Q4OS Forum

grandwazoo

Member

Registered: 2026-10-02

Posts: 3

Unable to unstall

I'm trying to install q4os on a Lenovo Duet 3i, which was previously running Mint without any problems - it's my travelling machine, so I don't make great demands on it, and I hoped it might run a little faster with q4os. I previously tried Antix, but gave up on it after endless problems getting it to connect to wifi portals at airports and coffee shops.
So I've downloaded the latest q4os, written it to a usb stick, booted from it, and get a menu asking me to choose Linpus Lite or Linpus Lite (stick name).
It looks fine, but the screen is rotated 90degrees - not a big issue, I can fix this later I think.
I pick the second option, and get a further menu for 'classic' or 'no questions' install.

No matter which I choose, the screen turns to scrolling gobbledy-gook  - repeated columns of dots etc. and eventually stops - presumably with a prompt I can't read.

Any idea how I should proceed (except revert to Mint)?

Terry

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 6,424

Website

Re: Unable to unstall

Welcome to the forum

The "Linpus Lite" entries come from the Lenovo firmware: that's just the name it gives any bootable USB stick, so picking the one with your stick's name is correct.

The "Classic" / "NO questions" menu belongs to the Q4OS *install* CD, which runs the text-mode Debian installer. That installer only gets the firmware's basic framebuffer, with no Intel graphics driver, and on the Duet 3i's portrait 1200x1920 panel the result is the garbage you're seeing. Also note that "NO questions" automatically wipes the whole disk, so avoid it unless that's what you want.

On this tablet, please use the Q4OS *Live* media instead (Plasma or Trinity, from the Downloads page). It boots straight into a desktop with the proper Intel driver. The kernel knows the Duet 3i's panel orientation, so the screen should come up the right way round. You can also check that wifi works before installing. Then start the installer from the desktop icon.

If the picture is still rotated in the installed system, fix it in System Settings > Display (Plasma) or in the Trinity Control Centre > Display, or from a terminal with something like:
  xrandr --output DSI-1 --rotate right
(run plain "xrandr" first to see the real output name).

If the live media doesn't boot properly either, let us know where it stops.

grandwazoo

Member

Registered: 2026-10-02

Posts: 3

Re: Unable to unstall

Many thanks for that. I'm already halfway there - I worked out that using the live CD was a better route, and it's just rebooting into the new installation. It still doesn't know about the screen orientation, but you've already told me how to fix that
Thanks again!

Added later 3 h 04 min 31 s:
Mmmm. You're right, the kernel does know which way round the screen goes - all the booting info scrolls nicely up the screen. But when the desktop kicks in, it reverts to a sideways configuration. Yes, the control centre knows how to change it (painfully, because of course the touch panel doesn't match the display) but the configuration seemingly isn't being saved anywhere and has to be recreated every time i reboot. I'm not really seeing the ease of use I was hoping for.

Added later 3 h 51 min 14 s:

Many thanks for that. I'm already halfway there - I worked out that using the live CD was a better route, and it's just rebooting into the new installation. It still doesn't know about the screen orientation, but you've already told me how to fix that
Thanks again!

Added later 3 h 04 min 31 s:
Mmmm. You're right, the kernel does know which way round the screen goes - all the booting info scrolls nicely up the screen. But when the desktop kicks in, it reverts to a sideways configuration. Yes, the control centre knows how to change it (painfully, because of course the touch panel doesn't match the display) but the configuration seemingly isn't being saved anywhere and has to be recreated every time i reboot. I'm not really seeing the ease of use I was hoping for.

I tracked down /etc/trinity/tdm/Xsetup and added the xrandr magic. Working fine now.

Germ

Member

From: Bushyhead, Oklahoma

Registered: 2023-06-30

Posts: 102

Re: Unable to unstall

@grandwazoo

On a side note...  Frank Zappa fan?

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Calm down, it's only ones and zeroes

grandwazoo

Member

Registered: 2026-10-02

Posts: 3

Re: Unable to unstall

@grandwazoo

On a side note...  Frank Zappa fan?

How on earth did you work that out??

Added later 04 min 03 s:
Currently in Wetherspoon's Red Lion (for non-Brits, they're a massive chain of pubs in the UK) and I connected to their WiFi portal no problem at all.
Also connected to my home network via Tailscale - also no problem.

Germ

Member

From: Bushyhead, Oklahoma

Registered: 2023-06-30

Posts: 102

Re: Unable to unstall

LOL.  I'm a long time Zappa fan.

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Calm down, it's only ones and zeroes