[SOLVED]Nonfree firmware during installation (iwlwifi-8265)

[foos]

Good day all. I've recently taken the dive to try installing Debian 10.4 on my laptop. However, I'm running into a few hurdles during installation.

I'm using a Lenovo Yoga 730 currently. When I boot into my install disc (flash drive), I am able to start the Graphic Installation. However, the mouse is unresponsive. I figure that once everything else is installed, the driver might become available. As I continue the installation, I get an error warning me about nonfree firmware. I've tried searching for different solutions here, to no avail (I downloaded firmware files to a separate flash drive under a directory named firmware. When that did not work, I downloaded the amd64 ISO listed at the bottom of the page here https://www.debian.org/releases/buster/ ... installer/. Unfortunately that did not work either.

Any assistance in correcting this would be much appreciated. I'll be on sparingly to provide any other information. Thank you all for your help.

Needed firmware

[arzgi]

How are you installing? If you don't need wifi to install, you can answer no, and continue. You can setup the wifi after installation in that case.

[Bloom]

Use this version instead: http://cdimage.debian.org/mirror/cdimag ... so-hybrid/
It contains all non-free and closed-source firmware.

An advice: it is never a good idea to install Linux on a computer with a wireless connection. It is best to always use a cable for the installation. Once that is complete, you can switch to the wireless link. That avoids a stalled installation because the WLAN doesn't work.

[foos]

The machine does not have an Ethernet port, so I'm a bit stuck there at the moment.

I'll give the link you provided and see if I have any more luck. I'll post an update afterwards.

[No_windows]

An advice: it is never a good idea to install Linux on a computer with a wireless connection. It is best to always use a cable for the installation. Once that is complete, you can switch to the wireless link. That avoids a stalled installation because the WLAN doesn't work.

I disagree. I have wifi that does not require non-free firmware, and I have ethernet that does require non-free firmware.

[foos]

How are you installing? If you don't need wifi to install, you can answer no, and continue. You can setup the wifi after installation in that case.

I did end up completing the installation by skipping, but it only gives me a terminal style OS instead of the desktop environment. I'm not familiar enough with Linux to do much beyond that point, so I figured re-doing the installation would be the wiser choice.

[kedaha]

According to the Debian wiki at InstallingDebianOn/Lenovo/Yoga 730, having installed Debian 10 from scratch using the non-free ISO, both WiFi and the mouse "work out of the box."

[Bloom]

An advice: it is never a good idea to install Linux on a computer with a wireless connection. It is best to always use a cable for the installation. Once that is complete, you can switch to the wireless link. That avoids a stalled installation because the WLAN doesn't work.

I disagree. I have wifi that does not require non-free firmware, and I have ethernet that does require non-free firmware.

I have never encountered a situation where the cable port doesn't work although the system complains about lacking firmware. With notebooks and WLAN, you usually out of luck unless you choose the non-free version of Debian. If there is no cable port, then there is obviously no other choice than to install using WLAN, unless you're willing to buy a usb-to-ethernet adapter and succeed in choosing one that will work out of the box with Debian.

[foos]

We got everything up and running here! Thank you all so much.

I installed the GNOME version. When running the new installer, it did pick up my network cards. The mouse still did not work, but I noticed plugging in a USB mouse did work. However, it wasn't too big of a deal. After loading everything else up and logging in, the trackpad started working. I'm not sure if there is a way to mark the thread 'solved' or 'closed', but everything is up and running now.

[No_windows]

. I'm not sure if there is a way to mark the thread 'solved' or 'closed', but everything is up and running now.

It's as simple as going back to your first post in the thread and editing the title. Some forums have title editing disabled, but it's doable here.

[stevepusser]

An advice: it is never a good idea to install Linux on a computer with a wireless connection. It is best to always use a cable for the installation. Once that is complete, you can switch to the wireless link. That avoids a stalled installation because the WLAN doesn't work.

I disagree. I have wifi that does not require non-free firmware, and I have ethernet that does require non-free firmware.

Plus you should change "Linux" to "Debian", since there are many distros that both include the firmware by default, and have installers that don't look for a network connection.

[Onsemeliot]

The machine does not have an Ethernet port, so I'm a bit stuck there at the moment.

I know it is not really relevant any more. But I just wanted to mention that most people have a mobile that could provide an internet connection if plugged in using an USB cable.