AHCI controller unavailable! (ABANDONED)

[PeterWhite658]

Hi all

I’m trying to install Linux Cinammon Mint on a brand new PCSpecialist mini pc.

I’ve installed Linux on a couple of old laptops and a PC in the past. But I’m definitely not a geek. Bumbling through with fingers crossed and lots of help from online searches.

But this has failed so far. Installation hangs with a message “AHCI controller unavailable!” So I’m looking for additional help. All advice gratefully received.

The spec is:

Processor (CPU) Intel® Celeron® Quad Core Processor N3160 (4 x 1.60GHz, 2.24GHz Turbo)​

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Motherboard Gigabyte GA-N3160N-D3V, Intel SOC​

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Memory (RAM) 8GB Kingston SODIMM DDR3 1600MHz (1 x 8GB)​

Graphics Card INTEGRATED GRAPHICS ACCELERATOR (GPU)​

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1st Storage Drive 256GB PCS 2.5" SSD, SATA 6 Gb (500MB/R, 400MB/W)​

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DVD/BLU-RAY Drive 8x SATA DVD±R/RW/Dual Layer (+ 24x CD-RW)​

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USB/Thunderbolt Options 6 x USB 2.0 PORTS @ BACK PANEL (MIN 2 FRONT PORTS) AS STANDARD​

Operating System is a temp Windows 10, as is PCS’s helpful habit. We want to replace it with latest version of Mint. Which is Linux Mint 20 "Ulyana" - Cinnamon (64-bit).

I downloaded the Linux operating system, and verified the ISO. Burnt it to a USB stick. Seemed fine.

Installation went fine, changing the boot order in BIOS/UEFI to go to the USB stick. It offered the familiar menu of what to do from the ISO stick. I chose install linux in compatibility mode. It had a few pages of screed, then just hung. Here’s a couple of screen pics from recent attempts. Had to unplug from power to get the PC working again.

Since then I have tried the following. None made any difference.

• Created an ISO of an earlier version—Linux Mint 19.3 "Tricia"
  • • Burnt Ulyana to a DVD and tried to boot from that.
    • 
      
    • Turned off fast boot on Windows 10 through control panel. Made sure Secure Boot was disabled in UEFI (it already was).

I can only find quite techy info on what the AHCI controller is. And don’t know why it would be unavailable. (Was hopeful when I learnt about Fast Boot, but it didn’t make a difference.)

What shall I do next? All advice welcomed.

Many thanks for your time.

 

[Stephen M]

Sorry I cannot offer much help but rarely use MInt. A standard fall back on a lot of distros is to try installing with "nomodeset".

Instad of going straight to the install, have you gone with the "Try Mint" option, if that works it may then install from there.

I have also had machines that would be fine with Manjaro but which Ubuntu would not install on, although that was a few years back. I think it worth trying a different distro if you cannot get Mint to install if only to show Linux can be used on the machine.

If I think of anything else will post again but may be a days or so as enjoying a break in the Devon sunshine at the moment.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Sorry I cannot offer much help but rarely use MInt. A standard fall back on a lot of distros is to try installing with "nomodeset".

Instad of going straight to the install, have you gone with the "Try Mint" option, if that works it may then install from there.

I have also had machines that would be fine with Manjaro but which Ubuntu would not install on, although that was a few years back. I think it worth trying a different distro if you cannot get Mint to install if only to show Linux can be used on the machine.

If I think of anything else will post again but may be a days or so as enjoying a break in the Devon sunshine at the moment.

Many thanks for this. I'll follow up and see what happens. Enjoy the sunshine!

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

hi peter,

If the module is not loading it means that the controller does not show up in the bios (or does not identify itself as ahci controller), so you've got to check the bios first :

in the bios :

Make sure Sata mode is set to AHCI,
Check if you are using the on board controller and not an another one (check the OffBoard SATAController Configuration (SATA3 2/3 Connectors, Controlled byASMedia® ASM1061 Chip if there's one, and if present : disable it )

you can also boot a live CD of debian wich is rock solid and check in a terminal with : dmesg | grep -ie ahci to see if you catch the same error message for testing purpose.

and before changing the bios setting can you post the result of : lspci -v | grep -i ahci ?



good luck
J.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Hi Jerome, many thanks for this. I checked that the BIOS was set to AHCI. I'll work through your other suggestions when I get a chance. I'm planning on trying the install on "nomodeset". I read about this & it sounds fine. But I'm not sure what to do if it goes wrong. If I don't load the video drivers, what will be on the screen? I'm hoping the BIOS/UEFI can still manage to show us a screen. (This is how much of a beginner I am!)

If I do the nomodeset install, and wipe the temporary Windows 10 (we're not going for dual boot), how do I bring up the grub boot menu? The Linux documentation says:

Repeat this operation post-install in your grub boot menu and read Hardware drivers to install additional drivers.

But I'm not sure how to fire up the grub!

Very best

 

[PeterWhite658]

OK, I found out how to rustle up the grub. Just pressing shift when rebooting seems to work.

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

check the OffBoard SATAController Configuration (Controlled byASMedia® ASM1061 Chip if there's one, and if present : disable it )

I insist on the point above, make sure to switch off the offboard sata controller option in your bios before doing anything else. (before fiddling with the nomodeset kernel param.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Great, thanks Jerome, I'll definitely do that. I did check the BIOS quite early on in the process, thinking that if it was RAID I could switch it to AHCI and all would be well. But it was already set to AHCI. I will disable the controller option, as you suggest. Many thanks.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Hi Jerome, just to be clear, are you saying I should disable the SATA controller and then try to install Linux? Or is that just a preparatory move before going for "nomodeset"?

I'm aware I haven't posted the result of lspci -v | grep -i ahci Can I get this from a command line from Windows? I was looking for a way to get to the command line from UEFI, but couldn't find one. Many thanks

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

Ok peter,

let's got step by step :

Step One :

just to be clear, are you saying I should disable the SATA controller and then try to install Linux?

yes, and to be clearer I am talking about the offboard Sata controler (asmedia) which is an another controller on this board, I suspect this is conflicting with the integrated one, if you can, disable it, then try to install your distro.

Step Two :

Or is that just a preparatory move before going for "nomodeset"?

No it's not a preparatory move, it's just that you might solve your problem and thus you will not have to bother with the 'nomodeset' option

step Three :

I'm aware I haven't posted the result of lspci -v | grep -i ahci Can I get this from a command line from Windows? I was looking for a way to get to the command line from UEFI, but couldn't find one. Many thanks

ok sorry, the commands are meant to be run from a linux terminal (not from windows), you can access a linux terminal by running a linux live CD (or a live USB). if you are not confident how to do this do not bother go to step one first.

Step four :

I was looking for a way to get to the command line from UEFI, but couldn't find one.

you will not find a linux command line shell from uefi.
Uefi shell are just meant to run basic uefi commands ie ls (or run binary programs, like bios flash, from a support cd dvd...)

J.

and of course double check that secure boot is off.
your mb manual : https://download.gigabyte.com/FileList/Manual/mb_manual_ga-n3160n-d3v_1001_190110_e.pdf

 

[PeterWhite658]

That's terrific, many thanks Jerome. It may be the weekend before I get time to go through this. But I really appreciate your thoughtfulness and perseverance. I will report back.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Hi Jerome, I can't find any mention of the asmedia. This is what I have:

Under Offboard SATA controller configuration, I have:

SATA Controller 0 Configuration Settings - BUS 5 Dev 0 Fun 0
(see offboard pic)

Under SATA Configuration I have three things enabled—see SATA pic

Advice about which if any to disable gratefully received

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

hi peter,

ok thanks for the pictures, there's not much info but it gives few hints.
first off all, the error you are getting (Ahci 0000:05:0 ahci controller is not available) is clearly linked to this controller
(bus 5 dev 0 fun0) pic1

let's follow the first idea :

you are going to disable it, (do not worry if it's not working you can go back and re-enable it afterwards)
if read the manual correctly, this is the second controller, the offboard ASmedia, therefore by disabling it the native one, should take care of the disk and itdentify itself as ahci.

0) check that fastboot et secureboot are disabled
1) in the offboard sata controller, advanced menu (pic2) change the setting to disabled
2) save the configuration before exiting the bios
3) Boot the usb (or dvd) with linux (do not bother with compatibility issues or install)

post back when it's done.

J.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Hi Jerome

Latest news is not a lot of progress, I’m afraid.

Slightly different error messages with sata controller disabled:

`Initramfs unpacking failed: decoding failed`

I also, later and separately, tried the `nomodeset` option. No difference, still unhappy about the AHCI controller being unavailable.

I also tried `noveau.noaccel=1`. No difference, AHCI unavailable.

I also tried installing an earlier version of Linux Cinammon Mint, 18, Sarah, which uses a different kernel. No difference.

Many thanks for your help, but I’m thinking I might have reached the end of the line. I should say that I successfully used the (verified) Linux Mint 20 USB drive I created to install Linux on old laptops a couple of times. So it’s not that.

So I’m now thinking the simplest route is to focus on the graphics/video card. Maybe if I go to PCS and get a standalone graphics/video card which plays nicely with open source Linux. Would that work do you think? Worth a try? Any particular card to recommend? (We don’t need anything fancy, just want it to work!)

Very best

 

[PeterWhite658]

Hi all, just to say I’ve marked this as solved. It isn’t really, I just want no one to spend any more time on it.

Reality is, having spoken to a local expert, I think that the motherboard just is not compatible with Linux. More to the point, that’s what Gigabyte, who make the motherboard, think.

It’s a great shame, but important to recognise when you are defeated. I just don’t have the knowledge to pursue this any more. Many thanks to Jerome and Stephen for their interest and help.

Cheers

 

[ubuysa]

Hi all, just to say I’ve marked this as solved. It isn’t really, I just want no one to spend any more time on it.

Reality is, having spoken to a local expert, I think that the motherboard just is not compatible with Linux. More to the point, that’s what Gigabyte, who make the motherboard, think.

It’s a great shame, but important to recognise when you are defeated. I just don’t have the knowledge to pursue this any more. Many thanks to Jerome and Stephen for their interest and help.

Cheers

I've edited your title to 'ABANDONED' rather than 'SOLVED' because others searching for a solution may spend some time reading through the thread only to find that there is no solution. I trust that's ok with you?

 

[PeterWhite658]

Good idea. Whatever's most helpful. I did toy with other defeatist terms, but abandoned sums it up. Tx

 

[jerome_jm_martin]

Hi peter,

sorry to hear that you gave up, It's a really weird issue. (I was about to suggest to check the sata cable and connection and make sure that the cable is connected to Sata 0 or 1 connector on this moterboard.)

J.

 

[PeterWhite658]

Hi Jerome, yes, sorry about the abject failure of nerve (and the late response). I think running Linux as a virtual machine on the Windows 10 might be an option. If we do it, I'll let you & the forum know. Very best.

 

[themadhair]

If this is the same problem I once had (and it looks like it) then the solution is to add this a boot parameter:
libata.atapi_passthru16=0

Example thread:

libata / SATA Error Messages During Linux Boot Sequence (exception Emask, interface fatal error, hard resetting link, status DRDY)

I've been having troubles with my computer for the past few weeks. More than 70% of the time, when I attempt to boot into Linux, the console's boot

www.linuxquestions.org

From what I could gather at the time there is a bug in either the hardware of the firmware, and on Windows there is some workaround present in the drivers. That isn't an option on Linux, but I found that adding the above as a boot parameter did the trick.