I installed Linux Mint last night, shut the computer down, and now it will not start Mint normally. For several hours I have been seeing different error screens and command prompts. The most frequent message is "failure reading sector 0x74706da0 from hd0," after which the system drops me into a command prompt. The firmware lists Ubuntu Linux as the installed operating system, which I assume is expected because Mint is based on Ubuntu. What should I check, and how can I get the computer booting again?
4 Answers
“Ubuntu Linux” appearing in the firmware is normal for a Mint installation, since Mint uses Ubuntu’s boot components. That entry by itself does not prove the installation is healthy. The important clue is the repeated read failure from hd0, which means the system cannot reliably read part of the disk.
If the disk checks out as healthy and there is no data to preserve, you could boot the Mint USB, erase the existing partitions, create a fresh partition table, and reinstall. However, wiping and repartitioning will not fix a physically failing drive, so test the hardware first.
Before reinstalling, confirm that the installation USB was created from a verified ISO and that the computer is using the same UEFI or legacy boot mode used during installation. Secure Boot and storage-controller settings can matter too, but they usually do not cause a specific sector-read error. Also check the drive’s SMART data from the live environment.
The sector-read error points more toward a failing hard drive or damaged storage than a Mint problem. If you have important files on the drive, avoid repeatedly trying to boot and make a backup or clone of it first. From a live USB, check the drive’s SMART health and run a non-destructive filesystem check. If SMART reports errors or the drive makes unusual noises, replace it rather than reinstalling onto it.
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