Can't Install Nabia 10.0 LTS (among other things)

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Earthling
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 08/06/2020

I first noticed that Etiona 9.0 LTS 'offered' an upgrade to Nabia 10.0 LTS during a routine update, even though it was only a few days from release on 2/15/22, I decided to give it a try...but it failed (sorry for not being able to provide the error message.) Even though I keep no data on the OS SSD drive, and knowing the possibility that it would fail (given the known complications further below in this post), I felt 'brave', and went ahead with the upgrade. (sigh)

From there I've tried to install (from scratch) the newest Nabia (first using iso, then also DD method, formatted on a 16 GB USB using Rufus via Windows (the exact same method/computers as were originally used to install Etiona 9.0 LTS.

On this Acer laptop, for whatever reason, it appears that one can change the BIOS boot order (USB, HDD, etc.) however, to my ability, the ONLY way to boot Trisquel to the 256 GB SSD as drive 0 (added post-purchase for this exact purpose), is to FIRST remove the original 500 GB HD. Anything else I've tried always wants to place Trisquel on drive 1 (which is unacceptable, as that is the original 500 GB data drive.) I realize that the "Something else" option during the install process possibly allows one to choose a different boot drive, but I've never seen that option (the SSD doesn't show up), so I have always been very reluctant to try anything that risks a format of the 500 GB HDD data drive.

With the 500 GB HDD REMOVED, the 256 GB SSD finally becomes accessible as the boot/install drive, as mentioned above (and not ideal), and is how I originally installed Etiona 9.0 LTE.

However...even so, I've now been unable to install Nabia 10.0 LTS, as it gives the error attached in the photos (though it does allow 'trying' SOME of this edition.) Though Nabia 10.0 doesn't appear to offer the SSD for the install, Etiona 9.0.1 DOES at least allow seeing Gparted, and then choosing/formatting the SSD, but that older version ALSO gives the same 'firmware error/deblobbed' condition (first time I've seen), and then fails to install properly (something about not being able to create ext4 file system?)

I have also tried going back to the older edition 9.0.1 (in addition to trying 10.0), in hope of being able to then upgrade to 10.0...but that didn't work either.

I've attached numerous photos showing as much as I can...if anyone is able to help please?

Thank you so much...

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lanun
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 04/01/2021

> I've now been unable to install Nabia 10.0 LTS, as it gives the error attached in the photos (though it does allow 'trying' SOME of this edition.)

At what point in the process does that error message appear? What happens next?

Are you offered the option to boot a lower version of the kernel at some point? If so, I would be tempted to try that.

Since you seem to be able to boot from your live USB, you should be able to reverse or mitigate unwanted changes.

Earthling
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 08/06/2020

Hello @Ianun.

The error blinks very briefly (and several times within a short interval), immediately after the Acer boot logo and the 4 install options appear (try without installing, install, install in text mode, or check disc for defects.) The error in the attached photo is super quick...so very hard to photo...even though it blinks several times.

And then it either goes to 1. the 'live screen' with mountain background screen for the ('try without installing' option), 2. the 'Welcome' screen w/ background for the ('install' option), 3. the 'Select a language' screen for the 'text install' option, or 4. the 'live' screen again if choosing the 'Check disc for errors' option."

Again, from what I can see so quickly, the same error message flicks past *several* times with the "firmware/deblobbed" error screen that's attached in images from the original post (and for which I have no idea of its meaning.)

When trying options 1 or 2 (the only ones for which I have any understanding), the install appears to stall/hang when trying to create the 'ext4' file system.

I don't believe I am offered any option to "boot a lower version of the kernel" at any point, as you suggest. There is no OS installed at all right now if that makes a difference. This page, https://linuxpip.org/fix-tsc-deadline-error/, describes something about the CPU's 'microcode' possible not being new enough for the OS, where using GRUB to load a 'lower version of the kernal' may be useful. I can try doing that I guess, but isn't this for a working (but corrupted) Gnu-Linux OS?

I've looked up the error message and there are numerous search results mentioning how to repair what I have pictured....essentially some paraphrase of "Firmware bug" "TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to errata; /*(DEBLOBBED."

It seems 'possibly' the firmware error has something to do with Trisquel (and many other distros) has something to do with the 'microcode' not being updated properly? I've never heard of any kind of such thing, until now.

If this is so, I have no idea how to make such a change, unless you and/or others are willing to help me through it, *very* specifically?

Apologies for the delay in my reply, and I look forward to any assistance possible!

Thank you so much...

lanun
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 04/01/2021

I think you can safely ignore the TSC_DEADLINE error message.

> I first noticed that Etiona 9.0 LTS 'offered' an upgrade
> There is no OS installed at all right now

This is confusing. What happened to that Trisquel 9 install which offered an upgrade to Trisquel 10 in the first place?

Earthling
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 08/06/2020

@Ianun

Trisquel 9.0 offered an 'automatic' upgrade (showed up in the updates after it showed no update to 9.0 were available) to Trisquel 10.0...but it failed. And then upon restart, no boot disc was found.

At which point all I knew to do was to reinstall the OS entirely (thankfully no data is on the OS SSD.) But that's when the error message started, and would not allow any version of Trisquel to be installed. Tried Ubuntu 20 as well but no go.

As there are suggestions about CPU 'microcode' being not updated out there, that apparently can easily cause this error, I tried unsuccessfully to find an iso of Trisquel 8.0 (hoping the kernel would be a lower version), but can't seem to find it anywhere...the overall idea being to FIRST install 8.0 and then try to do subsequent upgrades 'again'.

lanun
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 04/01/2021

> if I'd known the SSD itself would 'disappear'

If your HDD has not disappeared, it could be tempting to install your system there: *back up your data* following your usual backup process, shrink the partition where your data are currently sitting and see if you are getting any convenient option from the installer. Alternatively, *once your data have been transferred to safety*, you could simply let the installer partition your HDD. The latter option will erase any existing data.

If at some point your SSD was to reappear, you will always be able to move your data there.

Earthling
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 08/06/2020

@ lanun

I just haven't decided yet what to do. Since I last wrote I have found some signs of life from the SSD, but ironically and baffling, *ONLY* from inside Windows 10 Windows-To-Go USB stick (device manager and disk management.) So frustrating that even though I so much want to banish anything connected to Microsoft or Apple (or "insert most any mega-corp name", here I am posting this from a 2nd Windows PC that is kept, solely, for when everything else breaks.

Before I stop tormenting everyone with this thread, I would like to know (from the 'purely' Open Source GNU-Linux/etc. community specifically), are there ANY new laptops available that truly do NOT have built-in backdoors of some kind (not even the CPU, etc.?) Or is it all just a lost cause?

Thank you so much, genuinely, for your assistance.

lanun
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 04/01/2021

> is it all just a lost cause?

It is not, but you would probably need to revert to desktop computing for the time being:

https://raptorcs.com/content/TL2MB1/intro.html
https://ryf.fsf.org/products/Talos-II-Mainboard

Earthling
Hors ligne
A rejoint: 08/06/2020

@lanun (and all)

Thanks for that info., though those options are far more $ than I'm interested in spending.

I was thinking perhaps a used (or newly refurburished) older Thinkpad that is capable of Libreboot and has a socket (not soldered) CPU/RAM, other components, etc.) But that's more time than I can invest toward investigating just now, even *IF* it's an eventual and viable solution...rather than paying for (yet another) device that technically still belongs to the manufacturer, because of the various intentional and proprietary hardware and software customer lockouts, by whatever method.

Thanks for all the help, but since this is now way outside the scope of anything Trisquel, it only seems fair to bid you all adieu for now.

Cheers and best!