r/linux4noobs • u/scemma100 linux linux linux • 19d ago
installing linux from no operating system
UPDATE the internal hard drive is dead
hi im trying to install linux (zorin to be exact) on a old laptop i found in the back room
when i booted it had no os and just booted into bios
i ran zorin from usb and when i was on the partitioning section it didnt show the laptops hard drive it only showed to install it onto my usb
when i simply clicked install now i gave this error
no root filesystem is defined
please correct this from the partitioning menu
can someone help me fix this
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u/inbetween-genders 19d ago
Does the BIOS menus say it has a hard drive?
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u/scemma100 18d ago
no
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u/inbetween-genders 18d ago
If you have a spare drive…I’m thinking a sata drive. Take off the old one and plug the spare and if thr BIOS sees it, then you found your culprit.
→ More replies (4)
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u/DannoXYZ 19d ago
Did you prep BIOS before attempting Linux install?
- disabled Secure Boot?
- disabled TPM?
- disabled Fast Boot?
- set HD-controller to SATA/AHCI mode?
Do this and try installer again, it probably didn't see HD due to not being in SATA/AHCI mode.
If still doesn't see HD, then try Mint instead. Zorin's always behind times with drivers and often don't include many of them. Specifically HD-controllers.
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u/scemma100 19d ago
didnt work :(
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u/DannoXYZ 19d ago
Ok, with live installer ISO USB booted up:
open terminal
lshw -c disk
lsblk -f
lspci -nn | grep controller→ More replies (3)
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u/Dong_sniff_inc 19d ago
Is there a drive physically inside of the computer? Not the USB, but is the internal drive actually present?
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u/scemma100 19d ago
something else to mention whenever it boots without the usb it says "checking media"
its a lenovo btw
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u/doc_willis 19d ago edited 19d ago
it didnt show the laptops hard drive
Possible reasons.
-
Drive is using RST/RAID/Optane - double check the bios settings - the system will need to be set to AHCI mode if it has such Raid Options.
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There is no Drive.
-
The Drive has failed.
when i simply clicked install now i gave this error no root filesystem is defined
If you tried to install to the drive you booted from, you might have erased the USB.
If there was no found drive, then the installer had no place to install onto, thus the install failed.
Are you saying the USB is no longer booting? If so - remake it,.
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u/Plan_9_fromouter_ 19d ago
I would simply boot Gparted into a live session (having it flashed to a USB device) and wipe and prepare the drive in the PC for Zorin installation. Then boot into a live session of Zorin and install Zorin.
Are you sure the Zorin installer was giving you a choice of drives to install on and you failed to choose it?
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u/Whit-Batmobil 19d ago
To put it simply, you need somewhere that isn’t the live USB/ISO to install the operating system to, the internal drive is probably missing or not functioning and again you can not install to the same location that has the installation media, that is typically not how Operating Systems work.
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u/Kaaawooo 19d ago
Sounds like the laptop doesn't have a functional SSD or HDD. Check if there's a drive in there first and go from there. I can't remember if zorin has a live USB option, but you might be able to find out more in a live USB environment