On Thursday, January 25, 2018 at 2:36:18 PM UTC+1, WolfSkin wrote:
> Basically my issue is that I am getting a kernel panic when I try installing
> qubes-os on my laptop both in UEFI and legacy mode.
> The kernel panic can be seen here: https://imagebin.ca/v/3pPwokGAMAVB and I
> sadly can't provide a hastebin dump since I have no way to log the error in
> text form (at least none that I'm aware of).
>
> I have followed the steps in the uefi-troubleshooting docs page, to no avail
>
> Steps to reproduce:
> - Buy this laptop
> - Burn the iso to usb using etcher or rufus after having verified file
> integrity via checksums and signature
> - Boot to the usb in uefi or legacy
>
> What I expect to happen:
> - Normal boot to the installer
>
> What I get instead:
> - Attempts to boot, manages to get to the loading bar on legacy, not even
> close on uefi
> - Then kernel panic (as seen in picture)
>
> Any help with this would be greatly appreciated
Three methods for you to consider/try:
1) Update your BIOS/UEFI, new laptops usually have a couple of versions laying
around to be update. Just be careful, if you haven't done this before, then
take proper precautions and read up on it, ask questions if you're in doubt,
and don't do anything reckless, as there is the potential of bricking your
entire machine, aka, zero value and can be thrown in the crash can. But if you
don't do any mistakes, then it should be no problem to do, and it might very
well fix your Qubes issues. In particular, because BIOS/UEFI errors can easily
mess up a Qubes install.
2): Pull out the SDD/HHD/NVMe, whichever you installed on, and then insert it
in another computer. Install Qubes on this other system. Then update it
completely, make sure everything is up-to-date. Once that is done, move the
drive back into the new desktop/laptop. Be sure to install with Grub, both so
you don't mess up your other machines EFI paths (can be annoying), and also to
avoid hassles to re-build a EFI path when returning it to the new machine. So,
with this method, if you install with legacy/grub, you avoid any such troubles.
Also it might be a good idea to unplug any other drives on the machine you
install it on, just in case the installer writes to them. Then plug them back
in once you're pulling the other drive out. I've done this about 5 times with
Qubes, for various computers that could not install Qubes, or claimed to lack
hardware support (which in some cases is wrong and is only corrected after
updating under current-release), failed to load installer, or failed at the
last step during first boot with python errors. Basically, this method solved
quite many of my Qubes problems, in particular and foremost on Qubes 4
installations, albeit it might help for Qubes 3.2. too.
3) Change UEFI/BIOS settings. Sometimes it can just be an otherwise innocent
UEFI/BIOS setting you never would suspect is messing it up. I've spend more
than once an hour or so adjusting UEFI/BIOS settings, in combination with above
suggestions. More often than not by using these steps, I get Qubes running and
working on a system that did not install otherwise. For example make sure VT-d
is enabled, it's often disabled on new computer systems. Be sure there is no
extra virtualization setting, some motherboards (like i.e. Asus) may have an
extra setting, it may hide under CPU settings in the advanced menu. Be sure
VT-d is enabled, and make sure there is no extra setting for virtualization,
and if there is, make sure that it's enabled as well. There can be any number
of settings that cause a kernel panic, typically though, it does seem like your
hardware might be too new for the instlaled kernel.
4) Qubes 3.2. comes with 4.4 kernel, iirc? It might be too old for your new
machine. You can either use option 2) above, install on another machine, update
it so it has a new higher version kernel, and then try put it back in your new
machine again. Or, instead, you could try install Qubes 4 RC-3, although Qubes
4 RC-4 "might" be out soon, but there is no news released yet whether a normal
update is required, or if you need to re-install between Qubes 4 RC-3 and Qubes
4 RC-4. For example between Qubes 4 RC-2 and Qubes 4 RC-3, no install was
required, and normal updates was sufficient.
Either way, if I had to guess, the real issue is likely too new hardware on an
too old kernel, and likely outdated BIOS/UEFI. The safest you can do, if you
want to do the minimum risk first, is to try install Qubes 4 RC-3. If you
succeed, then it might just be because Qubes 4 RC-3 has a newer kernel, which
means newwer essential drivers for CPU's/RAM/Motherboard, etc. If memory
serves, I believe Qubes 4 RC-3 comes with kernel 4.9.x. If this isn't enough,
then you'll need to try put it in another computer, install Qubes 4, and update
it to gain access to the recently released kernel 4.14. If you don't have
another computer available to do this on, or you
