Best and recommended way to install Linux from bootable pendrive in Acer LAPTOPS

Hardikk2002
Hardikk2002 Member Posts: 2 New User
Acer laptops hang and don't perform well on the Linux distro. It's the reason may vary from BIOS version to the mismatch of kernel version and Nvidia driver.

So what is the recommended way of installing a fresh Linux distro (eg. Linux Mint 20.2 cinnamon) to any Acer laptop (eg. Swift SF314-55G), to get the best and smooth experience, which doesn't have screen freeze or No bootable Device found, errors.

What settings we should do in BIOS or a live testing environment that can help the OS to run smooth. 

I am struggling with some problems, on my Acer laptop, so please suggest the best way for installing Linux distro.

Thanks!

Answers

  • Leostat
    Leostat ACE Posts: 3,043 Pathfinder
    It will vary laptop to laptop, biggest thing is generally making sure the hardware has mainline kernel support, so i like to use Fedora as it generally has a more up to date kernel than Buntu based ones. After that boot options may need tweaking for each indevidual device. I think the only common one across many would be acpi=off :D
  • Hardikk2002
    Hardikk2002 Member Posts: 2 New User
    edited August 2021
    Leostat said:
    It will vary laptop to laptop, biggest thing is generally making sure the hardware has mainline kernel support, so i like to use Fedora as it generally has a more up to date kernel than Buntu based ones. After that boot options may need tweaking for each indevidual device. I think the only common one across many would be acpi=off :D
    Not sure about Fedora! But yes with ubuntu it really doesn't works well. 

    Still if there are some additional things and points that we should keep in mind while installing linux on SSD drives, please tell.
     
  • ttttt
    ttttt Member Posts: 1,947 Community Aficionado WiFi Icon
    @Hardikk2002

    You didn't even tell us what kind of laptop that you have. Tell us the full model number first. Different laptop use different BIOS, so there are different procedures to follow. Also, tell us the BIOS version number. Attaching different BIOS screen shots will help.

    I just bought one Aspire 5 A515-46-R14k little more than one month. Just finished upgrades to it including adding 500 GB 2.5" SATA3 SSD. This drive is for a Linux distro plus backup system image storage and a data only NTFS partition. Yesterday I succeeded in installing the latest Manjaro Linux ( I like rolling release, so I do not need to do frequent re-install after a major release change, particularly for laptops ) in one shot.
    I do frequent Linux Mint installations to my other desktops too.

    Assuming you laptop has similar BIOS. Several things you may need to pay attention to:

    For Linux , you may need to set supervisor password ( for my previous desktops, never need to do this part) in BIOS.

    Disable "Secure Boot" if possible. In my laptop, this could not be changed, always says "Standard".

    Linux and Ubuntu based distros must be installed in ACHI mode. So, if your BIOS has the option to change from RST-Optane to ACHI, do it.
    After installation and Linux up and running, changing it back to RST-Optane is O.K., if you really want to, but I don't bother to change it back.

    Have you held down Fn key and tapping F12 at bootup black screen to get the boot menu? Or Linux will not even show up in Boot Menu?

    You said "Acer laptops hang and don't perform well on the Linux distro". How it hangs? Is it just an underscore at the upper left corner?
  • henman
    henman Member Posts: 52 Die Hard WiFi Icon

    As others have mentioned post your hardware! As for the statement "laptops hang and don't perform well" this is also nonsense!

    Depending on what hardware you have, you cannot just throw anything at it! I know this all to well attempting to get my pathetic Acer Aspire One AO533 to a usable state. Putting the latest Ubuntu or any other regular distribution into it will bring it to a crawl if it is intended for larger dual core or more CPU and 4GB of RAM or more. This also includes Windows and with 7 and 10 I had to eliminate anything of no use to me, go into services startup and disable automatic startup on stuff I never use including setting it for the best performance which draws more power out of the battery.

    It is called look at the MINIMUM SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS and go from there. Due to Ubuntu or Ubuntu Lite performing slower than Windows 7 or 10 on this Netbook, I tried Mint which was better, Q4OS Plasma was sluggish and now I'm using Q4OS 32 bit Trinity and it is performing better than Windows 7 Starter.

  • Shedcomputerfixer
    Shedcomputerfixer Member Posts: 5

    Tinkerer

    I have installed Linux Mint with Cinnamon desktop on 13 Acers and they all work. Usually an SSD will be fitted to replace the original hard disk and make things much faster. Data from the removed disk is copied back using a SATA to USB cable.

    Some I've done are Acer Aspire 522, E15, 515, E1-531, TMP259, V5 571, VX266G