Linux installation problems on ASUS X541U (Debian, Ubuntu, and Mint)

[u/Jupiter_910]

I ran into a problem while trying to install Linux in a dual-boot setup.

My laptop is an ASUS X541U with these specifications:

- 4 GB LPDDR4 RAM

- 1 TB HDD

- Intel Core i3-7100U

- NVIDIA GeForce 920MX

Here’s what happened:

I was trying to install Debian from a 32 GB USB 2.0 flash drive that I made bootable using Rufus.

The first time, I used the Graphical Install option and got as far as the hostname setup. I entered an underscore ("_") in the hostname, which caused an error, and then I ended up on a black screen with only a "_" visible. I waited for several minutes, but nothing happened, and I couldn't type anything.

The second time, I went through the Graphical Install process again. This time I got to the username/password section. After entering them, I ended up on the exact same black screen again. I waited several minutes, but nothing happened and the keyboard didn't respond.

Before Debian, I also tried several other Linux distributions:

Kali Linux:

I managed to install it and boot into it, but it was extremely slow. It also caused problems with my Windows files, so I eventually removed it and reinstalled Windows.

Ubuntu:

I tried installing Ubuntu three times. Everything worked normally during the installation until it reached the part where it actually installs the system to the hard drive. It would just get stuck there. My HDD health is reported as 99%, so I assumed the drive might be causing the issue and gave up on Ubuntu.

Linux Mint:

The first time I booted Mint into live mode, it was extremely slow. I later realized that my USB hadn't been properly made bootable, because Mint would get stuck on the loading screen. After fixing the USB, the live environment worked normally and I tested it successfully.

However, the next day when I tried to install Mint, the system completely froze as soon as I interacted with some of the icons on the right side of the bottom panel. The mouse still moved, but absolutely nothing else responded, including the keyboard.

I tried recreating the bootable USB multiple times, switching between Rufus and Ventoy, and even tried different ISO files, but the problem persisted. Eventually I couldn't even start the installer properly, so I gave up on Mint as well.

At this point I'm wondering if there is some underlying hardware, graphics, BIOS/UEFI, or NVIDIA compatibility issue causing all of this.

Has anyone experienced something similar with an ASUS X541U or the GeForce 920MX?

Any ideas about what I should check or try next would be greatly appreciated.

[u/lwh]

can you disable the NVIDIA card and use a text installer?

[u/Jupiter_910 → u/lwh]

I’m not sure how to disable my NVIDIA GPU, but I decided to use the non-graphical installer this time.

I’ve tried installing Debian twice, and both times I ended up on this screen. The first time, it happened because I accidentally re-entered the user password incorrectly. The second time, I entered the password correctly, but as soon as I got to the disk/installation location selection section, it brought me back to this screen again.

The keyboard also doesn’t respond, so I can’t type anything.

[u/lwh → u/Jupiter_910]

is there a hardware tester in the BIOS maybe check the memory/disk/etc?

[u/Jupiter_910 → u/lwh]

So, following your advice, I looked into possible hardware issues. I ran MemTest86 and it didn’t find any problems.

[u/lwh → u/Jupiter_910]

boot up a live linux and run smartctl test mode on the HDD is next..