Trouble installing LL 6.6 on 64 bit laptop

[JanetBiggar]

So I recall experiencing this same issue when I started using LL 5.0. On some laptops all went fine and others the OS installed, but then after turning it off or rebooting I would get the screen saying “Boot Device Not Found. Please install an operating system on your hard drive. Hard disc - 30F”

I KNOW the OS IS on the HD and the HD is working fine. When I go to re-install it asks if I want to install it beside LL 6.6 which is already on the HD or erase and install LL 6.6.

With this particular laptop (HP Elitebook RAM 16 GB) I believe I may have had similar issues loading LL 5.0 a couple years ago and I can’t recall if I installed the OS on a different laptop then stuck it into this one or if I managed to get it loaded and working…anyway I didn’t make notes at the time!

I believe it may have something to do with UEFI and settings, but not being very computer literate I’m unsure of the exact steps (truly spelled out precisely!) for loading LL 6.6 on a 64 bit UEFI laptop. My ISO USB of LL 6.6 is working (have successfully loaded the OS on two other laptops) and unless I’m wrong I believe there is only one LL 6.6 OS that is UEFI and Legacy compatible
- correct me if I’m wrong and direct me to where I get the UEFI one.
I am familiar with needing to disable secure boot and fast boot and I also enable legacy boot mode.

I also feel the issue in my post about two laptops reverting to the “Boot Device not found…” screen after sitting unused for a period of time MAY be related and NOT a CMOS battery issue.

I have taken screen shots of what the BIOS looks like on this particular HP laptop and what I have chosen in case that may be helpful in sorting me out…

In the meantime I may see if a working LL 6.6 HD in another laptop will work in this one or if I’ll get the same message…

Here are my screen shots on imgur:
https://imgur.com/a/qkylQHE

[stevef]

Does it boot if you set it to UEFI Native ?

[JanetBiggar]

No, when I set it to that and boot then it comes on showing a black screen with a flashing blue circle and hp logo inside. Just keeps flashing periodically.

[JanetBiggar]

So I'm getting somewhere!  :fingerscrossed

Last night I did what Steve suggested and changed to UEFI native, however it still didn't boot in to the LL OS that I KNOW is on the SSD (I think it's an SSD).  All it produced was a intermittent flashing blue circle with the HP logo and despite waiting it out nothing else occurred so I turned the laptop off.

This morning I went directly into BIOS with the intent to change it back to legacy, however decided to try other options.  So I only started to take photos towards the end where I knew I wouldn't be able to recall my steps:

I tried Network boot, but it said I needed to choose something.  I forget what the next screen was, but I clicked on something that seemed to make sense and worked through the various screens.  Here are pics of the last three screens which I chose and lo-and-behold after I saved and exited from the last screen LL 6.6 BOOTED UP as usual  :bow

here's a link to what these last three screen shots showed I did:
https://imgur.com/a/kKuqvxd

So I'm 99% confident I will remember what to do thus I am currently updating LL 6.6 then my plan is to:
1) shut it down per the menu.
2) turn it back on and wait to see if LL 6.6 loads normally.
3) if it doesn't then I will turn it off and restart it going directly into BIOS and then go through the SAME steps with the ADDITION of taking pics from the beginning.

So, I did the above steps I planned to do and LL 6.6 didn't pull up.  What I got was the flashing blue HP circle logo whereby I pressed ESC to get into bios.  I then took pics of the following choices I did:
1) At first I tried F12 network boot and got Boot error message.
2) I returned to the BIOS options and chose F9 Boot Device Options.
3) I selected Boot from EFI File.
4) I selected the only file system showing (Thank GOD there was only one!).
5) I clicked on EFI.
6) Clicked on ubuntu.
7) Clicked on grubx64.efi

then TA-DA LL 6.6 booted up.

Here are the screen shots:
https://imgur.com/a/J1HPlHM

So my follow up question is:
Does anyone know what I need to tweak such that LL 6.6 loads properly as I'd prefer that a student doesn't have to go through all these steps each time they turn on the laptop..?

[stevef]

Without having the same device as you, it is really difficult to provide specific help.

The manual does suggest the following

Start your computer, and go into your system BIOS and check that the boot order is set so that DVD and USB devices are set to boot first. This varies from BIOS to BIOS. Refer to your motherboard documentation for more information.

You are advised to disable Secure Boot and make sure UEFI is set to Enabled in your BIOS. See here for more information before proceeding if you need any more clarification.

Once you are happy with your BIOS set up, insert the DVD disc or USB stick into your computer and reboot your computer. You'll be greeted with the following screen. Let the timer run down if you want to boot to the Live session.

The implied sequence is that the BIOS/UEFI should be set before the install, with USB/DVD set as a higher priority to boot than the hard disk so that the Live Media will boot allowing installation.  Don't know if this will be better for your scenario.

[JanetBiggar]

Thanks for your thoughts Steve. When I next turn this laptop on I will check to see if UEFI is enabled.

I am a bit confused though as I had no problems installing the LL 6.6 on the laptop and I can tell it IS on the drive. The issue is that it simply isn’t booting up directly to the existing LL 6.6 OS.

Are you suggesting that not having the various items you mentioned “set” BEFORE installing has perhaps created my issue..?

[stevef]

As I read it, the manual suggests the UEFI settings should be set before installation, so that's why I suggested it.
Assuming a fairly current machine with UEFI, the manual recommends setting Secure Boot - off, UEFI mode - on and the boot order set for USB/DVD drive before hard disk.

All done before the install.

I'm guessing what may be behind the problem, but as described, the symptom of having installed in BIOS legacy mode and then the machine failing to boot despite having the files on the disk suggests there is a problem with the laptop UEFI/BIOS settings pointing to the right process to start Linux and requiring intervention to get grub involved..

I don't have a wide range of hardware to experiment with and I may just have been lucky but I've not had many install problems and those I did have were self inflicted.

I have read that some HP Business class laptops originally built with Windows may have enhanced pre-boot and boot-up protection - but nothing that should prevent installing Linux if the measures are turned off.

[JanetBiggar]

Okay thanks for the clarification/confirmation Steve. I may see if it would be easy enough to switch out the SSD/HDD with another one and try a new install setting things as you indicated. I’m guessing I’d set it to UEFI native (?) plus the other things you mentioned.

[stevef]

If I've understood your posts correctly, you've tried booting in both Legacy and UEFI Native modes.
One of these should have worked so I think something has got mixed up along the line.

In your position, I would start afresh.  Use a different SSD/HDD if you want, but it doesn't matter.
Boot the machine and enter set up straight away.

Ensure the following are set

Boot mode - UEFI Native (without CSM)
SecureBoot - unchecked
UEFI boot order adjusted to put USB Hard Drive and Generic USB devices above netbook mSATA Drive

Save the settings and reboot with the Live Media and install Linux Lite.

If there is still a problem let us know.

[JanetBiggar]

Good clear directions, thanks.

So prior to seeing your most recent suggestion I decided to try reinstalling and I did the three items you suggested:
Boot mode UEFI native (without CSM)
Secure boot OFF (I also UNCHECKED fast boot as it seems that might also affect what devices would be accessible in booting)
Placed USB HD first, BUT DID NOT put generic USB next on the list.

*would having NOT moved the generic USB second on the list cause it to not reboot normally?


RESULTS:
The install went fine, I shut it down and rebooted and while it did NOT give the error message it went straight to the flashing blue circle HP logo with the option to hit the esc key to enter BIOS.

I hit the F9 key for boot options and the ONLY thing that was different is that the boot options (in the previous posted images had a fifth option of ubuntu after the other four:
Notebook mSATA Drive (UEFI)
Notebook Ethernet IPV4
Notebook Ethernet IPV6
Boot from EFI File
ubuntu

I clicked on ubuntu which then allowed LL 6.6 to load.

At least it requires fewer steps than what I posted earlier so this makes it a bit smoother for a student.

UNLESS moving the generic USB UP the list might prove to be a significant factor I think I will leave it as is and manage since I have already done the updates.

I’m a bit unsure if I should mark this solved in case someone comes up with the perfect fix…however I’m content to do so if that is best.