Can you help me figure out why I can't get Grub to install from netinstall cd's?

[k***@strucktower.com]

For the last several days I have been attempting to install Wheezy from
one of the daily builds. I have tried four different builds (different
days)- and they all fail in the same two spots- they won't recognize my
removable medium (usb thumbdrive) so that I can install firmware, and,
more importantly, they fail to install Grub.

I have no problem doing an install from a Debian Squeeze install disc I
have (6.0.1a).

I am telling the install package to completely start fresh each time- new
partition table and reformatting the drive. Wouldn't that necessarily rule
out any existing problems with the hard drive (partition table, mbr,
filesystem)?

I use the Graphical Expert Install option. I use the manual partition
option when I get to it. I delete all the existing partition then recreate
it. I have a 120GB SSD drive- I only partition one 40Gb primary partition
for the entire ext4 filesystem (mounted at / with bootable flag on) plus
one 6Gb swap file. The rest of the drive is left "free space". I would
think this to be a very simple setup and the same setup works fine if I
use the Squeeze install disc.

The install won't recognize my usb thumbdrive- this is exasperating but
minor compared to the Grub problem. Of course that means I have no
Internet connection, so no mirror use for install.

When I select the "Install the GRUB boot loader on a hard disk" menu
option I get this error:

"Grub installation failed. The 'grub-pc' package failed to install into
/target/. Without the GRUB boot loader, the installed system will not
boot".

I then go to a virtual terminal (Ctrl-Alt-F2) and look at /var/log/syslog.
Here are a few of the seemingly relevant lines from the last screen (not
all lines included here, but they are in proper sequential order):

"grub-installer: dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove grub-legacy
which isn't installed."
"in-target: E: Package 'grub-pc' has no installation candidate."
"grub-installer: info: Calling 'apt-install grub-pc' failed"
"chroot: can't execute 'grub-probe': No such file or directory"
"File descriptor 4 (/dev/tty1) leaked on lvdisplay in vocation."
"Volume group "sda" not found."
"Skipping volume group sda."
"WARNING ***: Configuring 'grub-installer' failed."
"WARNING ***: Menu item 'grub-installer' failed"
"DEBUG: resolver (libgcc1): package doesn't exist (ignored)"
"DEBUG: resolver (libslang2-udeb): package doesn't exist (ignored)"
"INFO: Falling back to the package description for espeakup-udeb."

I can mount the usb drive (if I hadn't already) in order to save the debug
files. I can also mount the hard drive (sda1).

I can continue without the boot loader and I get the message "You will
need to boot manually with the /vmlinuz kernel on partition /dev/sda1 and
root=/dev/sda1 passed as a kernel argument." As an additional pain, I have
not found a way to do that (after hours of searching the web for help).
When I reboot I sometimes get the "grub rescue>" prompt- I haven't found
how to use that (help is not available and none of the web searches I run
find discussions relevant to Debian with this version of Grub, as opposed
to discussions of old Grub or Ubuntu LiveCD installs).

Actually, this last time I just got a blinking cursor in the top left
corner when I booted.

Evidently others are using these netinstall cd's with no problem (amd64).
I am new to Linux- this is really difficult for me to figure out. Can you
help?

Here are the four netinstall cd's I have tried:

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily.old/20110829-1/amd64/iso-cd/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily.new/20110826-7/amd64/iso-cd/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/daily-builds/daily/arch-latest/amd64/iso-cd/debian-testing-amd64-netinst.iso
http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/amd64/iso-cd/debian-testing-amd64-CD-1.iso
(Aug 22)

I can post the gzipped install debug files if anyone is willing to look at
them.

I have several "rescue" discs, but nothing I have tried works to install
Grub properly (maybe because they have different versions of Grub?). I
have also tried Ubuntu boot-repair.

Thanks,
Keith Ostertag (keitho AT strucktower DOT com)
Lenovo Thinkpad T520, Intel graphics only, 4Gb ram, 120Gb SSD.

[r***@hal-pc.org]

Post by k***@strucktower.com
For the last several days I have been attempting to install Wheezy from
one of the daily builds.

If you are not already doing it, you can save much time and download
bandwidth by running "approx" on another machine in the LAN.

You might try specifying a minimal install, instead of specifying a
standard desktop or laptop installation. If the minimal installation is
successful, you can run tasksel to complete the installation.

Years ago, I was in a similar situation, with the installation failing
right at the end. But after about a week everything started working
again. That's why they call the release "testing".

RLH

[David Christensen]

Post by k***@strucktower.com
I use the Graphical Expert Install option. I use the manual partition
option when I get to it. I delete all the existing partition then recreate
it. I have a 120GB SSD drive- I only partition one 40Gb primary partition
for the entire ext4 filesystem (mounted at / with bootable flag on) plus
one 6Gb swap file. The rest of the drive is left "free space".

I don't know enough to be able to decode the syslog messages; perhaps
another reader does.


When I started using Linux (1997?), a small boot partition was usually
required as the first partition on the first hard drive. I still do
that, out of habit (currently /dev/sda1, ~120 MB aligned to cylinder
boundaries, with ext2 file system in keeping with tradition).


Have you tried the using simplest installer and letting it do everything
for you?


I find myself installing/ re-installing a given release several times (I
have several computers, and I like to fiddle). I'd suggest downloading
and burning DVD 1, to save time and bandwidth. I use the Jigdo method,
which is smart enough to download/ assembly only the missing pieces for
multiple, related releases:

http://www.debian.org/CD/jigdo-cd/


I typically run the current Stable release, but I would expect the
weekly Testing builds to be more stable than daily Testing builds:

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/amd64/jigdo-dvd/


I only have one amd64 capable machine, so I run i386. Have you tried i386?

http://cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/weekly-builds/i386/jigdo-dvd/


HTH,

David

[EGO-II.1]

Hello all,

I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE
desktop installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine, then
when it gets to the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning
the .iso file to both DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can
anyone shed some light on this matter for me? I have installed Debian
from CD's / DVD's in the past and never experienced this problem. I
there something the devs have removed from a standard .iso file? I mean
if push comes to shove I'll most likely just have to go the Ubuntu
route, but I was trying to deal directly with the "superior server"
distro. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Many Thanks!

Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!

MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD

FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install
grub. What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this
because if the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've
implemented in order to improve some other feature? AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all actuality
the beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work for!!)


EGO II

[Michael Fothergill]

Post by EGO-II.1
Hello all,
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE desktop
installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine, then when it gets
to the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning the .iso file
to both DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can anyone shed some
light on this matter for me? I have installed Debian from CD's / DVD's in
the past and never experienced this problem. I there something the devs
have removed from a standard .iso file? I mean if push comes to shove I'll
most likely just have to go the Ubuntu route, but I was trying to deal
directly with the "superior server" distro. Any help anyone can provide
would be greatly appreciated.

​Try this:

https://sourceforge.net/projects/boot-repair-cd/

Regards

Michael Fothergill​

Post by EGO-II.1
Many Thanks!
Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!
MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install grub.
What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this because if
the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've implemented in
order to improve some other feature? AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all actuality
the beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work for!!)
EGO II

--
Climostat Ltd

Rm 5169
The Heath Business & Technical Park
The Heath
Runcorn
Cheshire
WA7 4QX

Tel. [phone]

[Felix Miata]

Post by EGO-II.1
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE
desktop installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine, then
when it gets to the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning
the .iso file to both DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can
anyone shed some light on this matter for me? I have installed Debian
from CD's / DVD's in the past and never experienced this problem. I
there something the devs have removed from a standard .iso file? I mean
if push comes to shove I'll most likely just have to go the Ubuntu
route, but I was trying to deal directly with the "superior server"
distro. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks!
Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!
MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install
grub. What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this
because if the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've
implemented in order to improve some other feature? AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all actuality
the beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work for!!)

To help, we may need to see output from one of the following:

gdisk -l
fdisk -l
parted -l

Motherboard's firmware settings may be involved too, GUID vs. MBR/BIOS
partitioning. Secure boot setting might need to be disabled or adjusted.

[Thomas Schmitt]

Hi,

(I Cc: you because the X-Spam-Status: header does not list you
as "LDOSUBSCRIBER".)

Post by EGO-II.1
For some reason it runs the CD fine,

I understand that you get to the first menu which offers installation.
Like:
Loading Image...
Loading Image...

In this case the way you presented the ISO to the machine was
as correct as can be.

Post by EGO-II.1
then when it gets to the grub install part? it fails

How does it express its failure ?
What are the last messages or dialog prompts you get to see ?

Post by EGO-II.1
to go the Ubuntu route

It might be of interest if an Ubuntu ISO does better than the Debian one.

Post by EGO-II.1
Any help anyone can provide would be
greatly appreciated.

My own expertise normally ends when the computer firmware (BIOS or EFI)
sucessfully started the boot loader (ISOLINUX or GRUB2) which then shows
the said first menu.
But we have people listening here who can probably tell more about
the reasons of later failure.


Have a nice day :)

Thomas

[John L. Ries]

I'm guessing that there is some incompatibility between your hardware
and the default configuration that the GRUB installer doesn't know how
to handle. I'm not promising to answer further, as this is outside my
area of expertise, but is there an error message associated with this,
or does the installation simply die without explanation?

--------------------------|
John L. Ries |
Salford Systems |
Phone: [phone] x107 |
or [phone] |
--------------------------|

Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2016 10:57:19
Subject: Can you help me figure out why I can't get Grub to install from a
standard CD .iso?
Resent-Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2016 17:15:13 +0000
Hello all,
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE desktop
installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine, then when it gets to
the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning the .iso file to both
DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can anyone shed some light on
this matter for me? I have installed Debian from CD's / DVD's in the past and
never experienced this problem. I there something the devs have removed from a
standard .iso file? I mean if push comes to shove I'll most likely just have
to go the Ubuntu route, but I was trying to deal directly with the "superior
server" distro. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks!
Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!
MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install grub.
What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this because if the
whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've implemented in order to
improve some other feature? AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all actuality the
beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work for!!)
EGO II

[Brian]

Post by EGO-II.1
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE desktop
installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine, then when it gets

Everything is OK up to installing Grub, then.

Post by EGO-II.1
to the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning the .iso file to

It fails? Presumably there is some feedback? "Fails" is a little general
as an error message.

Post by EGO-II.1
both DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can anyone shed some
light on this matter for me? I have installed Debian from CD's / DVD's in

You are the only one who can bring some light to the issue, including
where GRUB was installed to and how you partitioned. What does the
syslog say? That's really your primary source of informaton.

Post by EGO-II.1
the past and never experienced this problem. I there something the devs have
removed from a standard .iso file? I mean if push comes to shove I'll most
likely just have to go the Ubuntu route, but I was trying to deal directly
with the "superior server" distro. Any help anyone can provide would be
greatly appreciated.

Alternative routes are always interesting.

Post by EGO-II.1
Many Thanks!
Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!
MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install grub.
What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this because if
the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've implemented in
order to improve some other feature? AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all actuality the
beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work for!!)

Speculation.

[Gene Heskett]

Post by Brian

Post by EGO-II.1
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE
desktop installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine,
then when it gets

Everything is OK up to installing Grub, then.

Post by EGO-II.1
to the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning the .iso file to

It fails? Presumably there is some feedback? "Fails" is a little
general as an error message.

Post by EGO-II.1
both DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can anyone shed
some light on this matter for me? I have installed Debian from CD's
/ DVD's in

You are the only one who can bring some light to the issue, including
where GRUB was installed to and how you partitioned. What does the
syslog say? That's really your primary source of informaton.

Post by EGO-II.1
the past and never experienced this problem. I there something the
devs have removed from a standard .iso file? I mean if push comes to
shove I'll most likely just have to go the Ubuntu route, but I was
trying to deal directly with the "superior server" distro. Any help
anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Alternative routes are always interesting.

Post by EGO-II.1
Many Thanks!
Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!
MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install
grub. What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this
because if the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've
implemented in order to improve some other feature?
AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all
actuality the beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work
for!!)

Speculation.

I'd be carefull of calling any theory about these failures 'speculation'.

What is a known fact at this location is that the last 4 wheezy installs
I did, failed on the first pass because I allowed the installer to use
a /boot DIRECTORY on the / of the disk. The reboot failed because the
bios could not reach far enough into a big disk that was being filled
from the outside in by the installer, and by the time it got around to
writing the grub stuff, it was too far into the disk for the bios to
find it.

On the 2nd pass at a workable install, I beat the installer into allowing
me to add a 1Gb boot partition as the FIRST partition on the disk. That
can also be fun as I had it overwrite my location choice at least once,
putting the boot partition as the inside partition on the disk.
Obviously that would never work, so I restarted the install with a
fresh, empty partition map, several times until it actually accepted
what I wanted.

I finally did get it to work, and it works very well indeed, even on a 4k
sectored disk. The secret is of course the /boot as the first
partition, guaranteeing that a dumb bios CAN reach far enough into the
disk to find the grub stuff.

Things would be so much simpler if the debian partitioner would recognize
a gparted prepared disk, needing only the partitions name to be
associated with it, but despite my efforts to prepare the disks with
gparted, including a power down and reboot to the gparted cd to verify
that the partitions had indeed been written to the disk, not once did
the wheezy installer recognize such a prepared disk as anything but a
blank slate.

I have not made the jump to jessie yet because the most important app I
run is still based on a 32 bit wheezy install. I hope and pray for the
installer to be fixed to make it compatible with other well known and
standardized partitioners such as gparted by the time I have to enter
that battlefield again.

As it works now, I consider that its broken for 2 reasons, 1st being its
inability to recognize another partitioners perfectly valid partition
table setup already written and mke2fs'd to ext4 on the disk, and its
penchant for moving a partition setup to be used for /boot, to any free
space available on the inside of the disc, beyond the / partition.

Those are not excusable bugs to be blamed on PEBKAC as you've done to me
on many occasions.

Cheers, Gene Heskett

[Brian]

Post by Gene Heskett

Post by Brian

Post by EGO-II.1
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install
grub. What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this
because if the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've
implemented in order to improve some other feature?
AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all
actuality the beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work
for!!)

Speculation.

I'd be carefull of calling any theory about these failures 'speculation'.

It was a considered response to the OP's paragraph above. He provided no
theory to his speculation; theories have to have some evidence-based
grounding. "AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!" is about the best he could manage;
not even an error message, never mind a syslog extract.

There are a number of Debian bugs relating to his issue, all with a
similar lack of solid information. The Release Notes could prove useful.

[Interesting partition technique snipped]

Post by Gene Heskett
Those are not excusable bugs to be blamed on PEBKAC as you've done to me
on many occasions.

Information was being elicted; no attempt at blame was made.

[Thomas Schmitt]

Hi EGO-II.1,

i forward your message to the mailing list. (List: see below).

It seems necessary that you subscribe to the list in order to get
the other replies to your question.
At
https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/
write your e-mail address into the "Subscribe/Unsubscribe" field
and click the "Subscribe" button. If i remember correctly, you will
get a mail with instructions how to complete your subscription.

For the replies received so far, see the list of "Follow-Ups" links
underneath your own first mail to the list:
https://lists.debian.org/debian-user/2016/04/msg00571.html


As expected from your first mail, the problem is not about the ISO
and the way it was put on medium. It happens much later, when GNU/Linux
is already up and running.

Grub Installation Failed: The
GRUB-PC Package Failed To Install Into "/target".

Aren't there any other messages about details of the failure ?


Forwarded complete mail from EGO-II.1, who is obviously not subscribed yet:
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Greetings Mr. Schmitt! Thanks for the reply, ok so
* - In being thorough with this process I've enlisted the help of a Lenovo
T-420 laptop with an i5 processor 8GB of RAM and a 320 GB HDD. Just so that
I can rule out the hardware part of this.

- I insert the CD/DVD (have one of each and have tried them both!)
- It boots up to the main menu with the options to:
Live (AMD64)
Live (AMD64 Failsafe)
Install
Graphical Install
Advanced Options
- I've tried every one of these and aside from the Advanced Options - which
take you to another menu that offers:
<Back
Hardware Detection Tool (HDT)
Memory Diagnostic Tool (MemTest86+)

After selecting any of the "Install" options...it goes through its
processes, giving you info as to what its doing (installing
scsi-blah..blah..blah...unpacking/installing display adapter BC-123.2.3.4
etc) then it gets to actually installing the OS on my system. But not before
telling me that:

"Some of your hardware needs non-free firmware files to operate. The
firmware can be loaded from removable media, such as a USB stick or floppy.
The missing files are iwlwifi-6000g2a-6.ucode iwlwifi-6000g2a-5.uccode. I
know this is for the wireless adapter/chip on this laptop, as I've installed
Debian on other people's hard drives for them using this same laptop. So
that can't be the reason why it keeps crashing. so...pressing "No" to move
on with the install:

It tries to detect my network and configure it, which will fail due to the
missing firmware spoken about above. It warns me after not finding it, and
offers the option to install/configure it later. Then it steps me through
naming the host machine, the user, the passwords for the user and root.
Configuring the clock/Date/TimeZone etc.

Then comes the Disk Partitioner: At which I usually just use the "Guided-Use
Entire Disk" option.
I also make sure to specify that it separates files into "/home-/var and
/tmp" partitions. (Makes for easy transfer of peoples items when something
goes wrong with their machine)
After stepping me through a few more screens. (Just asking if I'm REALLY
SURE that I want to proceed, because this will wipe all data on this
drive...etc. But its ok...its a blank drive!) It begins to install the
system
Menu Option:
Install The System
Configure The Package manager - Network Mirror - DO I wish to use one? (No)
Install The GRUB Boot Loader On A Hard Disk - Grub Installation Failed: The
GRUB-PC Package Failed To Install Into "/target". Without The GRUB Boot
Loader, The Installed System Will Not Boot. This is where i get stopped and
can't do much else. Sorry for the long extended email, but I wanted to let
you see that I've done everything by the book, on two different machines and
I'm still getting the same error. I guess I'll just see if I can get
Scientific Linux or CEntOS to run. After all this is for the rack of servers
for my job. I need reliable and safe not "flaky and un-solvable!" LoL!
Thanks for your input!! I look forward to your comments...   :)

Cheers!
------------------------------------------------------------------------
End of forwarded mail.

Let's hope the list will find the answer. Just feed it with as many
technical details as you have.


Have a nice day :)

Thomas

[David Christensen]

Post by EGO-II.1
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE
desktop installed on my PC. For some reason it runs the CD fine, then
when it gets to the grub install part? it fails. I have tried by burning
the .iso file to both DVD and CD and it keeps failing on either one. Can
anyone shed some light on this matter for me? I have installed Debian
from CD's / DVD's in the past and never experienced this problem. I
there something the devs have removed from a standard .iso file? I mean
if push comes to shove I'll most likely just have to go the Ubuntu
route, but I was trying to deal directly with the "superior server"
distro. Any help anyone can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Many Thanks!
Oh! Here's some "specs" for y'all!
MACHINE FOR INSTALL: Dell Inspiron 3650 Desktop/i5/32GB RAM/1TB HDD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment -DVD
USED: Debian 8.x .ISO Image w/ The MATE Desktop Environment - CD
FIts just strange that it stops immediately after trying to install
grub. What's changed with the .ISO's on the Debian homepage? Is this
because if the whole "Systemd" issue?...or is this something they've
implemented in order to improve some other feature? AAAArrrrrgggghjhhh!!!
(And although this is might seem like a simple
"desktop-in-the-backroom-office" type of thing. This is in all actuality
the beginning stages of "testing" for the company I work for!!)

What's the Dell Service Tag? Any hardware changes since it shipped from
Dell -- e.g. is the "System configuration" -> "Original configuration"
on the Dell support web site accurate, and/or have you updated the
"Current configuration"?


http://www.dell.com/us/p/inspiron-3650-desktop/pd

"Operating system
Available with Windows 10 Home..."


http://www.dell.com/support/home/us/en/19/product-support/product/inspiron-3650-desktop/manuals


http://downloads.dell.com/manuals/all-products/esuprt_desktop/esuprt_inspiron_desktop/inspiron-3650-desktop_reference%20guide_en-us.pdf


"System information
...
Chipset Intel H110


That is a fairly new chipset -- Q3'15.


"Memory
...
Configurations supported 2 GB, 4 GB, 8 GB, 12 GB, and 16 GB"


You have installed more RAM than the manufacturer supports. What make
and model memory modules have you installed? What makes you think they
will work correctly under all operating conditions? Have you run
memtest86+ or some other testing/ burn-in diagnostic for an extended
period (24+ hours)?


"Video
Controller:
Integrated Intel HD Graphics
Discrete NVIDIA GeForce GT 730"


Both Intel and NVIDIA graphics (?). That can be a problem. Here was my
experience with NVIDIA Optimus on a Sandy Bridge-era Dell Latitude:

https://bugs.debian.org/cgi-bin/bugreport.cgi?bug=804110


I am unable to find CMOS setup documentation on-line. But, as others
have posted, you might find a solution by changing one or more of the
CMOS settings:

1. Disable Secure Boot.

2. Enable Compatibility Support Module:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unified_Extensible_Firmware_Interface#Compatibility_Support_Module

3. Disable either the Intel graphics or the NVIDIA graphics. (If you
can't disable the card in CMOS, pull it.)


Another possibility is that you might need to install and run Debian
Testing (Stretch) to get the latest device drivers, X Windows, etc.:

https://wiki.debian.org/DebianTesting


I recommend that you use a small (16 GB) SSD or USB 3.0 flash drive for
your system drive. Choose manual partitioning during installation,
delete the existing partitions, create a new partition table (d-i should
create/ use MBR), and then create partitions as follows:

1 0.5 GB ext4 /boot (bootable flag = on)
2 0.5 GB swap
3 13.4 GB btrfs root


(After the machine is up and running, you can set up the large HDD later.)


Be sure to install SSH during installation -- if the machine boots but
graphics are bad, you might be able to log in via SSH for
troubleshooting and repair.


You will want and need a working computer while you fool with Debian on
the Inspiron 3650. Type up detailed notes. Take pictures of the screen
and/or use video, if necessary (a tiny tripod and/or 1/4-20 cell phone
mount can be very useful). SSH into the Inspiron and cut/ paste console
sessions, when possible. Expect to make several runs navigating the
permutations.


David

[Lisi Reisz]

Post by EGO-II.1
Hello all,
I've been trying for about a week now to get Debian with the MATE
desktop installed on my PC.

Is this another Skylake problem? It *is* after all a Skylake!

I had failures at various stages until I got help:
https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/***@gmail.com
https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/***@webmail.messagingengine.com
https://lists.debian.org/msgid-search/***@gmail.com

If it _is_ a Skylake problem, then 8.x is not enough information. You need at
least 8.3 (I managed on that), but preferably 8.4. If you can somehow manage
to get as far as booting (by hook or by crook) then the first thing you need
to do is install a backported kernel.

http://backports.debian.org/Instructions/

Or you could use Stretch!! Cutting edge and Linux are sometimes a problematic
combination.

Lisi

[Tom Browder]

I used the Mate DVD (8.4) with the non-free packages for a fresh install on
my Dell 6500 laptop. The initial installation went fine. Then I powered
down and went to give a presentation and could not get it to boot into the
graphical desktop. I reinstalled again and had the same failure.

In a final (and successful, whew!) atttempt I used the regular x64
netinst CD, selected Mate as my only desktop, and all has been well since
(fingers still crossed but loosening by the day).

Note the Debian website says the special DVDs don't get as much testing, so
I suspect my laptop might have found a bug. Unfortunately I don't have
ensough data to confirm that.

HTH

Best regards,

-Tom

P.S. I love the Mate desktop as it is. Please don't add any more bells and
whistles from the pop culture, just maintain it in the choice of desktops
for the normal Debian distribution.

[Brian]

Post by k***@strucktower.com
"grub-installer: dpkg: warning: ignoring request to remove grub-legacy
which isn't installed."

Not a problem.

Post by k***@strucktower.com
"in-target: E: Package 'grub-pc' has no installation candidate."
"grub-installer: info: Calling 'apt-install grub-pc' failed"

This is. Returning to the 'Install the base system' step is an option.

[Brian]

Post by k***@strucktower.com
For the last several days I have been attempting to install Wheezy from
one of the daily builds. I have tried four different builds (different
days)- and they all fail in the same two spots- they won't recognize my
removable medium (usb thumbdrive) so that I can install firmware, and,
more importantly, they fail to install Grub.
I have no problem doing an install from a Debian Squeeze install disc I
have (6.0.1a).

Unless there is an overwhelming need to get to testing from a testing
installer you can do a Squeeze install of the base system, change
/etc/apt/sources.list to point to Wheezy and 'apt-get dist-upgrade'.

[Camaleón]

Post by k***@strucktower.com
For the last several days I have been attempting to install Wheezy from
one of the daily builds. I have tried four different builds (different
days)- and they all fail in the same two spots- they won't recognize my
removable medium (usb thumbdrive) so that I can install firmware, and,
more importantly, they fail to install Grub.

(...)

Installer for the testing branch are prone to this kind of errors.

For GRUB2, you can leave it uninstalled and boot the installed system
from a LiveCD/LiveUSB or SGD. Once you're in, install GRUB2 as usual.

Greetings,