it tells me GPT partitions require...

Internet not connected during install either. Advanced installer hung for a whole day, Calamares overnight. It lays out and formats the partitions super fast then when it comes to unpacking/writing the live image it freezes up at above mentioned point.

What else could I be doing wrong. The USB Flashes the whole install till it gets to that point then just the Tower LEDs blink and the USB no longer flashes its red light.... and install hangs/freezes...

I tried turning on/off a bunch of legacy crap in my bios, I don't know why it won't keep going...

Do any of the partitions require flags?

Also you meant /boot/efi for FAT32 not /EFI/Boot right?


Thanks to any and all for any help.
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 08, 2020, 09:32:25 PM
I checked the file system of the USB and the "Root" folder has a little red X next to it and cannot be opened.

Right click properties displays some errors... Flickr link below...

https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/Ak75oP

Is my USB Live image the problem?

I'm currently attempting to make a new live usb from this live system using terminal and bs=4M dd all that. I first formatted the usb with gparted to GPT file system and am currently mounting newly downloaded in this live environment gameover ISO... then im gonna see if that USB works... Only thing I can think of to try different atm...
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 01:09:42 AM
Okay so my terminal attempt in live environment to create a new live usb seems to be not working can someone review my syntax? Or maybe just isn't posssible making live partition usb of the same live environment im in...?? Who knows? The USB I'm attempting to create is blinking indicating some activity, but it's been maybe 2hrs now...

I've watched like 15 videos on doing this through terminal and read several websites... so I did try my best...

Please let me know if somethings out of order. I dragged and dropped in the if=location and removed the ' ' marks on each end that copies in when you do it that way.

Syntax:
live@live:~$ sudo dd if=/home/live/Downloads/sparkylinux-2020.05-x86_64-gameover.iso of=/dev/sdc bs=4M

Terminal Image: With lsblk info as well
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/hxA4s4

the ^C and [[D occured from me trying to highlight and ctrl+c copy the syntax out of the terminal. Maybe that ruined process?

I heard linux likes information in bits of 4 so that's why I did that.... dunno if I missed some other syntax or it's out of order or making live USB in a live USB environment isnt possible?

Again thanks to any and all for any help....   :o
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 02:12:41 AM
I gave up on that plan after about 4 hours. Now I'm running fdisk to check for bad sectors...

sudo e2fsck -cfpv /dev/sda1

Can take hours I hear... I'll continue to update any progress and failed attempts. I am going to get this working.

I have a brand new WD Black 2TB disc just in case, but I don't want to blow that up if I've blown this one up... that's where I'm at currently.

Should I just try a lighter sparky distro?? Any input appreciated greatly.
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: paxmark1 on June 09, 2020, 02:56:35 AM
Asking questions to make sure I understand.

1.  Are you setting up a USB stick with the live version of Sparky?  Guessing it is 2020.05 GameOver. 

the "dd if = ....     of=...    bs-4m|   can be used to set up the USB disk.      this is done from a linux machine.

  Success would be booting up the Live version on the usb and it is running on your computer - showing that it is very likely Sparky will work on your computer.

2.   Are you then trying to install the live Version to your computer?  I apologize if I am in error.      But the output of the dd  command looks like it is stuck       The other screenshot has   Live  under places   and a root folder of 7.8 gb           On my stable system my /root 3.1 MB

Below in my disk usage on a very minimal system  10 year old atom       6.1 GiB [##########] /home
    3.7 GiB [######    ] /usr
    1.5 GiB [##        ] /var
   75.4 MiB [          ] /boot
    6.2 MiB [          ] /etc
    2.5 MiB [          ]  core
. 904.0 KiB [          ] /run
  188.0 KiB [          ] /root
   96.0 KiB [          ] /tmp
e  16.0 KiB [          ] /lost+found


Been awhile since I ha ve insatllled..    I downloaded the Sparky game over and installed in a virtualbox sandbox.    The live install screen came up with a desktop came up and I  clicked on install.  English.   Guided.  and it is unpacking. 

So if your live usb gets you  to a desktop similar to as found on wiki.sparkylinux.org/docu.php/calamares    you just double click install. 
 
If I was doing it myself I would use the advanced installer and the partition sizes that Iami07 gave you.

While it installed you posted again.  If you do not have a very new machine with a very new board I would suggest you start with stable.

My favouriite of course is lxqt   You will still have many options under sparkys repos to add all sorts of things. 
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 03:13:40 AM
This machine's less than a year old, the video card less than a month.

I have a current rolling Sparky Live USB that is loading up but then upon attempting to install to the HDD from the live environment with calamares or advanced it just gets stuck after creating the partitions and attempting to write the live image to the HDD. It ALWAYS gets stuck at 102238/225940 of the image unpacking process.

So either my live usb image is flawed, im doing something wrong, or I blew up the HDD or who knows?

The Live USB of sparky gameover 2020.05 loads everytime without a hitch, however it would not do so till I first installed debian on the HDD kept saying kernal was missing...

HDD has had several formats and partition attempts to get the Live USB Image to install to the HDD, no matter what always hangs at 102238/225940....

The root you're seeing on my HDD is from previous failed attempts of installing sparky gameover having to cancel mid image unpacking... so it gets some data on the HDD and gets stuck at the same exact point every time no matter what I try.

Screen of System Info:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/YSK3Ag

The HDD is a Seagate Firecuda 2TB currently being checked for bad sectors as noted above.

Calamares I've tried the "erase" option "manual" and I've also attempted gparted and advanced installer several times...

What I'm Currently attempting fdisk:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/9Lgcg6

Thanks for reply.
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 03:28:18 AM
My grandpa was a computer tech, and took me to work with him from like the age of five. He even taught me binary math...

So I'm not a complete tool, just all my knowledge is windows/dos

Like I've used fdisk before in dos to repair computers... glad there's something similar hope it works as good as dos version.

Complete novice anything Linux or MAC
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 04:35:03 AM
My motherboards driver download website says...

1. Due to different Linux support condition provided by chipset vendors, please download Linux driver from chipset vendors' website or 3rd party website.

Chipset according to manual: Has no linux drivers...
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/product/90591/Intel-Z170-Chipset

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z170MX-Gaming-5-rev-11/support#support-dl-driver-sataraidahci

Maybe I'm just not compatable... is this not possible then?

Manual for the MB also does not list Linux as supported... don't know how that would stop writing to the HDD though? and why live is working and booting?

Someone successfully installed MAC OS to same MB though... and that's nothing like windows/dos
https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/ga-z170mx-gaming-5-high-sierra-install-success.238376/
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 04:56:16 AM
Man this is the first and only machine I've built with an Intel CPU/MB what a terrible decision...

I've always been all about AMD... but this was before ryzen and they were falling back..

This says it's possible though... ahh problems I cant solve kill me!
https://www.theregister.com/2016/09/02/windows_intel_kaby_lake_amd_zen

Excerpt from above site:
One example of Microsoft holding back support is the xHCI USB controller in sixth-generation Skylake and seventh-generation Kaby Lake: Windows 7 doesn't support that USB hardware, so installing the operating system from a USB stick using those chips is tricky. Intel provides xHCI drivers for Windows 7 once it's up and running.

So intel put something in their chipsets to frag loading other OS's from USB???
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 05:15:29 AM
Yeah I don't think it's possible... people can't even install Win 7 on Z170 chipsets...
https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapc/comments/3h8vk0/build_help_installing_windows_7_on_skylake_z170/

Are you linux guys aware of this? Is there some sort of workaround? If not linux is dead... cause all new hardware will only load Win 10...?

Am I wrong?

fdisk results: Looks like the HDD is pristine 0 bad blocks...
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/5492Xv

Since chipsets are designed now to messup installing any OS besides Win 10 via live USB now... I am going to attempt to write iso's to DVD and see if I can get it done that way? Burned a gameover dvd and a lxqte... see what happens...

Any better suggestions? Should I just give up? Is linux dead for new machines?

Hurray for Naziesque Capitalism!
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: paxmark1 on June 09, 2020, 06:39:57 AM
1  The article is from 2016.   The user manual that I found for your board appears to be from 2015.   The board should run linux.  You have on board Intel graphics, that is very well supported in linux.  You will not have to deal with the hybrid Bumblebee, etc. etc.  If you have added another video card, you can mention it.   But you stated that it does work with the live version running off of the USB.  It appears to be a very nice board. 

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z170MX-Gaming-5-rev-10/support#support-manual

Myself Gigabyte product: H81M-S2H GSM   from 2015, .  It has been rock solid and has only run Linux (windows in virtual). 

But if I am in error about the usb's, trying to install via a DVD should do the trick.  Again, I recommend going with the stable version. 

Internet connection - wired ethernet or wifi. The manual seems to say that it has no wifi on the board.  Plugging into ethernet will solve any problems with crappy (for linux) wifi dongles.  You can always fix that later.  Sparky comes with the non-free firmware all set to go, so hopefully you will be good with that.  There are still a few dongles that are a real ...   however. 

I would not worry about formatting anymore prior to installation.  The partitioning via your install will set it all up. 

As previously noted by Iami07   
QuoteHi. If I were you I would go with:
- GPT partition scheme
- 512MB fat32 /EFI/boot
- 16GB swap
- 60GB system partition ''/''
- ''/home'' partition - rest of the hard drive

Install bootloader on the device (/dev/sda),  instead of system partition.

BIOS-grub partition is not needed on system with UEFI

Take a break, get some rest and try the stable branch of sparky. 

Title: Re: [SOLVED]Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 07:02:19 AM
I did it! Was my hail mary, if this didn't work I was gonna give up... so glad it worked!

Thanks to you all for your help.

Basically I believe from my research INTEL built-in to their firmware a hangup for installing any OS via USB besides Win 10 for their Z170 Chipset...

So as previously stated I burned DVDs of ISOs in Sparky GameOver live.

Then after that was done I set up the partitions as suggested by Lami and set them all to format and applied all the changes in gparted.

After that I completely shutdown the machine and took out the USB.

Then I double checked all my BIOS settings. Turned of Vt-d. Turned off Super IO Port. Suggestions from research... Made sure security was disabled.

Then booted from the DVD and installed via Calamares setting all the proper flags and mounting points to the partitions I created in gparted on the live USB.(Internet Disconnected)

Installed in less than 15 minutes. Took out the DVD and completely shutdown the machine again.

Started her up and I have a working Sparky GameOver 2020.05 all setup. Did the first start upgrades and Aptus.

She seems good to go!

I'll modify this post and add links to pictures for others to see how I got past my issues.

Now I just need to download AMD GPU drivers and get my AMD 5500 XT operational. Still running off on-board graphics atm.

Success!:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/68Ag7Q

Feeling like I just reached the summit of Everest! Thanks All!!!
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 07:21:17 AM
Quote from: paxmark1 on June 09, 2020, 06:39:57 AM
1  The article is from 2016.   The user manual that I found for your board appears to be from 2015.   The board should run linux.  You have on board Intel graphics, that is very well supported in linux.  You will not have to deal with the hybrid Bumblebee, etc. etc.  If you have added another video card, you can mention it.   But you stated that it does work with the live version running off of the USB.  It appears to be a very nice board. 

https://www.gigabyte.com/Motherboard/GA-Z170MX-Gaming-5-rev-10/support#support-manual

There have been over eleven revisions of this MB so the 2015 date is the first revision... this is no more than 2 years old. Just built this machine.

Good to know ya'll already know about that problem though  ;)  Much gratitude for all input!
Title: Re: Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 09, 2020, 06:39:53 PM
Quote from: paxmark1 on June 09, 2020, 06:39:57 AM
But if I am in error about the usb's, trying to install via a DVD should do the trick.  Again, I recommend going with the stable version. 

Internet connection - wired ethernet or wifi. The manual seems to say that it has no wifi on the board.  Plugging into ethernet will solve any problems with crappy (for linux) wifi dongles.  You can always fix that later.  Sparky comes with the non-free firmware all set to go, so hopefully you will be good with that.  There are still a few dongles that are a real ...   however.

Boy howdy... you weren't kidding about a few dongles... my heads spinning just trying to get it off my onboard video and install my amd card...

I'm pretty positive the live USB Z170 chipset was the problem. Cause it would NOT create a live usb of any linux while I was on live, but it sure did write a Win 10 live USB in gameover live real fast. Plus it always stopped at that same number 100238/225940 of the unpacking image process no matter what till I went to DVDs. They must have assumed DVDs would be antiquated by now and didn't put a stop there... or they just don't want to piss everyone off...

Quote
Take a break, get some rest and try the stable branch of sparky.

Strongly considering this advice after about 4 hours of trying to switch from intel onboard video to pci-express sapphire amd 5500 xt...

Part of me likes the challenge, I've learned a ton already I feel like yet I still know nothing comparetively as to running rolling efficiently lol

I think I'm gonna try one more reinstall of gameover, but with 5500xt on and connected see what happens. Probably gonna go stable though.
Title: Re: [SOLVED]Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: lami07 on June 09, 2020, 10:18:46 PM
Kyanite393 is AMD Radeon RX 5500 XT your card ? If yes dont waste time with stable. Stable cant handle this card with its ancient kernel and mesa.
Title: Re: [SOLVED]Sparky GameOver Partitioning/Install Issues UEFI Dual Bios MB
Post by: Kyanite393 on June 10, 2020, 01:37:31 AM
Oh I'm sorry, I see you're saying stable will not have the gpu drivers for these newer cards as distro is older than the cards... got ya... Sorry misunderstood thought you were saying my card was too old.. derp :-X

Thanks for tip, I'll keep at it with the rollings.

The AMD RX 5500 XT. It is the 3rd best AMD card out on the market right now I believe... It cost me $300ish bucks last month or two ago... and was just released Dec 2019. It's one of their newest cards.

The 5600 XT and 5700 XT are the only two cards currently being manufactured by AMD that are above the 5500 XT... at about an extra $100 per each upgrade in cost.

As seen below:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/188797102@N03/shares/RNYLxC