Ubuntu from USB on HP Stream 11 - initramfs mount failure

I have a new HP Stream 11" laptop, and I would like to install Ubuntu 18.04.

At the moment, I have secure boot and legacy support both disabled. USB is first in the boot order. Plugging in a bootable Ubuntu 18.04 flash drive (created with Rufus) and turning on the PC, I eventually get the text menu that starts off with "Try Ubuntu without installing".

When I choose this, I get the Ubuntu name with five orange dots beneath it. After the second dot lights up, I get the following:

[ 0.390899] ACPI BIOS Error (bug): Could not resolve symbol [\_SB.IPPF._STA.POSV], AE_NOT_FOUND (20190703/psargs-330)
[ 0.390984] ACPI Error: Aborting method \_SB.IPPF._STA due to previous error (AE_NOT_FOUND) (20190703/psparse-531)

The two lines above are repeated three more times (with increasing numbers in the leading brackets).

BusyBox v1.27.2 (Ubuntu 1:1.25.2-2ubuntu3.2) built-in shell (ash)
Enter 'help' for a list of built-in commands.
(initramfs) mount: mounting /cow on /root failed: Invalid argument
overlay mount failed

Pressing Enter gets (initramfs) again.

Entering help brings up Built-in commands followed by a long list.

I would be happy to wipe Windows entirely for a linux laptop, but so far even the tryout option isn't working.

Thanks for any leads.

1 Answer

(initramfs) mount: mounting /cow on /root failed: Invalid argument

This is symptomatic of Ubuntu bug #1489855 which was only fixed in version 19.10.

Did you enable persistence in Rufus? Coz that won't work with 18.04 due to the bug above.

If this is what you did then you basically have two choices:

• Use Ubuntu 18.04 and make sure to disable persistence when creating the drive in Rufus
• Use Ubuntu 19.10