Xen.cfg file empty after install

[xxdea...@gmail.com]

Hi all,

I've been struggling to install Qubes on a 2015 Macbook Pro, and I seem to be having a problem similar to others: my Xen.cfg file is empty after the initial Qubes installation. This obviously leaves me with an un-bootable system.

I've done quite a bit of poking around, and I stumbled on a github thread (https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/794) which has information about what should be in a normal config file. I've hand-modified the file, and have gotten up to a point where the bootloader starts to look for the root device and fails. My question is, how do I figure out the location of the root device? I've tried running vgdisplay and lvdisplay when in lvm (from the dracut command prompt), but it doesn't come up with anything. Can anyone please point me in the right direction?

I apologize if this has been covered before, but I've done hours of research, and have been unable to come up with an answer.

regards,
deadseeds

[xxdea...@gmail.com]

Progress! I did an lsblk and figured out that my "root =" should be root=/dev/sdb2/root (I installed on a USB flash drive). I suppose it makes sense that lvdisplay wasn't coming up with anything, as I hadn't been able to unlock the drives. I now get to the point where I need to enter my device password—which succeeds—but then the boot process hangs at "Reached target Basic System."

I'm then spit out to a dracut prompt, so I run lvm, and then lvdisplay, and I see /dev/qubes_dom0/swap and /dev/qubes_dom0/root. So, in my Xen.cfg file, I have "rd.lvm.lv=/dev/qubes_dom0/root". Here is my whole Xen.cfg file:

[global]
default=4.4.14-11.pvops.qubes.x86_64

[4.4.14-11.pvops.qubes.x86_64]
options=loglvl=all
kernel=vmlinuz-4.4.14-11.pvops.qubes.x86_64 root=/dev/sdb2/root vconsole.font=latarcyrheb-sun16 rd.lvm.lv=qubes_dom0/root rd.shell
ramdisk=initramfs-4.4.14-11.pvops.qubes.x86_64.img

Does this look correct?

regards,
deadseeds

[xxdea...@gmail.com]

Checked my xen.cfg file on my working Qubes install, and it's empty. So, I'm thinking I'm going down the wrong path with that. Booted into grub (from rEFInd), and entered "configfile /EFI/qubes/grub.cfg" at the command line. This brought up a GRUB Boot Menu with Qubes as an option. Cool! But when I try to boot Qubes I get:

locading Xen 4.6.1...
error: can't find command 'multiboot'
Loading Linux 4.4.14.11.pvops.qub es.x86_64...
error: can't find command 'module'.
Loading initial ramdisk...
error: can't find command 'module'.
Press any key to continue...

Pressing any key returns me to the grub boot menu.

This appears to be (after some light research) an issue with grub looking for multiboot.mod. I'll continue searching for an answer, but again, if anyone has advice, I would really appreciate it.

If nothing else, I'm at least hoping to document my steps for anyone else that stumbles across this in the future.

Happy New Year!

regards,
deadseeds

[gbucklo...@gmail.com]

Hi,

I having the exact same issues as you've described above. Did you ever find a solution?

G

[cooloutac]

you guys making sure you checking keys, using big enough or new usb, checking integrity from installer. downloaded a new iso?