MX Linux Forum

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 9:59 am**

Hey,

I did a lot of research on this topic but cannot find a clear answer. Currently, my Acer Aspire Laptops runs on Windows 10, which was on the laptop pre-installed.
Now I want to replace windows with MXLinux. During the installation process of MXLinux, there is the prompt whether the installation can use the entire disk or make separate partitions. I do not want any partitions.

Is it sufficient to "use the entire disk" if I want to replace windows 10 completely from the laptop and its component and install mxlinux? Or do I need some preparation beforehand to replace windows 10 completely?

Thank you for any help!

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 10:13 am**

In Win 10, you need to disable Fast start Up and in the bios you need to disable Secure Boot prior to installing MX.
If you use the use entire disk method you will still get some partitions because an HDD / SSD must be formatted and partitioned prior to use. You don't say whether you are new to Linux in general or just new to MX, but my advice to beginners is to use the automatic install using the entire disk method for their first install.

Welcome to our forums and be sure to back up all your data before you do anything else.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 11:21 am**

Thanks for the quick reply.

I am quite new to both Linux and MXLinux.

What I am not quite sure about after reading your comment, is Windows 10 completely removed if I install using the entire disk? I dont have a problem of having "automatic" partitions, as long it is necessary for mxlinux and W10 is replaced during or following installation of mxlinux.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 11:29 am**

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 9:59 am Is it sufficient to "use the entire disk" if I want to replace windows 10 completely from the laptop and its component and install mxlinux?

Yep.

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 11:21 am is Windows 10 completely removed if I install using the entire disk?

Yep.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 2:09 pm**

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 9:59 am During the installation process of MXLinux, there is the prompt whether the installation can use the entire disk or make separate partitions. I do not want any partitions.

To be clear, a hard drive partition is a mandatory part of any computer installation. What you're asking for is to install Linux without a dual-boot configuration.

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 11:21 am I am quite new to both Linux and MXLinux.

What I am not quite sure about after reading your comment, is Windows 10 completely removed if I install using the entire disk?

You'll want to make sure that Windows boot features like Secure Boot are disabled. The MX manual is online and available in several languages and you'll want to read it. In particular see sections 2.3 "Pre-Installation" and 2.3.1 "Coming from Windows" for how to prepare for your first MX Linux install.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 2:59 pm**

Thanks for the clarification. Of course, partition is happening, I didn't write that precisely.

Now I was able to boot into the live-version of MxLinux. However, when trying to install mxlinux, the possiblity to se the entire disk for installation was greyed out. Moreover, "customizing the disk layout" did not show any disk properties.
GParted only showed the Live-USB but not the SSD.

How am I able to install MX-Linux as desribed? Do I need to repartition the SSD on Windows beforehand?

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 3:17 pm**

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 2:59 pm Thanks for the clarification. Of course, partition is happening, I didn't write that precisely.

Now I was able to boot into the live-version of MxLinux. However, when trying to install mxlinux, the possiblity to se the entire disk for installation was greyed out. Moreover, "customizing the disk layout" did not show any disk properties.
GParted only showed the Live-USB but not the SSD.

How am I able to install MX-Linux as desribed? Do I need to repartition the SSD on Windows beforehand?

What utility did you use to create the USB drive?

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 3:21 pm**

First I wanted to use the liveusb-maker from mxlinux from another laptop with mxlinux installed (which did not have an os previously).

However, I was unable to boot into the live-medium. So I used rufus on a windows laptop, on which i want to replace windows and install mxlinux. After that, I was able to boot into live-usb with mxlinux. I am not sure whether this really depended on liveusb-maker or rufus because I also changed some other things to boot into live-usb, but this is not so important now, I guess.

So, rufus it is :)

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 3:37 pm**

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 2:59 pm the possiblity to se the entire disk for installation was greyed out. Moreover, "customizing the disk layout" did not show any disk properties.
GParted only showed the Live-USB but not the SSD.

Find "Quick System Info" in the menu on the live session and run it. Click the "Copy for forum" button, then paste the full text to this thread along with the output of "lsblk -f". Make sure the ISO you downloaded is correct by verifying its checksum. When starting the installer in the live session make sure you let it verify its own integrity at the start at least once or twice.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 4:09 pm**

Yunoha wrote: Wed Feb 26, 2025 3:21 pm First I wanted to use the liveusb-maker from mxlinux from another laptop with mxlinux installed (which did not have an os previously).

However, I was unable to boot into the live-medium. So I used rufus on a windows laptop, on which i want to replace windows and install mxlinux. After that, I was able to boot into live-usb with mxlinux. I am not sure whether this really depended on liveusb-maker or rufus because I also changed some other things to boot into live-usb, but this is not so important now, I guess.

So, rufus it is :)

With Rufus, make sure that it is configured to use GPT partitioning.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 6:52 pm**

Code: Select all

System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-29-amd64 [6.1.123-1] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/antiX/vmlinuz quiet splasht nosplash checkmd5
  Desktop: Xfce v: 4.20.0 tk: Gtk v: 3.24.38 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm v: 4.20.0 vt: 7
    dm: LightDM v: 1.32.0 Distro: MX-23.5_x64 Libretto Jan 12  2025 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12
    (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: Acer product: Aspire A315-54 v: V1.00 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: WL model: Sleepy_WC v: V1.00 serial: <superuser required> UEFI: Insyde v: 1.00
    date: 04/30/2019
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT1 charge: 18.4 Wh (91.1%) condition: 20.2/36.7 Wh (55.1%) volts: 11.3 min: 11.3
    model: LG PABAS0241231 type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i5-8265U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Comet/Whiskey Lake note: check
    gen: core 8 level: v3 note: check built: 2018 process: Intel 14nm family: 6 model-id: 0x8E (142)
    stepping: 0xC (12) microcode: 0xB2
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 tpc: 2 threads: 8 smt: enabled cache: L1: 256 KiB
    desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x32 KiB L2: 1024 KiB desc: 4x256 KiB L3: 6 MiB desc: 1x6 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 450 high: 800 min/max: 400/3900 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: powersave cores: 1: 400 2: 400 3: 400 4: 400 5: 400 6: 800 7: 400 8: 400
    bogomips: 28800
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Vulnerable: No microcode
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode; SMT
    vulnerable
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: Enhanced IBRS
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced / Automatic IBRS; IBPB: conditional; RSB filling;
    PBRSB-eIBRS: SW sequence; BHI: SW loop, KVM: SW loop
  Type: srbds status: Vulnerable: No microcode
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel WhiskeyLake-U GT2 [UHD Graphics 620] vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-9.5 process: Intel 14nm built: 2016-20 ports: active: eDP-1 empty: HDMI-A-1
    bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:3ea0 class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Quanta VGA WebCam type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus-ID: 1-7:3 chip-ID: 0408:a031
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 compositor: xfwm v: 4.20.0 driver: X:
    loaded: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: :0.0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 509x286mm (20.04x11.26") s-diag: 584mm (22.99")
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: ChiMei InnoLux 0x15f5 built: 2017 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 142
    gamma: 1.2 size: 344x193mm (13.54x7.6") diag: 394mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9 modes: 1920x1080
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 Mesa 22.3.6 renderer: Mesa Intel UHD Graphics 620 (WHL GT2)
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Cannon Point-LP High Definition Audio vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_skl,snd_sof_pci_intel_cnl bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:9dc8 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-29-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 802.11ac Wireless Network Adapter vendor: Lite-On
    driver: ath10k_pci v: kernel modules: wl pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 168c:0042 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlan0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Realtek RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet vendor: Acer Incorporated ALI
    driver: r8169 v: kernel pcie: speed: Unknown lanes: 63 link-max: gen: 6 speed: 64 GT/s port: 3000
    bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 10ec:8168 class-ID: 0200
  IF: eth0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Lite-On Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 Bluetooth type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8
    bus-ID: 1-10:4 chip-ID: 04ca:3015 class-ID: e001
  Report: hciconfig ID: hci0 rfk-id: 3 state: down bt-service: N/A rfk-block: hardware: no
    software: yes address: <filter>
  Info: acl-mtu: 1024:8 sco-mtu: 50:8 link-policy: rswitch hold sniff
    link-mode: peripheral accept
RAID:
  Hardware-1: Intel 82801 Mobile SATA Controller [RAID mode] driver: ahci v: 3.0 port: 4060
    bus-ID: 00:17.0 chip-ID: 8086:282a rev: N/A class-ID: 0104
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 29.3 GiB used: 2.17 GiB (7.4%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 type: USB vendor: Generic model: Flash Disk size: 29.3 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 8.01 scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
Partition:
  Message: No partition data found.
Swap:
  Alert: No swap data was found.
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 45.0 C pch: 49.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2136 libs: 1065 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala,synaptic pm: rpm
    pkgs: 0 pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb https://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
Info:
  Processes: 267 Uptime: 23m wakeups: 2 Memory: 7.61 GiB used: 4.57 GiB (60.0%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: UEFI

lsblk -f

Code: Select all

NAME   FSTYPE   FSVER LABEL   UUID                                 FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINTS
loop0  squashfs 4.0                                                      0   100% /live/linux
sda                                                                               
└─sda1 vfat     FAT32 MXLINUX FEBF-C297                              27.1G     7% /home/demo/Live-usb-storage
                                                                                  /root/Live-usb-storage
                                                                                  /live/boot-dev

I validated the checksum of the iso-file and the integritiy of the installation.

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 7:12 pm**

Question: Did you make any changes to your bios other than disabling Secure Boot?

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 7:17 pm**

No. Of coure, I disabled secure boot.

Moreover, I allowed ''F12 Boot Menu'', so I can change the boot order with F12-Function Key.

To disable secure boot, I had to create a supervisor password, but I cleared that afterwards, so I can access the bios without the password

Posted: **Wed Feb 26, 2025 7:58 pm**

Looking at this Laptop's list of drivers, I see IRST (Intel® Rapid Storage Technology) Driver aka RAID.

It's likely that changing the SATA Controller 'mode' to AHCI will return visibility of the SSD installed. User manual is a bit sparse (not unusual for offshore made devices) so I'm going to guess there *might* be a Control Panel applet for IRST aka RST aka Intel Optane to disable it.

As SATA Raid becomes more prevalent in PCs made available to Linux (4 or less than years old) this might be worthy of a FAQ List entry for MX Linux 25.

Right click on the Start Button and select Device Manager. Expand IDE/ATA/ATAPI controllers and highlight Standard SATA AHCI Controller. Right click and select properties. Select Driver tab. Click Driver details. If the SATA controller is in AHCI mode (what we need) the drive filename should have ahci in it. The controller driver file name below is storahci.sys BTW.

If it says RAID/RST/Optane see below.

Guidance for changing the SATA Controller to AHCI mode in section 4.8 - https://fullscale4me.com/Dual-Boot-MX-Linux-and-Windows-Installation-Guide.pdf

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 2:29 am**

@FullScale4Me Thanks for that

And, love your guide

Yeah, looking forward to an updated guide for MX-25

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:13 am**

Thank you very much for the guide.

Just one question to be on the safe side. Do I need to implement the steps in the paragraph "Disable the VMD Controller – ASUS" or only the steps in the paragraph "Using MSConfig to Change Windows SATA Controller to AHCI mode"? I am not completely sure whether the former paragraph only applies to ASUS laptops

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:19 am**

@Yunoha

You can simply enter Bios settings and change "sata mode" to Ahci there, save and exit, then install.

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:26 am**

Yes, I just saw that I can just change it in the BIOS.

So I do not have to secure boot-mode, as outlined in the guide?

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:29 am**

Turn off secure boot but while you're at it (if you haven't already) first boot to Windows and make sure "Fast Startup" is disabled there.

Then in Bios:

Change sata mode to ahci,
Turn off Secure Boot,
and (if there is such an option) turn off Fast Boot,
save and exit.

Finally boot with your live usb, install (any way you like).

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:45 am**

If you were willing to keep Windows (dual boot) then you would first enter Regedit in Windows and do the changes for ahci, then change it in Bios after that (to not make Windows unbootable). But in your case you already want to wipe Windows, therefore you don't need such a step.

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:51 am**

Great, thank you very much for the clarification.

Two last questions.
After installation of Mxlinux, should I change some of the BIOS settings back again (SECURE BOOT, FAST BOOT, SATA MODE)?

Should I use the partition scheme "GPT" or "MBR" in rufus for my MXlinux-iso? The default of Rufus was MBR, so I am not sure, which one to use now.

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:54 am**

Good question.

Keep (leave) them as they are.

Your live usb will boot either with MBR and GPT but GPT will be better in your case as it's a uefi pc :).

Shortly, select GPT in Rufus, install, enjoy :)

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 8:57 am**

In case you wonder why we do these, in a nutshell:

Ahci is already recommended for ssds,
Secure Boot is done according to Windows and it prevents most open source drivers (as if they were malware etc.),
Fast Startup (or Fast Boot) makes the pc to not really shut down and keeps devices engaged.

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 9:03 am**

@Minnie the Moocher Please use the edit button instead of posting consecutive posts.

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 9:34 am**

@Eadwine Rose

I purposely posted separately as they are different subjects, also to make it easy to read and to not get confused (for a newbie).

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 11:07 am**

Now I am back with my newly installed MXLinux. Everything worked out perfectly.

Thank you very much for the great help!!!

Posted: **Thu Feb 27, 2025 11:09 am**

Glad to hear that. You're welcome :)

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