This is an ARM laptop, so it uses uboot. You also won't be able to use a x86 distro (Linux Mint) unless you use rootsfs to build an image yourself (or there is an ARM64 install [edit] for the Pinebook - and there isn't). There isn't a need to buy anything, hardware isn't broken.
Regardless, perhaps there is a way to save your current installation - but you'd have to wait for someone more knowladgable to show up and tell you how (probably need to replace some part of the kernel).
If you don't care too much about your current installation, then all you have to do is flash one of the many different available images (I suggest either ayufan's xenial OR armbian).
Regardless, perhaps there is a way to save your current installation - but you'd have to wait for someone more knowladgable to show up and tell you how (probably need to replace some part of the kernel).
If you don't care too much about your current installation, then all you have to do is flash one of the many different available images (I suggest either ayufan's xenial OR armbian).