Please help me install Linux Mint before I give up :(

Hi all,
So after two days of trying I have not been able to do it on my main laptop (my new XMGP505). Which means I have not been able to play with my laptop properly .

Long story short - I have three hdd (2 solid state) I want to use one for Windows 8.1 (pre-installed and working fine) and the second SDD for Linux.

So after about 23 attempts I have to ask for your help...Linux refuses to install. I have looked through every forum, guide and video I can fine.

Basically after I create the partitions using the install tool the installation proceeds until I get this error message :


The 'grub-efi-amd64-signed' package failed to install into /target/. Without the GRUB boot loader, the installed system will not boot.

I have googled this but unfortunately no concrete answers found. Tired the obvious ones..but no luck.

I really want to switch to Linux on my new laptop but am at the end of my tether now...anybody got any clues?


Thanks in advance :cry:

 

No good ideas on the error but I can say a couple of things:
1) It's possible you are running into some sort of secure boot mechanism. One of the first things you should do is disable secure boot as well as disabling Windows fast boot.
2) You don't actually need grub to boot on a UEFI machine. Take a look at all the docs for refind. You may not use it, but the docs may help you understand the boot process better.
3) You might try installing Ubuntu. Even if you don't stick with it you might learn something about how it installs which will help with a Mint install
4) You could try to do the Linux install with the Windows drive physically removed from the system and see if things go better.

AN

 

Thank you AN,

I did disable secure boot in the bios and fast boot in Windows however that was not the issue.

Will have a go now with all your other suggestions turn by turn in time. I have already spent 3 days trying to get it to work and I really can't afford to spend more time on it. Real shame I was really looking forward to switching to and championing linux amongst my peers. I've fallen and it has failed at the first hurdle. Will we ever be able to break free from Windows!!

Thank you so much for your reply.

 

Hey AN,

Following your post - I gave it one more go last night and it WORKED! Not sure exactly what fixed it but I have Linux Mint installed

Basically I booted using the USB key again and then created a new boot EFI partition on my second HDD (which I have done so many times before!!) but this time gave it 400mb space (have this feeling that maybe the size was too small before) and I also selected to 'format' the 'root' partition. Pressed 'install' and walked away because I was not expecting anything different...came back to shut the laptop and it said Install Finished!!!

I am happy yet slightly weary...hope I Linux Mint does work out for me...I believe in Open Source models and really want to be based on Linux!

Thank you again for your reply

onebob

 

Great! Glad you're up and running.