1

I got a ThinkPad X121E which refuses to install Ubuntu Linux (neither 32 nor 64 Bit). Windows7 64 Bit is no problem though.

Here the details:

  • Installation works perfectly (I do partitions manually and encrypt the /home drive)

  • After restarting, Ubuntu doesn't boot, but the ThinkPad BIOS does boot twice and beeps when leaving the pre-boot window. After a short moment the message

    Operating System not found

    is displayed, or depending on wether the BIOS settings are UEFI-only/Legacy-only the LAN Boot routine tries before that. If you now reboot it again, it won't boot twice but still beeps when leaving the pre-boot window.

Hope that were the kind of information you actually needed to help.

A few links which seemed kind of promising:

  • "No operating System found" (German) was really interesting as it is stated that GRUB wont work with GPT (and fdisk says that GPT is used), but sadly cuts off too early to the luck of the OP with his 32Bit system (that failed on me though).

  • This UbuntuForums.org thread is interesting but cuts off on a too early stage as well.

Improve this question
4
  • You should. "it didn't start" is not an account of what specific messages, sounds, and lights the computer presented to you.
    – JdeBP
    Commented Nov 1, 2011 at 0:15
  • well, the OS doesn't start an as there is no other OS installed the message "no Operating System found" is displayed
    – Sim
    Commented Nov 1, 2011 at 10:05
  • 1
    Just repeating "it doesn't start" doesn't help, either. Think! We're not clairvoyant; we need to be told what the symptoms are. Exact error messages are important. Was it "no operating system found" or "operating system not found", for example? The difference is important. Edit your question and put all of the details in.
    – JdeBP
    Commented Nov 1, 2011 at 19:00
  • Isn't it a problem related with the fact that you have already 3 principal partitions (maximun allowed is 4)? In x121e Windows 7 comes with 3 principal partitions (drivers, recover and OS). I can't have a successful instalation exactly because with the Mint partition it makes 4 and then there is no possibility to have a swap partition. Still didn't find a solution for a dual boot win-linux.
    – user118728
    Commented Feb 16, 2012 at 17:41

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
1

From the Crescent Nebula Blog

  • To repair a defect MBR ("No operating system", or "Grub error, invalid arch independent ELF magic") I booted Partion Magic and did in console: "ms-sys -7 /dev/sdXXX" where sdXXX is a placeholder. In my special case it is just "sdb". the correct device id I got from gparted.

  • Setup BIOS: Menu "Startup"

    • UEFI/Legacy Boot: both (UEFI and Legacy)
    • UEFI/Legacy Boot Priority: "Legacy first" (important!)
    • You have to setup BIOS before (!) installation. Otherwise you encounter "Grub error, invalid arch independent ELF magic" or "No operating system"
  • Setup BIOS: Menu "USB"
    • USB UEFI BIOS Support may be "Enabled".
Improve this answer
1
  • The link to the blog seems dead. I have a similar problem to the OP, why is it important to have Legacy first? Doesn't modern GRUB use UEFI? Or is it something that's changed since the OP in 2011?
    – pateksan
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 8:48
0

To install Ubuntu (at the moment just Ubuntu, no dual boot tested), just let the installation routine do its work, don't set your own partitions as this somehow messes things up!

That worked for me, even with a 64Bit OS.

Improve this answer
1
  • Obviously this is only a solution if you don't need dual boot.
    – pateksan
    Commented Oct 28, 2019 at 8:45

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .