Scheduled Maintenance: We are aware of an issue with Google, AOL, and Yahoo services as email providers which are blocking new registrations. We are trying to fix the issue and we have several internal and external support tickets in process to resolve the issue. Please see: viewtopic.php?t=158230

 

 

 

Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

Ask for help with issues regarding the Installations of the Debian O/S.
Post Reply
Message
Author
kagi4624
Posts: 6
Joined: 2022-11-11 12:32
Has thanked: 2 times

Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#1 Post by kagi4624 »

I have a relatively old micro computer where I try to install Debian 11. No matter which installation options I try (partition tables, boot flags, biosgrub flag, proprietary software option ) I always get a blank screen after the final installation step. The monitor says that there is no VGA signal and the screen goes into the sleeping mode. There is no message that there is no bootable medium etc. The bios has a UEFI boot option, but after choosing it there comes a screen which allows me to choose between the USB stick and the flash drive, but choosing neither of them does anything, I am always landing at the same window. So I can only boot the USB Debian installation in legacy mode. I have never encountered such a problem with regular computers and there is no problem during the installation what so ever. I can set up the network and download packages from the internet.

I have the following system:

Bios: Phoenix SecureCore Tiano QB_131218A IA32
Processor: Interl ATOM CPU R640
CactusFlashCard 8GB

arochester
Emeritus
Emeritus
Posts: 2435
Joined: 2010-12-07 19:55
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 54 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#2 Post by arochester »

Does your computer have a name and model?

It is possible to have a 64-bit Intel Atom system with a 32-bir UEFI ( https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... intel-atom )

kagi4624
Posts: 6
Joined: 2022-11-11 12:32
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#3 Post by kagi4624 »

The model is ML71F10 from syslogic https://www.syslogic.com/default.shtml. I also could locate a manual for it: https://www.syslogic.com/ProductDocumen ... .3.pdf.pdf which helped me to reset the bios (after fiddling with the graphic settings I had no VGA signal at all). That being said, there was a Debian 9 running on it (terminal only ofc) which was perfectly fine but too old. So someone somehow managed to install it.

arochester
Emeritus
Emeritus
Posts: 2435
Joined: 2010-12-07 19:55
Has thanked: 14 times
Been thanked: 54 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#4 Post by arochester »

there was a Debian 9 running on it
So you could have updated/upgraded it ,,,

kagi4624
Posts: 6
Joined: 2022-11-11 12:32
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#5 Post by kagi4624 »

I guess so. But I didn't know if there is enough space left for an upgrade, and moreover I didn't expect it not to boot.

p.H
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 3049
Joined: 2017-09-17 07:12
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#6 Post by p.H »

kagi4624 wrote: 2022-11-11 12:35 Bios: Phoenix SecureCore Tiano QB_131218A IA32
Looks like a 32-bit UEFI firmware, so in order to boot in EFI mode you need a 32-bit EFI boot loader as embedded in i386 and multi-arch amd64-i386 ISO images.
kagi4624 wrote: 2022-11-11 12:35 I always get a blank screen after the final installation step. The monitor says that there is no VGA signal and the screen goes into the sleeping mode.
Does the same happen on a cold boot ?
Do you see the BIOS boot screen ? Can you enter the setup or boot menu ?
Do you see the GRUB boot menu ?

kagi4624
Posts: 6
Joined: 2022-11-11 12:32
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#7 Post by kagi4624 »

p.H wrote: 2022-11-11 15:54 Does the same happen on a cold boot ?
Do you see the BIOS boot screen ? Can you enter the setup or boot menu ?
Do you see the GRUB boot menu ?
In legacy boot mode I don't see any messages what so ever. The only indicator that I am having is the monitor showing the 'on' status. By pressing f2 soon enough I get to the boot menu. If I try non bootable stick I get the error message that it is not bootable. Otherwise the monitor switches off to sleeping mode. Grub menu does not appear at any time.

In UEFI setting I land in the menu from where I can choose the medium to boot from ( not grub). But choosing from it does nothing. So I can't even boot the stick.

In legacy mode

p.H
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 3049
Joined: 2017-09-17 07:12
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#8 Post by p.H »

Maybe an issue with GRUB graphic mode. I have seen it happen with a few graphic cards.
Quick check: boot a live system or the Debian installer in rescue mode, mount the root/boot filesystem and rename /boot/grub/grub.cfg. Reboot. If you see the grub> prompt, then it is probably a graphic issue. Chroot into the installed system (or run a shell in the installed system in rescue mode), edit /etc/default/grub to uncomment

Code: Select all

GRUB_TERMINAL=console
and run update-grub. Reboot. You should see an ugly text-mode GRUB menu.
If this works, you may try different graphic resolutions by uncommenting and editing GRUB_GFXMODE instead of GRUB_TERMINAL.

kagi4624
Posts: 6
Joined: 2022-11-11 12:32
Has thanked: 2 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#9 Post by kagi4624 »

p.H wrote: 2022-11-12 09:51 Maybe an issue with GRUB graphic mode. I have seen it happen with a few graphic cards.
Quick check: boot a live system or the Debian installer in rescue mode, mount the root/boot filesystem and rename /boot/grub/grub.cfg. Reboot. If you see the grub> prompt, then it is probably a graphic issue. Chroot into the installed system (or run a shell in the installed system in rescue mode), edit /etc/default/grub to uncomment

Code: Select all

GRUB_TERMINAL=console
and run update-grub. Reboot. You should see an ugly text-mode GRUB menu.
If this works, you may try different graphic resolutions by uncommenting and editing GRUB_GFXMODE instead of GRUB_TERMINAL.
Hello p.H. I tried that with the deleting the grub.cnf and

Code: Select all

GRUB_TERMINAL=console
and it works partially: I see the grub menu now, but when I choose to start debian I still end up in the standby mode. Same happens when I choose the recovery mode from the grub menu with the slight difference that I see some more loading information before it goes into the standby mode (you know, those lines in the console with the green ok infront).

Then I tried the GRUB_GFXMODE, with 1920x1080 (preferred according to vbeinfo in grub) I land straight in the standby mode. If I choose 800x600 or 640x480 the monitor does not go into the standby mode but it remains black for the whole time. In neither of the resolution choices do I see the grub menu.

EDIT: I could get a hold of an colleague who was working with those Micro PCs and is very good at Debian. So the solution is to block a faulty graphics driver by adding a file like that

Code: Select all

 echo "blacklist gma500_gfx" > /etc/modprobe.d/gma500-blacklist.conf 
It works now!
Last edited by kagi4624 on 2022-12-01 13:05, edited 1 time in total.

p.H
Global Moderator
Global Moderator
Posts: 3049
Joined: 2017-09-17 07:12
Has thanked: 5 times
Been thanked: 132 times

Re: Debian does not boot on Microcomputer after installation

#10 Post by p.H »

kagi4624 wrote: 2022-12-01 12:43 the solution is to block a faulty graphics driver
A faulty Linux driver would not affect GRUB. IMO the GPU or its firmware is faulty.

Post Reply