After new install, Centos will not boot

[GSBear]

After installing Linux CentOS 8 on a new HP EliteDesk 705 G2, CentOS will not boot.

The install from USB appeared to run correctly.

After install, received the message, install successful, press reboot to boot and start using.

After boot, the screen went blank, and the power alternated off and on at 4 second intervals.

Tried several times with the same result.

Reset BIOS to factory settings, still the same result.

Deleted partitions on drive before last install, still same result.

Could there be a problem with the Master Boot Record?

How can I format the hard disk and initialize the Master Boot Record without an OS?  I can boot to a Linux shell, but have not found a format command that would initialize the Master Boot Record.

How do I successfully install CentOS on this HP EliteDesk 705 G2?

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

[WAWood]

@GSBear 

According to the specs I could find for your model, it came from HP with either FreeDOS or a version of Windows installed, not a Linux distro.

I'm sorry, but we here are not equipped to provide detailed Linux support.

HP only warranties their PCs for usage with the OS that comes preinstalled. IF you replace that with Linux, or add a Linux OS, then you assume full responsibility for maintaining that -- as HP provides Linux assistance only on Redhat and then only to commercial customers.

The primary "challenge" to using Linux on any HP PC is the availability of Linux drivers. Any hardware that does not work will then range from simple (if there are Linux drivers available) to impossible (if there are NO Linux drivers available) to fix.

Since HP does not provide Linux drivers, your best bet for Linux support is to contact the support forum for the Linux distro you are using.

Folks on Linux support forums have experience using a variety of machines with Linux and know a lot about driver and installation issues. You will be able to get sound and detailed help there.

Good Luck

[GSBear]

Thanks much for your response.

I will go to the CentOS support forums for more assistance.  

I selected CentOS because I believe it is a free version of RedHat.

Since the boot from USB and install worked fine, I believe I have a problem with the Master Boot Record on the Hard drive.  And maybe this is just a BIOS setting issue.  I'm not great with the UEFI and Secure Boot settings and what they do.

Thanks again

[GSBear]

I don't believe this is a driver issue.  It booted CentOS from the USB without a problem, and performed the install, which appeared to function without a problem, including keyboard, mouse and display.

I'm thinking I must have a problem with the UEFI boot,  I reset all bios settings back to factor which was set to boot via UEFI.  No joy.

I booted from the USB to a command prompt, and used fdisk to verify the partitions were are least made, and they seem as if they were proper for a Linus (or any OS) installation.

I used efibootmgr to view the contents of the EFI boot partition.  There were entries, but I don't understand how the entries identify how to start the boot.  There was a CentOS entry.

I added a new EFI entry with: efibootmgr -c -d CentOS -p 1 -L CentOS Linux -l EFI/CentOS/grupx64.efi

It added the EFI entry, but the directory path was nothing that I was used to or understood.

I'm convinced I'm not doing something correctly to tell the system to boot CentOS from the hard disk in the correct partition, which I believe is partition 1.

Any help would be appreciated.