Black screen when booting Qubes 4.0.1 installer via usb

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Dan Grant

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Feb 13, 2019, 2:20:41 AM2/13/19
to qubes-users
I apologize for repeating a question, but I am new to Google groups and cannot figure out (after hours researching) how to post a reply to an existing question :(

The question here:


describes exactly what I'm seeing. To summarize:

I've installed the 4.0.1 .iso onto a usb drive. When I boot that drive, I see the following on a black screen:

"
Xen 4.8.4 (c/s ) EFI loader
Using configuration file 'BOOTX64.cfg'
vmlinuz: 0x000...
initrd.img: 0x000...
0x000:0x00:0x02.0x0: ROM: 0x10000 bytes at 0x4e52a018
0x0000:0x39:0x00.0x1: ROM: 0xd800 bytes at 0x4e4b5018
"

That's it, no errors or any other text, no way to get out of that screen other than to force a shut down.

The one reply (from user "awokd") in that thread points here:


I've seen that and tried to follow it, but do not understand what it is asking me to do...

I am able to comment out the mapbs and noexitboot lines in the [qubes-verbose] section of EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.cfg, but it is not at all clear what is meant in step 2 of this section:


what the following means exactly:

"Edit your xen config (xen.cfg/BOOTX64.cfg) changing the kernel key to add your kernel parameters on the boot entry of your choice"

Specifically this bit: "...changing the kernel key to add your kernel parameters on the boot entry of your choice"

Does it mean something more than commenting out the mapbs and noexitboot lines in the [qubes-verbose] section? I'm guessing yes, as I get the same results booting the modified usb installer (black screen with the text shown above), but I can't find any indication what the "kernel parameters" I need to add might be, where I'd find them, or where I'd add them...

I'm completely stuck, and cannot find any info other than the one link from awokd pointing to a doc I can't seem to interpret. Is there some more detailed information somewhere I can be pointed to that might help explain what I'm seeing and how to fix this?

I apologize again for the duplicate post, and look forward to reading any replies.

Thanks!
Dan

ps - I'm attempting to install on a new System76 Galago Pro laptop with Insyde HxBios firmware, 8th gen I5 chip, & 32GB RAM

awokd

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Feb 13, 2019, 6:32:35 PM2/13/19
to Dan Grant, qubes-users
Dan Grant wrote on 2/13/19 7:20 AM:

> I am able to comment out the mapbs and noexitboot lines in the [qubes-verbose] section of EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.cfg, but it is not at all clear what is meant in step 2 of this section:
>
>
>
> https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/uefi-troubleshooting/#change-installer-kernel-parameters-in-uefi
>
>
>
> what the following means exactly:
>
>
>
> "Edit your xen config (xen.cfg/BOOTX64.cfg) changing the kernel key to add your kernel parameters on the boot entry of your choice"
>
>
>
> Specifically this bit: "...changing the kernel key to add your kernel parameters on the boot entry of your choice"
>
>
>
> Does it mean something more than commenting out the mapbs and noexitboot lines in the [qubes-verbose] section?

Not for what you're trying to do- just commenting those lines out should
have done it.

I'm guessing yes, as I get the same results booting the modified usb
installer (black screen with the text shown above), but I can't find any
indication what the "kernel parameters" I need to add might be, where
I'd find them, or where I'd add them...

> ps - I'm attempting to install on a new System76 Galago Pro laptop with Insyde HxBios firmware, 8th gen I5 chip, & 32GB RAM
>

Does it have an nvidia card? Those cause problems sometimes. Otherwise,
check this out- might be complex to get Qubes installed on that laptop:
https://www.mail-archive.com/qubes...@googlegroups.com/msg13362.html.

Dan Grant

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Feb 15, 2019, 11:53:32 AM2/15/19
to qubes-users



---- On Wed, 13 Feb 2019 17:32:14 -0600 'awokd' via qubes-users <qubes...@googlegroups.com> wrote ----

Dan Grant wrote on 2/13/19 7:20 AM:

> I am able to comment out the mapbs and noexitboot lines in the [qubes-verbose] section of EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.cfg, but it is not at all clear what is meant in step 2 of this section:
>
>
> what the following means exactly:
>
> "Edit your xen config (xen.cfg/BOOTX64.cfg) changing the kernel key to add your kernel parameters on the boot entry of your choice"
>
> Specifically this bit: "...changing the kernel key to add your kernel parameters on the boot entry of your choice"
>
> Does it mean something more than commenting out the mapbs and noexitboot lines in the [qubes-verbose] section?

Not for what you're trying to do- just commenting those lines out should
have done it.

> ps - I'm attempting to install on a new System76 Galago Pro laptop with Insyde HxBios firmware, 8th gen I5 chip, & 32GB RAM
>

Does it have an nvidia card? Those cause problems sometimes.

Otherwise, check this out- might be complex to get Qubes installed on that laptop:


re: video card - No nvidia card. System76's tech specs page shows "Intel® UHD Graphics 620".

re: your link - GAH! I spent hours searching for info just like that, and somehow I missed it... :(

Turns out there's a hardware issue with this laptop so a replacement is being sent. I'll test this again when I get the new one after confirming the general issue has been resolved.

I suspect I'll see the same thing, but at least I'll know for sure.

Thanks much awokd!

awokd

unread,
Feb 15, 2019, 6:15:29 PM2/15/19
to qubes...@googlegroups.com
Dan Grant wrote on 2/15/19 4:53 PM:

> Turns out there's a hardware issue with this laptop so a replacement is being sent. I'll test this again when I get the new one after confirming the general issue has been resolved.
>
>
>
> I suspect I'll see the same thing, but at least I'll know for sure.
>
>
>
> Thanks much awokd!
>

No problem, good luck!
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