Selescting any option from the install screen just loops back

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Scarecrow [USMC]

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Feb 16, 2022, 7:14:42 AM2/16/22
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Hey. I am new to Qubes, and am first trying to install it now. For reference, I have this https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c07060711 laptop. I initially posted this problem on the Qubes forums, but nothing I was told there worked.

I have read through the documentation, and looked at the hardware lists for people who tried with similar hardware. I only found this https://www.qubes-os.org/hcl/#hewlett-packard_15s-eq2xxx_ryzen-5-5500u_amd_integrated-graphics-radeon that was close. I tried following the error instructions this guy had, but I don't think we had the same problem. 

Now, the actual issue is this: I used rufus to download the Qubes iso onto a 32GiB SD card as per the instructions from the Qubes Installation documentation. I disabled secure boot in my UEFI and restarted. It loaded onto the correct screen, with the four options of "Install Qubes OS 4.1.0"; "Test Media and Install Qubes OS 4.1.0"; "Troubleshoot and Install Qubes OS 4.1.0"; and "Save Qubes OS 4.1.0". However, when I select any one of them, the same thing happens. It trys to install, seems to be doing okay, the screen darkens for a bit, then opens up right back on the installation menu. I am very confused. I haven't seen another issue like this reported and could really use some help. Thanks in advance.

Tobias Killer

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Feb 16, 2022, 12:46:20 PM2/16/22
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Am 16.02.22 um 03:51 schrieb Scarecrow [USMC]:
Hello,

Did you verify the cryptographic hash values of the ISO file after
downloading and before writing it to the flash drive?

Or even better: Did you verify the detached PGP signature on the ISO file?

Regards,
Tobias

badgateway

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Feb 17, 2022, 2:03:38 AM2/17/22
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Did you try what happens if you remove the install medium when the screen darkens?

Am 16. Februar 2022 18:46:14 MEZ schrieb Tobias Killer <tok...@posteo.de>:
Am 16.02.22 um 03:51 schrieb Scarecrow [USMC]:
Hey. I am new to Qubes, and am first trying to install it now. For
Hello,

Did you verify the cryptographic hash values of the ISO file after
downloading and before writing it to the flash drive?

Or even better: Did you verify the detached PGP signature on the ISO file?

Regards,
Tobias

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Klem Smith

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Feb 17, 2022, 4:23:26 PM2/17/22
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Hey. I am new to Qubes, and am first trying to install it now. For reference, I have this https://support.hp.com/us-en/document/c07060711 laptop. I initially posted this problem on the Qubes forums, but nothing I was told there worked.


I have read through the documentation, and looked at the hardware lists for people who tried with similar hardware. I only found this https://www.qubes-os.org/hcl/#hewlett-packard_15s-eq2xxx_ryzen-5-5500u_amd_integrated-graphics-radeon that was close. I tried following the error instructions this guy had, but I don't think we had the same problem. 

Now, the actual issue is this: I used rufus to download the Qubes iso onto a 32GiB SD card as per the instructions from the Qubes Installation documentation. I disabled secure boot in my UEFI and restarted. It loaded onto the correct screen, with the four options of "Install Qubes OS 4.1.0"; "Test Media and Install Qubes OS 4.1.0"; "Troubleshoot and Install Qubes OS 4.1.0"; and "Save Qubes OS 4.1.0". However, when I select any one of them, the same thing happens. It trys to install, seems to be doing okay, the screen darkens for a bit, then opens up right back on the installation menu. I am very confused. I haven't seen another issue like this reported and could really use some help. Thanks in advance.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I once had a number of different issues trying to install Qubes.

Long ago I worked as a programmer, and one of my bosses said, “He would be a Pioneer will often end up with arrows in his back.”

I do not see anyone installing from an SD card. So, If possible, get a USB Flash drive to use.

I see numbers of people who have had some kind of issue with RUFUS. I am not familiar with it. I trust what I have been using (not RUFUS), which is Balana Etcher in Windows 10. Or the standard USB tools (Format, and USB Image Writer in Mint Linux.) By the way, if you do a DuckDuckGo Search on problems with RUFUS, some folks have also had issues. Just Saying. My goal is to keep the extra problems down.

You did not state whether you are trying to multiboot, or put only Qubes on this laptop.

I observe that the basic advice while Installing Qubes is to install it and it alone to the computer. Qubes Xen Hypervisor is meant to be installed bare Metal, meaning nothing between the Qubes install and the EFI/BIOS of the computer. Else it would be a Security Hazard.

If you start getting error messages while installing or booting that flash by too fast for you to read. You can do a Video Record by Cell Phone to look it at error messages at your convenience. (I forgot that one when I needed it. Just putting something in the front of the process)

Yes I read what you wrote about your problem. My thought would be to isolate the parts which might be going wrong. Use a standard formula to install Qubes.

If I were you, I would use the latest ISO of Qubes 4.1, as the best minds working with Qubes will be working with the 4.1 version, and could offer advice. Yeah, I know, you know what you are doing on that score.

If after you try the USB key which has been installed with Qubes, and you get the same outcome. Meaning you never got to the point which it asked about which language, and the screens to format the drive.

I can think of several things that might cause that, and what one might do to isolate the issue to know what to do.

I know that if the EFI/BIOS has the wrong settings, it would not install. As you probably have checked. I Install in Legacy Mode. Check which one you are using.

I have experienced that while my computer had Virtualization, and it was checked in the EFI/BIOS, it appears that Virtualization was still not actually on. After so many hours of chasing that one to realize what was actually happened, I was surprised. It actually fixed itself because I was installing the EFI/BIOS firmware.

I also had issues with brand new SSD’s, which Qubes, and other versions of Linux installers could not manage to see for me to format them.

In order of events; I Installed Windows 10; (Barf.) I reasoned that Windows 10 would discover, and make available nearly any piece of computer hardware in laptop. Windows 10 happily found the new SSD, which I had never written to before. Formatted it and installed basic Windows 10. Since I had decided to install the latest EFI/BIOS Firmware, I updated Windows 10, which I discovered now included hardware drivers. Installing the latest version of EFI/BIOS is well documented for Windows 10 Users.

There is another oddity inflicted on us by M$ (Microsoft) Windows 10. M$ came up with this idea to make it boot faster, which is not to completely ‘Power Down.” the hard drive, but to put it in a suspend mode. I discovered this while trying to boot a Live version of Puppy Linux and got and error message about the hard drive being ‘unstable.’ While you might just hope this will not occur to you. Might be a good time to to turn off the Windows 10 Feature, This is in different places in Windows 10. Usually in the area having to do with Power, and what it should do when you shut down.

I am sure someone will chime in and say; “Yeah, but that feature should go away when you install another Linux OS.” I think the little turkey hides out in EFI/BIOS and in the firmware for the drive itself. What you just wrote in using Windows 10.

Another oddity, I used to have an AMD laptop, and discovered that there was another Feature in Windows 10 that allowed the user to change the speed of the AMD chip from Windows 10 itself. When I installed a Linux Distro, I found the computer incredible slow, and I had no way to address this ‘change CPU speed’ from inside Linux. I would feel it is sure some Linux Programmer has solved this, but for the time being. While the computer is still in Windows 10, see if you can find such a feature of changing CPU speed. Set up as high as possible without Over Clocking, before logging out of Windows 10 for the last time. Or just forget this, and hope for the best. Perhaps you can set Processor speed from inside the EFI/BIOS at will later.

Being the kind of suspicious person that I am, I used a Linux disk format-ter, Gparted to install NTFS on the Drive, with only one partition. I did not use a tool to overwrite every sector of the drive. I just wanted to make sure any of the many partitions from Windows would not survive. Make sure when the installer from Linux would write its own choice of format. Unintended, surprises with computer can happen, I don’t trust M$. Perhaps I should M$ Windows does not play well with others.

Next to make sure some things will be working later, (and maybe you can skip this step, come back only if you have more problems.) I installed Mint Linux, which is, a highly tested, slightly limited version of Ubuntu. Ubuntu, in my opinion, followed the path of M$ in trying to provide every possible feature a user might want. Which makes it a large number of programs, which on older laptops makes Ubuntu a bit slow. I recognize that Linux always seems to take a long time to boot up compared to Windows. The good thing about Ubuntu is that it has a huge user forum, and documentation. Whatever problem one might have, someone else using Ubuntu had it before, and can let me in on the trick.

I actually installed Mint Linux, and got online with it, It might be possible to find the program which verifies that the EFI/BIOS Virtualization was functioning.

I then started the Live Version of Mint Linux; Once again Format-ted the disk to – a single partition of NTFS.

As I am in test mode (still) I never did a crypto check of the Qubes ISO. I chose to rely on the “ISO verify’ check offered at Qubes Boot. So doing a crypto verify that the ISO is not tampered with is something I need to do.

One of the computer types I once worked for said, “He had found that the best programmers, when some kind of problem or glitch would come up would say, That is interesting, I wonder why it does that.” Some want to beat on the computer with a hammer.

I am one of those whose background was to completely “Power Off,” a computer when I am through working with it. I would not put it in Sleep Mode, or just close the lid over night. Going for coffee refill? Hmm. Just a lot of people choose to rarely turn their computer off. Do what you want.

For a first install to a computer. What I remember of order of events. I let it “Verify ISO,” Runs some code then you can see a line where it says, Verifying ISO, (something like that), shows a changing number to indicate amount it has finished.

After it says verification complete, it has some lines fly by. Then asks about language and such. Then the screen will have several options. You need to choose the part about formatting Drives, suggests beginners use the whole drive (it will build some partitions on its own) I would choose to allow it to add disk Password. Don’t be like me, I have some great phrase in mind, which I discover I can forget over Lunch. Write it down somewhere (I guess that is still a testing Qubes mode answer, In reality, maybe never write it down) You get out of one screen by clicking on the top left to go back. Gotta enter an account name and its password. After you go through the options, a beginners choices are clearly obvious. It goes off and does the first part of the install, then it will reboot. I let it get to the first screen again asking about languages. Then Manually Power Down. Pull the USB Key out. Power the computer back up. It will take off and do the second part of the Install.

I let the installer choose whatever it wanted, and did no expert things. After awhile I have to enter passwords. Takes minute to populate Qubes. I usually do not have in the middle of the Qubes opening screen, an entry click to Whonix. I know to do a shut down from menu, choose Power Down. Let it rest a few seconds after lights and noise stop. Then I Power it back on. After I enter both Passwords, and Qubes gets going, I expect to see Whonix entry point click in middle of desktop, else I know that Qubes has not started correctly. I say that because those on the Qubes Forum say it does not happen like that. Well it does for me.

I know of one other possible anomaly some distros of Linux offer different start choices for different drivers for particular Graphics Cards. Might be you have to make a choice there for that. One of the reasons to install Mint Linux first, (I use Mint Linux 20.3 Cinnamon) is to discover if there is some oddity about that with your laptop.

If you have an SSD; I have not addressed what one does if it needs Trim or other programs to do ‘Wear Leveling.” I think current manufactured SSD’s do “Wear Leveling” on their own. Anyone want to comment?

I am sure I got something wrong here. Surely some will say I have a lot of unnecessary steps. But it will help to identify what problem is giving you problems. Please be clear in your corrections.

I am sure others might say, on a technical forum, one should just answer the question asked in as few words as possible. I am trying to create a menu of possible ways to identify problems the OP might not know he has, and being clear how I stubbed my foot on some things that I needed to identify.

Ulrich Windl

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Mar 10, 2022, 3:27:08 PM3/10/22
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Could it be as simple as your PC reboots from the SD-CARD again instead
of the OS being installed? If not, maybe provide more details.

Regards,
Ulrich

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