How to install LMDE 5 on a Framework laptop

Framework laptops have the latest hardware, requiring a Linux kernel >= 5.12.

LMDE 5 “Elsie” is a Debian-based Linux Mint and ships with the 5.10 kernel. It’ll install on a Framework, but it won’t recognize the wireless card.

The easiest solution is to upgrade the LMDE kernel to >= 5.12,

Install LMDE 5

Install LMDE 5 as you would any other disto. You will need to provide a network connection. I shared my phone’s Wi-Fi connection via USB. Once installed, log in. You still won’t have Wi-Fi, so keep your alternative network connection running.

Upgrade the kernel

I chose 5.18.0-0.bpo.4-amd64.

sudo apt update -y
sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y linux-image-5.18.0-0.bpo.4-amd64

Reboot.

Once the laptop comes back, login and update and upgrade one more time.

sudo apt update -y
sudo apt upgrade -y

Configure Wireless

You should get a notification asking you to configure your network. The wireless card is alive and it wants bytes.

Fingerprint Reader

Install software

I had to install gir1.2-fprint-2.0

sudo apt install -y gir1.2-fprint-2.0

Download required packages

Install in this order.

wget http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/pool/main/f/fprintd/fprintd_1.94.2-1_amd64.deb
wget http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/pool/main/libf/libfprint/libfprint-2-2_1.94.2-1_amd64.deb
wget http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/pool/main/libu/libusb-1.0/libusb-1.0-0_1.0.26-1_amd64.deb
wget http://ftp.de.debian.org/debian/pool/main/f/fprintd/libpam-fprintd_1.94.2-1_amd64.deb

I find it’s best to navigate to these files using your file browser and installing through the GUI versus using the command line.

Enable and enroll

Once your fingerprint reader is recognized, go ahead and configure the PAM configuration sudo pam-auth-update.

Now enroll your fingerprints sudo fprintd-enroll