I'm trying to install AlmaLinux on a used Dell Optiplex 3000 thin client, but I keep getting stuck during the boot process. After successfully booting through the BIOS, I select the boot drive, but then I get a message saying 'headless mode active' followed by another BIOS splash screen where it hangs for 10-20 minutes before restarting. I can tell it's working because I hear some sounds from the machine and it gets warm, plus I'm able to force a restart with Ctrl + Alt + Del. I've checked the install media on my Windows machine, and while I can get to the installation menu, I hit a known issue with a media test failing at 4.8%. I've tried using different ISO versions, different USB drives and ports, and multiple methods to create the bootable media. I need help thinking of ways to bypass that splash screen or maybe figure out what's wrong with the media. I plan to try writing zeros to the flash drive before rewriting the image on it. Any other suggestions? Thanks in advance!
4 Answers
You definitely want to address that media test failure first. Ignoring it can lead to more problems during the installation. Media can indeed be corrupt even if it appears fine. I suggest trying a different USB stick or using another method to create your install media. It's good that you've thought about using `dd` to zero the USB first—sometimes that can help clean out any garbage data.
Make sure the SSD is seated correctly in the thin client. It’s also worth trying an older version of AlmaLinux or even a different distro just to test if the issue lies with the specific version you're using. If you end up needing to change components, at least you'll know it isn't the USB or BIOS that's the problem.
Thanks for the tip! I’ll double-check the SSD. It was working fine before I wiped it, so hopefully, that's not the issue, but I'll try other versions if necessary.
We have some helpful installation tips available that might be useful! Also, remember to always use a wired ethernet connection during the install for better stability. And don't forget to remove the boot media after installation to avoid any boot conflicts! Good luck!
First things first, double-check that you've set the USB drive as the primary boot option in your BIOS, just to be safe. Sometimes, systems can default back to trying to boot from the internal drive, even if you think you've disabled it.
Yeah, I've checked that. The only boot options are the USB and something called 'Merlin' which I disabled. I can also access a one-time boot menu with F12 to select the USB.
I get what you're saying. I'm hesitant to bypass the media test, especially if there could be real corruption. I just wish that splash screen would go away so I could see what's happening!