Unsolved
1 Rookie
•
2 Posts
0
63
February 19th, 2026 16:01
Installing Linux Mint on an XPS L321X
As my XPS 13 cannot upgrade higher than Windows 10 (delivered with windows 7 Pro installed), I want to continue to the computer by installing LinuxMint. It runs perfectly booting from a USB-drive and here after completting the installation on the computer. But when booting after installation, after taking the usb-drive off I always get “Operatiion System not found” on the back screen.
I’m using the default settings in the BIOS version A07
If I start up again using the usd-drive with the LinuxMint installable, I return in the end with the same result.
How do I get out of this loop and get a real bootable installation from the harddrive?
anne_droid
6 Professor
•
1.4K Posts
1
February 20th, 2026 10:10
Hi
Perhaps research Tiny 11?
#########################
I cannot tell you HOW2.
I have, as you can no doubt see an assortment, but the important item is the 260 MB EFI system Partition (fat32 and with the boot flag set).
That is where GRuB resides.
This is unlikely, your Main Board passes the POST stage and then goes to Booting and MUST point at that partition, So maybe your BIOS boot sequence needs adjusting.
If in doubt please ask (https://forums.linuxmint.com/).
NB: Not everone there is as nice as everyone here IMHO.
(edited)
KaLinux
1 Rookie
•
2 Posts
0
February 24th, 2026 15:21
@anne_droid Thank you again for your help. And yes, adjusting the BOOT sequence is also what I do. But it have no effect. I return back to the BIOS setup after every BOOT.
Reading postings on the linuxmint-forum I did find that I should have updated the BIOS before starting. However, the DELL-support pages on updating or reinstall BIOS does not list this XPS L321X laptop or the option of updating from current version (A07, Rev 0,1 Date: 08/12/2012). So that option is not there and since the laptop worked fine using Window (7 and op to 10) I would not think of BIOS update.
During installation of LinuxMint I did get a window saying "The attempt to mount a file system with vfat in SCSI1 (0,0,0), partition #2 (sda) at /boot/efi/failed". But going a step back in installation, and apply changes on that partition and then just continue the install (on partition #3, a 256GB disk).
However, after BOOT it end op with the same result.
Using the linuxmint-buildin Bootrepair - report I found this :
"BIOS/UEFI firmware: A07(0.1) from Dell Inc.
The firmware seems EFI-compatible, but this live-session is in Legacy/BIOS/CSM mode (not in EFI mode)."
This leads me back to your inital answer: "the 260 MB EFI system Partition (fat32 and with the boot flag set)". I think this is the issue: There is not access to "partition #2".
Somehow I must be able to "unluck" that partitition before starting the installation!
Kind regards
Kalinux
anne_droid
6 Professor
•
1.4K Posts
1
February 25th, 2026 10:48
Hi
In windows (7 thru 11) I use Paragon Partition Manager CE (Gparted similarly).
You can, mount the boot partition as A:, Mount the REserved partition as B: if you wished.
More importantly you may be able to merge them to give a larger Boot Partition.
You can manipulate "A:", only, usually, via the command line.
If in doubt please ask.