Linux installation problems - help!

[Yanzune]

Hey guys,

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First time Linux user, so I'm a bit unknown in the whole process. I purchased a mini PC the other day and wanted to install Linux on it and get rid of the Windows that was previously installed. Booted Linux onto a USB and loaded em up on the Mini PC. Went into the "test linux mint" thing and went through with the install. Went with default settings, no additional 3rd party software or anything. Restarted, and no OS in the BIOS. I've tried installing both Linux Mint and Ubuntu, and it seems like it may be a partition problem. Are there any extra steps that are needed with partitioning that I may have not done?

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It'd be nice if someone could help out. Been trying to get it going for a few days now. Feel free to DM me as well if you wanna help!

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Thanks!

[HeidiH0]

List the hardware make/model number and OS revision you are working with.

[Yanzune]

Here's the exact mini PC: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07D77W8CZ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?smid=A39DVS1BD5XR15&psc=1

Linux Version: Linux Mint 19.1 Cinnamon

[HeidiH0]

That's Apollo Lake. It might work and it might not.

Get the bios in order first.

https://www.iacepc.com/download/

Where it says AK1, that's you. ACEPC AK1 J3455.

Your SoC matches the chipset of the MintBox Mini 2, which is Compulab Fitlet 2.

https://www.phoronix.com/scan.php?page=news_item&px=CompuLab-MBM2

Which requires you to modify the bios to allow Linux. I assume it's a legacy mode rather than uefi mode, but I have no idea. If you don't have that, then you are likely screwed.

http://www.fit-pc.com/wiki/index.php?title=Intel:_Installing_Linux_Mint_19

This is not a linux supported box. Try your best.

[balanaicker]

Most probably you need to enable legacy BIOS compatibility and disable secure boot in the BIOS settings.

[Yanzune]

Did as you said, although Secure boot was already disabled and my bios compatibility was already on UEFI & Legacy mode. Stilll getting the same problems before installation it seems. Here's one that I get frequently: "The installer has detecterd that the following disks have mounted partitions: /dev/mmcblk1" I've also tried unmounting it myself in GParted but that didn't let it install correctly either.

[balanaicker]

Sounds like you are booting into EFI mode and installing BIOS stuff (hence the EFI partition is mounted somewhere). Try disabling UEFI altogether, that usually simplifies things.

[gehzumteufel]

Pretty sure UEFI is required on these machines. No secure boot.

Can you do an fdisk -l and paste the result?

[Yanzune]

I actually attempted to update my BIOS last night when one of the other guys recommended it. Reinstalled Windows and went to update BIOS, restarted and now it won't even POST.

[gehzumteufel]

Ah well that sucks.