Missing EFI File: How to install Linux Mint on a new ProBook 440

[jojesse]

I have a brand new Probook 440 here without preinstalled OS. The plan is to partition the the 256GB drive and install Linux Mint 19.3. as sole OS.

I have installed Linux several times before, but never on UEFI hardware.

When I start the installation routine and it comes to partitioning, there is already a 512MB Fat partition and a 4GB Debian partition along with a small Swap. I have no good idea what this Debian partition is doing there...?

When I create new partitions for Linux Mint (root, home, swap) I get an error message stating EFI partition is missing.

To solve this  I think, from what I have read so far, I have two options: Create a new EFI partition, or disable secure boot.

I would appreciate any hints and advice on this, thanks!

[WAWood]

@jojesse 

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

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 -- in this case, the Linux Mint Forums: http://forums.linuxmint.com/index.php?sid=e1d864fe510e562a3fca15f38c93b95a

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

[jojesse · Accepted solution]

Thanks! In fact there are no issues with installing major Linux flavors like Ubuntu, Suse, Mint  on many HP ProBooks. Didn't encounter any driver problems, even without using any proprietary drivers at all. Also I would be rather surprised if on this forum there are no users working with Linux as sole OS or in dual boot with windows.

My question concerns installation and partitioning and as such is not even really Linux specific, but would also pertain to a windows install on a ProBook without preinstalled OS.

I have however solved the problem. Basically this ProBook had Freedos preinstalled, which is HP's way of selling ProBooks "without" OS, apparently. So that's why the main drive comes with a Debian and a Fat partition.

What I have done is leave those existing partitions alone, and install Linux (MInt) alongside. So I created additional partitions, in my case a /home and a / partition as well as a swap area, PLUS a small (512MB) EFI partition flagged as boot.

Creating the /home and root partitions of course is optional, but the EFI partition is mandatory, I suppose.

Hope this helps somebody else.