QubesOS - Hard Drive Recovery

User Support Hardware Issues
1

Have a hard drive from a motherboard with a bad SPI chip and need to boot into

it. It is installed with QubesOS.

There is a problem with the USB drivers not loading when the login GUI is

reached. Because of this, the password cannot be typed in to login.

Is this due to the Trusted boot? Where are drivers loaded from at boot?

2

Is it USB keyboard?

Can you type the LUKS password to decrypt the disk?

If no, then probably all USB controllers are hidden from Dom0:

  • Reboot and interrupt Grub, by pressing ‘e’.
  • Find the line with module2 vmlinuz.
  • Delete rd.qubes.hide_all_usb
  • press Ctrl-F10 to boot

Can you type anything for “user” login?

If no, probably you have problem with sys-usb:

  • Reboot and interrupt Grub, by pressing ‘e’.
  • Find the line with module2 vmlinuz.
  • At the end of the line, add a space, then qubes.skip_autostart
  • press Ctrl-F10 to boot

Does it let you log in?

Did I forget something?

3

when I press any keyboard buttons at the boot menu, it doesn’t respond at all. Was thinking it was a UEFI/legacy boot issue.

You didn’t forget anything. The problem is that the keyboard

doesn’t work at the menu where you are able to interrupt grub by pressing ‘e’

This isn’t possible for some reason.

4

Yes, if the keyboard is not working at the grub screen, it is before Xen/dom0/Qubes even does anything.

Maybe test the kb to access setup menu, try a qubes installation ISO on a USB key, try a regular Linux live ISO…?

…try an external USB keyboard!!!

And remember that your data is normally accessible by mounting Luks, and then the LVM devices from a live Linux distro. There will be a lot of them, but it should be possible to understand what each one is.

5

The keyboard itself appears to be working. I am able to access the UEFI/BIOS,

The only option to boot this particular hard drive is a legacy boot, not UEFI.

I am using an external USB keyboard.

6

I get the feeling this is related to Coreboot and the use of a TPM. The boot hashes are normally stored inside the TPM and are verified, maybe one of these hashes is connected to the USB keyboard or something.

7

basically the QubesOS boot menu appears, but the keyboard doesn’t respond at

this menu, so you can’t choose any of the menu options.

8

This is not really a Qubes problem, I think.

Other suggestions are above:

…or try searching for tips about coreboot no keyboard ?

9

Need to boot using another Coreboot device.

10

Can QubesOS boot correctly using U-Boot, Libreboot, or Dasharo? This is

a QubesOS adjacent question.

11

Needing to find some other device with Coreboot to boot.

12

Needing more SBCs with eSATA port, u-boot, coreboot, linux OS, for troubleshoot and diagnostics.

17

Is U-Boot going to allow a QubesOS disk to boot the same as with Coreboot?

18

Is U-Boot booting QubesOS the same as Coreboot? Same drivers?

19

Could you expand your question, as it’s a bit short and I’m not fully sure everyone gets exactly what you’re asking?

20

Yes, for example, with UEFI/BIOS (Windows MOBO) boot firmware the disk will

not load keyboard drivers, but with u-boot or coreboot firmware, these

drivers will be present?

21

Would you put in the development work if the answer is no?

22

What do you mean by not load keyboard drivers? Do you have trouble entering your LUKS password?

23

Yes; the keyboard doesn’t allow the password to be entered at the grub

screen when QubesOS boots.

The keyboard is not working at the grub screen.