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I've been trying to install Arch Linux on my Acer C720, but I can't get it past the boot menu.
I'm using a live USB installer, and it loads up to the Arch Linux menu with the boot options and hardware info on it, but when I hit enter on "Boot Arch Linux (x86_64)" it runs a few commands then hard reboots. The last command on screen is something about EDD being off, but it disappears before I can read it fully.
I am confident the C720 is a 64-bit device, so it should support Arch, but the closest I've been able to get are Antergos (which, who knows what architecture it's choosing) and Arch Anywhere - but only with the i686 option. Other Linux distros run fine - notably GalliumOS, which is specific to the hardware - but I don't know how to verify if that's because they're running 32-bit or not. I've tried making the Arch USB with Rufus on windows and dd on Linux, with no success either way. I also tired a USB CD Drive, but that has the same problem.
I can deal with using i686 Arch if necessary, but since it's being phased out I'd rather get with the program. I'm not sure what information will be useful here, but I'm happy to provide anything that makes this clearer.
Edit:
Turns out the first thing I tried to install from the AUR doesn't have an i686 version, so that's probably a no-go.
Also, the previously-working Antergos USB now doesn't work, with the same issue as Arch, so I... have no idea what's going on any more.
Currently GalliumOS is the only thing I can get working consistently.
Last edited by itaniknight (2017-03-11 21:30:20)
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Newbie here, so take what I suggest with a grain of salt. Googled EDD (Enhanced Disk Device) a little bit, I'm not sure it's the cause of your problem but it seems like it especially because of the nature of the disk of your laptop. Try:
Boot the installation with the following option added to the kernel boot parameter: linux edd=off (from the Red Hat website]
Here's how to add kernel parameters when booting:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/kernel_parameters
Good luck!
Last edited by Anonymous20201106 (2017-03-11 01:04:28)
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Thanks Erramyne - no luck with EDD though. I tried it both on and off with the same result.
That got me to thinking - clearly GalliumOS is doing something right for it to consistently boot, so maybe it's doing something special?
Turns out whatever it is, it's not the kernel parameters.
But *that* got me to thinking, I wonder what the common theme is here? Is it just Arch that doesn't work, or just Ubuntu that does?
So now I'm going to see which distros and architectures I can boot to see if I can get a common theme going. So far: Gallium ?? yes, Ubuntu ?? yes, Arch 64-bit no, Arch (Anywhere) 32-bit yes.
Edit:
I'm starting to think this is very likely Arch-specific. 64-bit Fedora just booted fine, which makes two other major distros with no problems and one definitely running x86_64. Not sure where to go from that though.
Last edited by itaniknight (2017-03-11 04:53:56)
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The arch linux install media uses syslinux when booting in bios mode ( none EFI ) which had this issue that probably still affects the boot media https://bugs.archlinux.org/task/53083
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loqs, that was it!
I went looking through the archives and found an Arch ISO built before the 4.8.8 kernel, and it loaded just fine. Installed Arch via GRUB instead of syslinux and viola, here I am typing this message on my shiny new Arch install.
For anyone reading this in the future and having the same problem, the ISO you want is 2016.11.01, available from here: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Arch_Linux_Archive
Thanks for the help, guys.
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Thank you. I was wondering why my c720 wasn't booting the newer USBs.
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