GRUB fails to install during Debian 10 installer (re: UEFI,

[sofakng]

I've installed a new motherboard into my server (SuperMicro X9DRi-F) and I'm trying to install a fresh copy of Debian 10. However, when it tries to install GRUB it fails:

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Unable to install GRUB in dummy
Executing 'grub-install dummy' failed.
This is a fatal error.

I'm making sure to boot the installer (USB drive) in UEFI mode because I'm entering the BIOS and forcing it to boot (which correctly displays "UEFI: Sandisk").

I can't cut and paste the /var/log/syslog message but here is basically what it says:

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Installing grub on 'dummy'
grub-install does not support --no-floppy
Running chroot /target grub-install  --force "dummy"
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
grub-install: warning: Cannot read EFI Boot* variables.
grub-install: warning: read_file: could not read from file: Input/output error.
grub-install: warning: vars_get_variable: read_file(...) failed: Input/output error.

I've searched and I see others with this problem but it's not clear how anybody has solved it?

Can anybody help me out?

[phenest]

I'm entering the BIOS and forcing it to boot (which correctly displays "UEFI: Sandisk").

Do you mean when you use the BIOS boot manager?

The point that it fails to install GRUB, did you remember to create an Efi System Partition?

[p.H]

I'm making sure to boot the installer (USB drive) in UEFI mode

Do you have a reason for booting in EFI mode ? IME BIOS/legacy boot has less issues that EFI boot.

I don't know how to solve this error, but here are two possible workarounds if Debian is the only installed system :
- install with BIOS/legacy boot
- install in expert mode and enable to install GRUB in the "removable device path" (or so), aka fallback location, which does not require an EFI boot variable.

did you remember to create an Efi System Partition?

A missing EFI system partition would not cause an EFI variable I/O error. This error happens while trying to access the firmware NVRAM which stores the EFI boot variables.