Using live usb and have tried all 3 distros to install Linux but all 3 report no ethernet connection available. It is stuck at trying to obtain an ip address. I am assuming distro downloads are ok and no problems loading usb with rufus. Seems maybe no ethernet driver.

I have no clue from here what to do. Have been reading it could be a kernel needs updating. Not sure how to do it with no internet connection. And not sure how to do it anyway. I need simple instructions.

Otherwise, I am using MSi Z97A SLI Krait mb, Intel i5-4590 cpu, Kingston HyperX 1866 DDR3 ram, Kington HyperX 240gb hd, Samsung NVMe 950 pro 256gb M.2 (for gaming only), Gigabyte Radeon R9 380 video card. The ethernet is Intel Ethernet Connection I218-V, as device manager reports it.

Also, the computer I am trying to put it on has Win 10 currently installed but I have created back up image of both drives and wanted to completely wipe C: for Linux only. But if no distro is showing ethernet connectivity, I'm stuck. Had an older computer that accepted Linux distros with no problem. Obviously the Win 10 OS has no connectivity issues as that is what I am using. Motherboard manufacturer has no Linux drivers.

Any advice, keep in mind I will have to print instructions, reboot then try. I am not using shells. Dont know how

Thanks

Here is some info. I noticed there must not be any M.2 support either as the Samsung NVMe 950 Pro 256gb M.2 drive is not listed

mint@mint ~ $ inxi -F
System: Host: mint Kernel: 3.19.0-32-generic x86_64 (64 bit)
Desktop: Cinnamon 2.8.6 Distro: Linux Mint 17.3 Rosa
Machine: Mobo: MSI model: Z97A SLI Krait Edition (MS-7930) v: 1.0
Bios: American Megatrends v: V2.3 date: 02/16/2016
CPU: Quad core Intel Core i5-4590 (-MCP-) cache: 6144 KB
clock speeds: max: 3500 MHz 1: 3499 MHz 2: 2676 MHz 3: 3499 MHz
4: 3499 MHz
Graphics: Card: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Device 6939
Display Server: X.Org 1.17.1 drivers: ati,vesa (unloaded: fbdev,radeon)
Resolution: 1920x1200@0.0hz
GLX Renderer: Gallium 0.4 on llvmpipe (LLVM 3.6, 256 bits)
GLX Version: 3.0 Mesa 10.5.9
Audio: Card-1 Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Device aad8
driver: snd_hda_intel
Card-2 Intel Device 8ca0 driver: snd_hda_intel
Card-3 Turtle Beach driver: USB Audio
Sound: Advanced Linux Sound Architecture v: k3.19.0-32-generic
Network: Card: Intel Ethernet Connection (2) I218-V driver: e1000e
IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full
mac: d8:cb:8a:79:7b:37
Drives: HDD Total Size: 1748.2GB (0.1% used)
ID-1: /dev/sda model: KINGSTON_SHFS37A size: 240.1GB
ID-2: /dev/sdb model: WDC_WD10EZRX size: 1000.2GB
ID-3: /dev/sdc model: WDC_WD5001AALS size: 500.1GB
ID-4: USB /dev/sdd model: USB_Flash_Memory size: 7.8GB
Partition: ID-1: / size: 7.9G used: 36M (1%) fs: overlay dev: N/A
RAID: No RAID devices: /proc/mdstat, md_mod kernel module present
Sensors: System Temperatures: cpu: 29.8C mobo: 27.8C
Fan Speeds (in rpm): cpu: N/A
Info: Processes: 182 Uptime: 0 min Memory: 452.5/15994.9MB
Client: Shell (bash) inxi: 2.2.28
mint@mint ~ $

That says the LAN connection was found, and the driver loaded for it. Should work ok. What does this show ? (use [code] tags)

By the way, running virtual box in Win 10, I don't have any network issues. Just coming from bios to live usb. I have not done the install yet as I am having this issue so this is reported off live usb.

mint@mint ~ $ ip addr show
1: lo: <LOOPBACK,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 65536 qdisc noqueue state UNKNOWN group default
link/loopback 00:00:00:00:00:00 brd 00:00:00:00:00:00
inet 127.0.0.1/8 scope host lo
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
inet6 ::1/128 scope host
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
2: eth0: <BROADCAST,MULTICAST,UP,LOWER_UP> mtu 1500 qdisc pfifo_fast state UP group default qlen 1000
link/ether d8:cb:8a:79:7b:37 brd ff:ff:ff:ff:ff:ff
inet6 fe80::dacb:8aff:fe79:7b37/64 scope link
valid_lft forever preferred_lft forever
mint@mint ~ $

I should also state that running the live usb from bios is getting me a constant connecting/disconnecting notifications on the wired option. I have no wireless card or wireless motherboard so I cannot fully install linux until I get connected. I do have a MAC address but no ip, route, or DNS in the Network properties for the wired connection.

Check out the solution here:

https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=209410