[GUIDE] Framework 16 + Ubuntu 24 LTS Installation from USB drive fails

Framework Laptop 16 Linux
1

TL;DR: If you get the error Unable to find a medium container a live file system when installing Ubuntu 24 on the FW16, boot via an USB2 hub.

I just recieved my Framework 16 DIY edition and had the following error while booting from a Sandisk 32 GB USB 3.0 drive:

stdin: invalid argument
[... repeats multiple times...]
stdin: invalid argument

Unable to find a medium container a live file system
Attempt interactive netboot from a URL?
yes no (default yes):

While there were multiple proposed solutions online, in the end attaching the boot drive to a USB2 hub solved the issue. What did not work:

  • Using a different USB port with the drive directly
  • Removing all unused extension modules.
  • Disabling quickboot
  • Reflashing Ubuntu onto the USB drive

Hope this helps in case you also encounter this issue. If there are more elegant solutions, those would also be interesting to hear.

3 Likes
2

Excatly the same behavior with a brand new frame.work destkop. Using a hub solved the issue and now I am installing ubuntu 25.10.
Thx a million for posting this!

3

Which port are you plugging the usb flash into?
What other usb devices were plugged in at the same time?
Not all the usb slots have the same capabilities, so you might have more luck in different slots.
For example, slot 1 and slot 4 (the ones closest to the display on the side) tend to be the best to use for usb flash drives.

1 Like
4

Switching my usb drive to slot 1 did the trick for me, I did use a USB-A to USB-C adapter though.