Boot method: USB stick
Image version: <Full URL to image you downloaded is best>
Date: Successful: 05/06/2026, between 1400 and 1800h
Machine: Dell Inspiron 11 3000 series 2-in-1
Processor: 6th Gen Intel Core i3
Memory: 4GB
Partitions: (wasn't sure how to get raw partition data so used the
mentioned command)
Filesystem Type 1K-blocks Used Available Use% Mounted on
udev devtmpfs 3993360 0 3993360 0% /dev
tmpfs tmpfs 806524 1456 805068 1% /run
/dev/sda1 ext4 231069880 3749252 215510120 2% /
tmpfs tmpfs 4032608 0 4032608 0% /dev/shm
tmpfs tmpfs 5120 12 5108 1% /run/lock
tmpfs tmpfs 1024 0 1024 0%
/run/credentials/systemd-journald.service
tmpfs tmpfs 4032612 8 4032604 1% /tmp
tmpfs tmpfs 1024 0 1024 0%
/run/credentials/getty@tty1.service
tmpfs tmpfs 806520 80 806440 1% /run/user/1000
Output of lspci -knn (or lspci -nn):
00:00.0 Host bridge [0600]: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT DRAM
Controller [8086:0a04] (rev 09)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: hsw_uncore
00:02.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Intel Corporation
Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics Controller [8086:0a16] (rev 09)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: i915
Kernel modules: i915
00:03.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation Haswell-ULT HD Audio
Controller [8086:0a0c] (rev 09)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:04.0 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation
Haswell-ULT Thermal Subsystem [8086:0a03] (rev 09)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: proc_thermal
Kernel modules: processor_thermal_device_pci_legacy
00:14.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 8 Series USB xHCI HC
[8086:9c31] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: xhci_hcd
Kernel modules: xhci_pci
00:16.0 Communication controller [0780]: Intel Corporation 8 Series
HECI #0 [8086:9c3a] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: mei_me
Kernel modules: mei_me
00:1b.0 Audio device [0403]: Intel Corporation 8 Series HD Audio
Controller [8086:9c20] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: snd_hda_intel
Kernel modules: snd_hda_intel
00:1c.0 PCI bridge [0604]: Intel Corporation 8 Series PCI Express Root
Port 3 [8086:9c14] (rev e4)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: pcieport
00:1d.0 USB controller [0c03]: Intel Corporation 8 Series USB EHCI #1
[8086:9c26] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: ehci-pci
Kernel modules: ehci_pci
00:1f.0 ISA bridge [0601]: Intel Corporation 8 Series LPC Controller
[8086:9c43] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: lpc_ich
Kernel modules: lpc_ich
00:1f.2 SATA controller [0106]: Intel Corporation 8 Series SATA
Controller 1 [AHCI mode] [8086:9c03] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: ahci
Kernel modules: ahci
00:1f.3 SMBus [0c05]: Intel Corporation 8 Series SMBus Controller
[8086:9c22] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: i801_smbus
Kernel modules: i2c_i801
00:1f.6 Signal processing controller [1180]: Intel Corporation 8
Series Thermal [8086:9c24] (rev 04)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:068e]
Kernel driver in use: intel_pch_thermal
Kernel modules: intel_pch_thermal
01:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Broadcom Inc. and subsidiaries
BCM43142 802.11b/g/n [14e4:4365] (rev 01)
Subsystem: Dell Device [1028:0018]
Kernel driver in use: bcma-pci-bridge
Kernel modules: bcma
Base System Installation Checklist:
[O] = OK, [E] = Error (please elaborate below), [ ] = didn't try it
Initial boot: [E]
Detect network card: [E]
Configure network: [E]
Detect media: [O]
Load installer modules: [E]
Detect hard drives: [O]
Partition hard drives: [O]
Install base system: [O]
Clock/timezone setup: [O]
User/password setup: [O]
Install tasks: [O]
Install boot loader: [O]
Overall install: [O]
Comments/Problems:
*cracks knuckles* lesdoit
Choosing the image to download was a struggle. Perhaps a note somewhere
in the guide that if you don't know what architecture your device uses,
it's Probably amd64? Took me three days of googling to figure that part
out.
After that, getting the image onto a USB stick in the right way took
another 3 days. I was initially just copying the image to the USB, not
burning it. Eventually remembered that words have meanings, and copy =/=
burn, and found a software called Rufus that allowed me to burn the
installation image to the USB in the correct way.
Finally, the package did not contain a network driver that was
compatible with my internet card. Initially tried putting the Windows
installer on the drive, which obviously did not work. Then tried
extracting the driver packages from the installer and loading That onto
the USB, which was also met with failure.
After some googling, I realised that the Qualcomm Atheros QCA9377 driver
did not have a current supported Linux version I could find, only a
deprecated repo on GitHub. (Look at me, saying those words like I know
what they mean.) Furthermore, loading those repo files onto my USB and
inserting them into the device was met with an error message, even
though I put the files in a folder called firmware, in several different
iterations (driver files in a folder with the driver name, driver files
directly in the firmware folder, the three files in the firmware only
folder in a folder in firmware, then again directly in the firmware
folder, possibly a couple more that I don't remember.)
Just discovered that after that entire circus, I might just need the
iwlwifi driver. I'm going to cry. And probably not reinstall the OS
(which I did after accidentally installing too many desktop environments
and deciding that i'd rather rerun the installer than figure out how to
uninstall them). Just use the terminal window to get it done. Somehow.
Hopefully. Send help?
Overall, a classic incredibly frustrating Linux newbie experience,
stretched out over around 10 (non-consecutive) days, consisting of much
frantic googling and headdesking. 10/10, would do again.
Have attached the installer log files, except for the ones that required
root user permission to copy. Hope this helps! Have a nice day.
sapphoenyx