None taken - I know I need to take the time to learn this but I’ve just got so much on my plate right now and just need to find out ASAP whether I have a dud SSD, and a working machine, or not at this point in time.
1 Like
Because there is no bootable OS on your SSD?
Depend on your configuration, computers may or may not come with a operating system. In those cases you need to install one yourself, via a bootable USB.
Assuming you want Linux Mint, go to their website:
And download the install media. The install media will come as an .iso DVD disk image.
To make a bootable USB from a iso, you need to use a external tool. My friend seem to be having success with Ventoy
Linux is open-source, and thus lots of features (e.g., USB install media creation) is done via community projects and are not as streamlined as other closed-source OSes (Windows especially). But as you stated that you want to use Linux, this is something that you would need to overcome.
Personally I have used Ubuntu the most – it’s by far the biggest distro, and it is also officially supported by Framework. But Mint is also a good generic choice.
I hope all goes well.
Wouldn’t have the FW team that I contacted have figured this out from the details I provided?
I followed the instructions for initial set up then encountered this screen which, I’ll admit, I didn’t fully understand.
I think I do now. It could be normal and a prompt (an unintuitive one) to insert an install USB… correct ?
1 Like
If you have already created the bootable USB, then it should be plugged in before you power on. Then F11 (I believe?) to get to the boot menu and select the USB as your bootable device or it will be selected by default if no other bootable devices are found. Then boot into the live environment to install Linux or Windows or what have you. Then restart and remove USB. You can also enter BIOS to double check that booting from USB is allowed and all ports are enabled. BIOS will also tell you if your USB is even recognized.
That sounds like success! That means you’ve successfully created a USB Boot media, because you booted from it! (assuming that “got it to work” means you got a working fedora system).
I don’t quite understand how booting into a live distribution would help in “entering the BIOS”. One would normally smash the F2 button during the very start of bootup (around when the Framework text shows up on your screen at power-up). By the time the system is looking for boot media, it’s too late to enter the BIOS settings menu.
This button smashing is quite similar how one gets special boot/repair options on Mac, so you may be familiar with the procedure.
Once you’ve booted into a Live version of Fedora, you should be able to select “Install to Hard Drive” (you can actually still select that after you selected “Try Fedora”, so you could always first rummage around on the new system to gather data that may be useful when you’re going through the install). If that fails, I’d say that would be a good indication that there’s something wrong with the SSD (either not mounted correctly or faulty electronics).
It is true that Fedora, once installed, tends to add an option to its boot menu to enter BIOS settings. So that may be how FW Support is trying to get around the problems you’re having with the F2 approach. It also goes out of its way to hide that same boot menu, so your mileage may vary in success of entering through that route.
1 Like
@Adam_M, this thread is an absolute overwhelming mess. Please know that it’s not your fault that you’re having trouble comprehending most of the posts here; it seems like a lot of the information isn’t really relevant to why you posted in the first place. I’m very sorry you’re experiencing it firsthand, but this thread is honestly a better picture of the Linux community than anything I could come up with.
I saw you managed to get a live USB of Fedora to boot, congratulations! The next step if you do want to use Fedora will be using the installer on that live USB to put the real Fedora operating system onto the hardware SSD you installed when you put the laptop together. Let us know if you get stuck!
On the USB stick point: what you did to put Fedora on the USB stick makes it not show up to put files on anymore. It will still connect to your MBP! You can erase it like this and then put Ubuntu on it if you want to go down that route. In that case you’d just get to the exact same point where you were with it when it had Fedora on it, and install Ubuntu instead. The visuals will be different.
5 Likes
Well, good to know it wasn’t just me thinking that!.. I guess everyone is trying to help but it just got more overwhelming with each post - more and more ‘to do’ when all I needed to do ‘in the present moment’ was get the machine operating. TBF I don’t think I helped by also asking for help migrating from Mac rather than keeping it simple with one question…
So, I have given up trying to have the perfect Mac-like experience with elementaryOS and taken the advice to just install Ubuntu for the time being (perhaps forever). I have just installed the basic OS but couldn’t complete the Manual Set Up because I had no idea how or where to enter any of the content here:
https://github.com/ctsdownloads/Files/blob/main/Ubuntu22.04LTS-Manual-Setup-12thGen.md
Regardless, I was at last able to enter BIOS with F@ on start up and see that the SSD is recognised - at least I think so… I see a WDS100T3X0C in the Device List on the Storage Password Setup Page in Security (as directed by FW team) so I no longer believe there is anything wrong.
TBH as I mentioned in my reply to Xavier_Jiang I now believe the Boot Manager screen I first got stuck at may have been a standard one that was un-intuitively telling me that there was no OS installed and that I needed to insert a USB with the OS/Distro on it… though why the FW team wouldn’t work that out is beyond me… perhaps they’re not used to anyone being so clueless ha ha…
2 Likes
Correct! Everyone went entirely too far, that’s exactly what that screen means. To make that screen go away, you have to install an OS, whether it be Windows (with a Windows install USB), Fedora (with a Fedora install USB), Ubuntu (etc)…
The commands in that Github page only apply once you’ve installed an OS (and specifically Ubunbtu: when you see apt or apt-get, always think Ubuntu).
Your first step will be to create an Ubuntu install USB (if you need to, you can re-use your Fedora usb by erasing it first with the guide I linked earlier). from there, you can do exactly what you did with the fedora live USB, and then use the installer on the live USB to install to the Framework’s SSD. Then, you can run the commands in that link in a terminal window.
1 Like
As I understand it from the FW team help I’ve been getting, I needed to have a distro installed to access the BIOS…
I’ve since installed Ubuntu - at least as far as the Manual Setup stage (see reply above as to why) and accessed BIOS. I appear to have a machine-recognised SSD so just waiting for confirmation back from FW team and I can concentrate on getting the Ubuntu fully installed and running though I’ve already fallen at the Manual Setup hurdle and I couldn’t see my WIFI network in the Install process so couldn’t check for software updates.
Once I’ve got my taxes done, my aging & neglected Mac menagerie backed up, updated, cleaned up and reconfigured, etc, etc I’ll hopefully have time to start getting more familiar with Linux… though the amazing help I’ve been getting from Apple Tech the last few days has me wondering whether I’ve made the right decision to dump them for not being the company they were that I once loved… and now I’ve got rid of 100GB of crap off my full-to-the-brim MBP it’s already running WAY better lol…
1 Like
Awesome! Well why the f didn’t the FW team know that/work that out!!!.. Man…
Um, I think you missed that I have Ubuntu installed already UP To the Manual Setup stage… Install USB made, inserted, OS installed, etc…
NOW I need to know how to open a Terminal window (told you I was a beginner!)
1 Like
This is wrong. that’s only one way to access the bios. Linux shows something called a bootloader menu, which you’ve seen when booting live disks (black screen, white text like “Start Fedora” and “Start Fedora (safe mode)” or similar), and one entry on that bootloader menu is “UEFI Firmware Settings”. if you click on that, you can access your BIOS. You can also access your BIOS by repeatedly hitting F2 after powering on the Framework until it appears. A common theme with linux is that there’s almost always multiple ways to do the exact same thing.
It’s not installed just yet, the laptop CPU is running the operating system directly from that USB. you’re going to use that Manual Setup page’s ‘erase disk and install Ubuntu’ (make sure the only inserted storage devices are the Ubuntu USB and the SSD inside the laptop first), which will then install. Only that ‘erase disk and install Ubuntu’ and then restarting your laptop later in the process when it tells you to is what will install Ubuntu.
If you have done that, perfect! do the setup through the Manual Setup page until it goes away and puts you at the desktop screen (including if it asks you to restart the laptop), then you can click the 3x3 grid of squares and find the terminal app. quick note that trips people up: ctrl+shift+v is paste in the terminal, not ctrl+v like everywhere else. ctrl+v inserts a special character into the terminal instead, and that function actually predates copy and paste.
2 Likes
Um, it is!.. I didn’t just boot from the USB, I installed it… USB was removed when instructed…
OK, thanks for the Terminal pointer… got a window open and am already stumped at the 'To run a command as an adminstrator (user “root”), use “sudo command>”, etc…"
I need WIFI to get some of that to work in any case right? I am seeing my WIFI network now but it’s not connecting - a weak/dipping out signal is not helping - though my MBP sees it clearly… do these things have crappy antennae/issues connecting?
FFS - One step forward then another stick between the ankles!..
2 Likes
Congratulations, you’re a Linux user! This was the hardest part.
Basically, for user security, some changes to the system will always require you to run them as an administrator. The sudo command is a quick way to run one command as root. apt is one of the programs that makes such changes, so you’ll need to do sudo apt ... every time you use it.
However, that’s a bit of a pain for this specific instance, when you want to run many commands as root. You can do sudo su before any of them, which will open a root shell (the $ will change to a #, you may need to enter your password), meaning you don’t need to type sudo until you leave the root shell by doing exit.
Yes. You might be on the wrong wifi driver by default (22.04 should have it but it’s still possible that it doesn’t). If your phone supports acting as a wifi hotspot over a USB cable (modern iPhones, some android), you can use that for the initial apt update -y && apt upgrade -y (don’t forget sudo before each, && chains commands so both apts need a sudo). Alternatively, ethernet will still work if you have a usb-C ethernet adapter or the ethernet expansion card.
There is a chance that the hardware antennas on the wifi card were connected improperly by the factory (if I remember correctly the DIY edition comes with preinstalled antennas now), there are guides for reseating them but it’s very fiddly so I want to try a software change first.
Thank you!.. phew/sigh…
and thanks for the WIFI tip - I just figured out I could hotspot it (from my iPhone) and I’ve now got the FW connected and software updating via WIFI as I type… but not with a USB cable… ??.. doesn’t matter anyway at this point huh? Antennae must be connected properly if I’ve got a hotspot working…
Does that negate your code instructions for update and upgrade? or were they WIFI specific?
I really have no clue re: terminal code so you I’ll have to ask you to be clearer. I’m not familiar with any of those terms - root, root shell, etc. Yes, I know I need to read a basic intro!.. So for:
I’d have to type “sudo apt update -y && sudo apt upgrade -y” into Terminal?
Also, as I have your attention for the moment, if I may… 
I’m finding the screen really dull but the brightness buttons don’t do anything. Just been into Power Settings and turned everything off but they still don’t work and still dull… ? Is that just a Mac Retina display v FW display thing?..
No, it could see networks but all at about 50% of strength, if that, that my MBP sees them.
Ok, thanks for the clear description.
No change. OK, I’ll check that link out… Thanks
Currently waiting for my phone to wake up again (it’s taking forever… ??) after going flat… software update and terminal commands copied and pasted from Chrome, which also needs installing, all on hold until it does… stupid sticks
Really appreciate your help fella…
Ok, so it’s not your wifi driver, it’s just your proximity to the router. I haven’t heard anyone having range issues, that may be something to contact support about. My instructions were not wifi specific.
There are two types of user accounts in Linux: users and superusers. Installing linux gives you access to two accounts by default: the account you named on install (a user), and root (a superuser). a ‘root shell’, ‘admin shell’, or anything ‘as administrator’ just means the command can change system files in some way. One way to do that is with sudo (which, by the way, is short for SuperUserDO): if your user is a subtype of user called a ‘sudoer’ (which your account is by default), you can run one command like a superuser just by running it as sudo and entering your password. Another is to just have a superuser (root) run the command. Again, many ways to accomplish any one task.
Correct! That’s pretty much all of the terminal knowledge you need to follow guides, to be honest. They tell you to run commands, some of them are run as root, and some of them are chained together with &&.
As in it doesn’t get bright enough for you, or there is absolutely no change? Try holding the fn key (left of the windows key) and pressing F7 or F8 (brightness down or up). There is a known problem on 12th gen with brightness keys not working: [RESPONDED] Ubuntu 22 brightness keys not working - #7 by Matt_Hartley
1 Like
I fear I contributed to the overload, @Be_Far thanks for helping him. I’ll just shut up and watch. Thank you! Sorry @Adam_M!
3 Likes
All good - thanks for trying! Sorry for being trying lol
3 Likes
I do not know how Linux handles hotspot over USB. I know some old Android can get wonky on Windows (as it’s kinda up to the phone maker’s implementation) so I am not entirely surprised.
Technically the bits of metal on the connector is still a antenna (just a really bad one). I would just check.
Colors matter! Maybe. Primary antenna is for wifi, secondary is for bluetooth. Usually. One cable should be visibly more black and one more white. Color match them with the arrows on the wifi thing.
Macbook have a custom “Airport” card with triple/quad antenna, so having better reception (or inferior, for Framework) isn’t too unusual.
Linux use “apt” to install apps. But sometimes it is not up to date, so you need to update “apt” first to install stuff.
And “apt” is system component, so you need admin rights. sudo give you that.
Kinda like Mac/Windows Linux have different user privilege. By default terminals open in “user” mode, you have to do sudo to get “super user” privilege, and then you have root (which is kinda like Windows’s SYSTEM)