I'm trying to install Ubuntu 26.04.1 LTS on an older HP ProLiant ML310e Gen8 V2. RAID is disabled, SATA is set to AHCI, and USB boot is enabled. The installer starts, but eventually reports that the filesystem has been remounted read-only, after which commands fail or are discarded.
I removed the RAID hardware, tried another SATA port and cable, replaced the RAM, and tested with an SSD, but the behavior stayed the same. Linux Mint XFCE installs successfully, yet the system reports a critical filesystem error and becomes read-only during one of the next few boots. The machine previously ran Windows Server without apparent problems.
Could this be caused by a BIOS or controller setting, or is there another hardware compatibility issue I should investigate?
3 Answers
This server’s storage layout can be unusually picky. One reported workaround was to install Linux with the internal drives connected directly in AHCI mode, leave the front drive bays disconnected during the first boot, and only reconnect or configure those drives afterward. RAID can then be reintroduced later if needed. Since you don’t need RAID, keeping everything in AHCI and avoiding the front-bay controller may be worth testing.
A Linux filesystem usually switches to read-only after the kernel detects storage I/O errors. Check the kernel log with `dmesg` or `journalctl -k` and look for ATA errors, failed reads, medium errors, link resets, or messages mentioning UNC errors. Those would point to the disk, SATA controller, cable, or power path rather than a desktop environment problem.
I’ll check the kernel logs during the next installation attempt. Windows 10 runs normally on the same machine, though, so I’m wondering whether Linux is exposing some controller compatibility issue.
The fact that another operating system works doesn’t completely rule out a storage-path problem. Different operating systems may use different drivers and issue different kinds of reads and writes. Test the drive with a full SMART check and, if possible, try a disk connected directly to the motherboard’s simplest SATA port. Also inspect the logs immediately after the filesystem becomes read-only; the first I/O error is more useful than the later filesystem warnings.
I don’t need RAID, so I’ll keep AHCI enabled. Mint installs, but it becomes corrupted after the second or third boot, so I’ll also try booting with the front bays disconnected.