I can't start the installation process

User Support
1

Why do I get this error?

I have validated the integrity of the ISO, changed the installation media, tried different programs to burn the ISO (dd, Ventoy, Rufus) and the problem persists.

342.578500] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
342.579553] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: # Installer errors encountered during boot! #
342.579669] dracut-initqueue[1169]: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/timeout/50-anaconda-error-reporting.sh: line 19: /run/anaconda/initrd_errors.txt: No such file or directory
342.581027] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
342.581139] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #### Anaconda installer errors end ####
344.180757] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: dracut-initqueue: timeout, still waiting for following initqueue hooks: #
344.185076] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/finished/devexists-x2fdevx2froot.sh: “[ -e “/dev/root” ]”
344.190020] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/finished/wait_for_settle.sh: “[ -f /tmp/settle.done ]”
344.195693] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: dracut-initqueue: starting timeout scripts
344.195916] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: ******** Anaconda installer errors begin ********
344.197237] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
344.198759] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: It seems that the boot has failed. Possible causes include
344.198856] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: missing inst.stage2 or inst.repo boot parameters on the
344.200026] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: kernel cmdline. Please verify that you have specified
344.200131] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: inst.stage2 or inst.repo.
344.201336] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: Please also note that the ‘inst.’ prefix is now mandatory.
344.201412] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
344.202483] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: # Installer errors encountered during boot: #
344.203543] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
344.204614] dracut-initqueue[1169]: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/timeout/50-anaconda-error-reporting.sh: line 19: /run/anaconda/initrd_errors.txt: No such file or directory
344.205642] dracut-initqueue[1169]: #
344.206675] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: ******** Anaconda installer errors end ********
345.809709] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: dracut-initqueue: timeout, still waiting for following initqueue hooks: #
345.819192] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/finished/devexists-x2fdevx2froot.sh: “[ -e “/dev/root” ]”
345.819142] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/finished/wait_for_settle.sh: “[ -f /tmp/settle.done ]”
345.824822] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: dracut-initqueue: starting timeout scripts
345.825044] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: ******** Anaconda installer errors begin ********
345.826270] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
345.827532] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: It seems that the boot has failed. Possible causes include
345.827651] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: missing inst.stage2 or inst.repo boot parameters on the
345.828837] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: kernel cmdline. Please verify that you have specified
345.829968] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: inst.stage2 or inst.repo.
345.830081] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: Please also note that the ‘inst.’ prefix is now mandatory.
345.831470] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: # Installer errors encountered during boot: #
345.831528] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
345.832635] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
345.833631] dracut-initqueue[1169]: /lib/dracut/hooks/initqueue/timeout/50-anaconda-error-reporting.sh: line 19: /run/anaconda/initrd_errors.txt: No such file or directory
345.834607] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: #
345.834712] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: ******** Anaconda installer errors end ********
346.849817] dracut-initqueue[1169]: Warning: Could not boot.
Warning: /dev/root does not exist Starting dracut-emergency.service Dracut Emergency Shell…
Generating “/run/initramfs/rdsosreport.txt”
Entering emergency mode. Exit the shell to continue.
Type “journalctl” to view system logs.
You might want to save “/run/initramfs/rdsosreport.txt” to a USB stick or /boot
after mounting them and attach it to a bug report.
Press Enter for maintenance
(or press Control-D to continue):
sh-5.2#

2

Welcome to the group… I will have to let someone else decipher the errors you are seeing.

I will hold off on suggesting how I install Qubes untill no one else shows up with a rescue. I have a different method of installing Qubes. I also have had some tussles with doing installs. but I will come back and infllict my time consuming methods on you, if it seems it could help.

but just to be clear – Can you answer the following questions?

I am guessing you have already accomplished the basics, Made sure you BIOS/EFI has virtualization turned on. That you have changed the boot from UEFI to Legacy. That your computer meets minimum requirements of using Qubes. Which version of Qubes have you flashed to USB drive? Are you trying to accomplish a dual boot? Do you you have more than one drive on the target computer?

Can be helpful to some of our experts if you list the specifications of your computer. There is an “Hardware Compatability List” HCL, is your computer on the HCL?

Does the target computer run other versions of Linux?

3

Yes, I have made sure that virtualization is available on my computer. I am not trying to do a dual boot, I only have an NVME SSD drive, I have checked the availability of my computer and apparently it has no compatibility problems it is a Lenovo ideapad 3 AMD Ryzen 5500U with 12 GB of RAM.

As for the version of Quesos probe with Qubes R4.2.4 nothing more.

4

You might be a a Linux expert. I can’t know. Anyway.

I assume you did check the BIOS/EFI to make sure it is set to Legacy.

I was going to wait on someone more knowledgeable to post, but you seem to be active now.

Like I said, I have spent hours trying to install Qubes, and have created a -Recipe- which might be more time consuming than necessary.

Documentation says 16 GB RAM. You list 12 GB.

The most straight path forward, right now, for you, in trying part of my -recipe-. Would be to format the drive in the target computer to FAT32. (I assume you still have access to another computer to work with?) and maybe two USB Flash drives(?) Else I might modify the order of events. to use where you already are.

There are several ways format drive to FAT32. Off the top of my head, I don’t remember which distro Live ISO I used. I have had to go as far as to do a complete overwrite of a drive. Not sure that is really necessary, but can take hours.

If the Qubes does not install after starting with (Legacy Boot setting in BIOS/EFI) Then perhaps consider. I thought Qubes 4.2.4 would install with 8 GB. (???)

You might consider.

I use Mint Linux (latest) to download Qubes and flash Qubes to USB drive. Meaning I use the tools in Mint Linux to Format the USB drive to FAT32. Write to USB drive.

in Mint. type in USB in the program search bar and those two programs pop up.

If it does not install with that newly formatted, the written USB drive. I would suspect you need to format the SSD in the target computer, or you have an issue with not enough RAM. Or an issue with the Graphics card. In my experience, Qubes 4.2.4 created from Mint Linux tools “USB Image Writer” simply write over the Mint Linux on the drive.

If you have an urgent need to accomplish something securely online. then you should probably use TAILS OS Linux. A Live distro which boots from USB Flash drive. Although I guess, could be booted from an optical drive. If that is what you have.

Please let us know what is going on, There are several individuals who are far more experienced than myself in getting installs to finish.

My expertise is in finding all the ways to not be successful.

I have never used Qubes Probe. So I dunno what kind of error messages it might throw out.

5

Hi tty503 - and welcome to Qubes OS :slight_smile:

Do you know what kind of GPU your machine has? I don’t recall if the Lenovo ideapad 3 has versions with Nvidia and versions with AMD GPU?

From the emergency terminal, can you try:

ls /sys/firmware/efi

?

:slight_smile:

6

I have checked, my computer works with UEFI and I have an AMD graphics card.

tty503@82kv:~$ ls /sys/firmware/efi
config_table efivars esrt fw_platform_size fw_vendor runtime runtime-map systab
tty503@82kv:~$ lspci | grep VGA
03:00.0 VGA compatible controller: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Lucienne (rev c2)

7

I had not considered the lack of RAM, it is possible that it is that.

Actually I was just looking to try this a little, I found the isolation architecture that QubesOS has fascinating and it was ideal to set up a malware analysis laboratory quickly.

However, I have considered instead, trying to replicate some aspects manually with Debian. It’s a pity, I’ll try it later, maybe with a computer that if supported and tested with it.

8

Okay … let’s try a simple “hammer”:

  1. When you boot the Qubes installer, press e to edit the kernel options
  2. Navigate to where it says quiet and replace it with:
module_blacklist=amdgpu acpi=off
  1. press Ctrl+x to boot with the customized kernel options

Does this make any difference to the installer?

If you get to the first stage of the installer, try and reboot and only one of the options at a time and report how it changes things.

When you have emergency shell, does it show any SSD/NVMe?

ls /dev/sd* /dev/nvm*

?

[Edit: Wrt. less then 16G of memory: I have Qubes running on an old MacBook with only 8G – it’s far from optimal, but it’s fun to try …]

:slight_smile:

9

Are you able to find the model on:

https://download.lenovo.com/bsco/#/

? - if so, can you share a link to the specific BIOS simulator? - just in case Lenovo has added some special option to look at …

:slight_smile: