On Fri, May 11, 2018 at 12:45 PM, songbird <songb...@anthive.com> wrote:
> Kent West wrote: > > --000000000000b378b9056bf066d4 > > Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" > > > > I have a Dell Latitude E7250 laptop. I'm trying to install Debian to it > > using a USB stick. > > > > I've tried both of these .ISOs: > > > > debian-9.4.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso > > debian-buster-DI-alpha2-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso > > > > I used my desktop Debian box to download these via Firefox from > > https://www.debian.org/CD/http-ftp/ > > > > I inserted a USB stick, and ran: > > > > # sudo cp debian-9.4.0-amd64-xfce-CD-1.iso /dev/sdc > > > > as per the instructions at https://www.debian.org/CD/faq/#write-usb > > > > I then ejected the USB stick from my desktop Debian box, and inserted it > > into the laptop, and then booted the laptop to the USB stick. > > > > The graphical install does not seem to recognize the trackpad (which is > > recognized in the laptop's EFI firmware settings, so I know it works), > but > > that's a minor issue, as I can tinker with that later, and just use the > > keyboard to install for now. > > > > The real problem is that after going through the first three or four > > screens, the install halts, complaining about not being able to read the > > CD-ROM. > > > > Googling the issue suggested a couple of possible fixes, but I've had no > > success yet. > > > > Any help? > > try the netinst images instead and when you do the copy > make sure it is sync'd before removing USB device. on my > system the cp returns very quickly but the sync may take > some time before everything is written to the USB stick. > > > songbird > > While chasing down a completely different issue unrelated to this install, I learned that EFI boot drives need to have a GPT partition table. On a lark, I ran "gparted --list", and discovered that the flash drive had a "mac" partition table. Wha-a-ah-h-h?? Okay. So I ran gparted, selected the drive, and created a new "GPT" partition table, then repeated all my former steps, and bang! Success! It's currently pulling down gobs of stuff (I elected to install Cinnamon and KDE and Gnome - always fun to overload a drive unnecessarily ;-) ). Well, the trackpad still doesn't work in the installer, but I have half a suspicion that once the system boots, the trackpad will work. We'll see in a few. Thanks for the responses, all! -- Kent West <")))>< Westing Peacefully - http://kentwest.blogspot.com
