Not able to install Qubes 4.3 from a USB stick

User Support General
1

I am unable to install Qubes 4.3 from a USB stick.

I am currently using Qubes release 4.2.4 (R4.2) on my Lenovo and would like to reinstall Qubes 4.3. I downloaded Qubes-R4.3.0-x86_64.iso into the “Internet” app and copied/moved it to a 16 GB USB stick as usual. When I restart the computer, the USB stick with the ISO is only recognized once Qubes 4.2 is already running.

When I press the Esc key while starting the computer, I get into UEFI GRUB. Here I have no idea if and what needs to be set so that a USB stick with an ISO image is recognized.

GNU nano 6.4
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=“$(sed ‘s, release .*$,g’ /etc/system-release)”
GRUB_DEFAULT=saved
GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENU=false
GRUB_TERMINAL-OUTPUT=“console”
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=“rd.lukes.uuid=luks-72708… .
GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY=“true”
GRUB_THEME=”/boot/grub2/themes/qubes/theme.txt"
GRUB_CMDLINE_XEN_DEFAULT="console=none dom0_mem=min:1024M………
GRUB_Disable_OS_PROBER=“true”
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=“$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX usbcore.authorized_default=0”.
/etc/default/grub.qubes-kernel-vm-support

When I exit GRUB, I am taken to the boot manager, where I can choose between Qubes OS (SSDPR……) or EFI Hard Drive (SSDPR……). A USB stick is not included.

My questions are 1. Where and what do I need to enter in UEFI so that a USB stick is recognized and can be used? Since I have never created an ISO stick with Qubes before, can I simply copy the ISO file to the USB stick, or 2. is there another way? It doesn’t work with sudo dd if=Qubes-RX-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sdY status=progress bs=1M conv=fsync because the USB stick is mounted in sys-usb.

Thank you for your response.

1 Like
2

all I can say is to refrain from using mobile devices for flashing ISOs. also upload a video, i have no idea what you are talking about, either you are talking it wrong or I am dumb. I want to see the ordeal myself, so post here a vid.

1 Like
3

Qubes UEFI is not responsible for devices discovery. It’s BIOS work.
Everything depends how you “moved” ISO to USB. It must be with dd command or any other tools that work in dd fashion (Fedora Media Writer, Rufus in dd mode).

Either way you need to enter BIOS boot manager and chose USB from there otherwise normal boot from storage will happens, not from USB.

As I can see, you don’t even know how to mount USB to qubes…

1 Like
4

Yes, I don’t know how to connect a USB stick to Qubes. But I can ask how to do it. Thank you for your quick reply.
I have now installed Fedora Media Writer, but the tool can’t find the USB drive either, possibly because the BIOS boot manager is not set correctly. Until now, I thought that Qubes had replaced the BIOS with UEFI.
How can I access the BIOS boot manager with Qubes and Fedora?

1 Like
5

You need to write the ISO image to the USB drive by attaching the USB drive to the “Internet” AppVM using the Devices Widget or qvm-block:

Afterwards, you can use the dd command with the correct mount point to write the ISO to the USB drive, then you should be able to boot from it by modifying your boot options to prioritize booting from the USB drive first.