[Solved] Debian 12 on Virtual Box Gray Screen Install

[lewulff]

Hello,

This is an informational post only, as I have fixed the issue I was having. Note it was a Virtual Box issue affecting Debian 12, which I still do not fully understand.

Basically when I tried to install Debian 12 on Virtual Box in UEFI mode, it would continually, after selecting "install", go to a gray screen. Everything worked fine in legacy boot mode however.

Apparently at some previous point in the past, Virtual Box started adding remote control via python scripts. In theory this should not matter if one is not using remote python scripts. And this was the case for both Arch and Fedora installs.

Alas, to alleviate my gray screen during Debian 12 UEFI install, I had to re-install Virtual Box, specifically not installing the python stuff. This fixed the UEFI install gray screen issue.

Interestingly, the Virtual Box log files seem to indicate a issue establishing the default screen. Still need to look into it some more.

But the basic upshot, if you are having problems installing Debian 12 on Virtual Box, and getting the gray screen, then you may need to reinstall Virtual Box and make sure to disable the python remote stuff.

[lewulff]

Unfortunately my solution seems to only have worked once, as the gray screen behavior reoccurred again. Still looks like it is related to graphics and still only happens when installing Debian 12 in UEFI mode.

I will keep looking for the reasons.

[Aki]

What is the affected version of VirtualBox and on what type (HW/SW) of host ?

[lewulff]

Running on a Raider GE76 laptop (16 GB Mem, I9 Processor, IRIS(R) XE or Nividia RTX3060 Graphics) running WIN 11 for host.
Virtual Box 7.0.8 with extensions.
Using Debian 12.0.0 AMD64 iso for Guest.

Some additional INFO: just reloaded Debian 11 UEFI install, worked fine. Forced upgrade to Debian 12 by changing /etc/apt/sources.list to reflect bookworm. Debian 12 works when installed this way.

Took a peak in the ISO files for Debian 11 and 12. There are some differences in the installer, which I still need to run down specifics on.

Errors in the VB log: ERROR [COM]: aRC=VBOX_E_INVALID_VM_STATE (0x80bb0002).

Interesting side note, tried the graphics installer, and it could not find display 0. Issues only occur during UEFI install. Legacy install works without issue.

Debian 12 UEFI worked on an actual hardware server I built. This appears to be some sort of display issue between Virtual Box and the Debian 12 installer.

My next steps are to try a preseed, and take a more detailed look at the installer.

[stevepusser]

Code: Select all

Forced upgrade to Debian 12 by changing /etc/apt/sources.list to reflect bookworm.

Is it truly that simple of an upgrade?

[CwF]

Is it truly that simple of an upgrade?

It is !

Actually, I wonder why use uefi for a vm?

[lewulff]

For Debian it is not really necessary unless, like me, you are trying to perform specific tests with UEFI (and unlike earlier times I do not have four or five computers under the desk waiting to be used, I don't even have a desk presently). If you want to run a new version MS Windows in a virtual environment it is a must have. Legacy boot is being used less and less with the passage of time, and will at some point be gone altogether.

This is an interesting problem, as Debian 11 works with a Virtual Box install. Looking in the ISO files, it is obvious the installer has changed, and there is some sort of mismatch with Virtual Box. At some point, time permitting I still need to take a detailed look at the two installers. Hopefully it is something simple that can be fixed with some preseeding.

[CwF]

Related?
viewtopic.php?p=775191#p775191

[lewulff]

I want to summarize this issue, and my current workaround. After taking an initial swipe at the installer code in Debian 11 and Debian 12, I realize I am not going to have the time to devote, at least not untill November/December. And the workaround is fairly easy and takes about fifteen minutes.

The issue is a gray screen early on when doing a Debian 12 UEFI install in a Virtual Box VM. Gray screen is not overly descriptive, so I put a short video together showing the issue. It can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HfmrC0xjlqk

Note that the UEFI install works as expected on actual hardware. Admittedly the Virtualbox model can be a little convoluted (Guest OS on top of Virtualbox on top of Host OS). Also I have not tried this on any other hypervisors. Come November when I have regular access to an unused computer, I will try again in Proxmox.

At this point in time this is a niche problem that will not affect most users, as we can always do a legacy install which works fine. However, as time rolls forward there will be less and less legacy and more and more UEFI. So while it is a niche problem now, in a couple of years it may become main stream.

If you go through the video frame by frame you will see that the process triggers when the installer tries to start the frame buffer. This was not an issue with the Debian 11 installer.

So the workaround is to install a base Debian 11 system as UEFI in Virtual Box. Update /etc/apt/sources.list from Bullseye to Bookworm. Run apt update and apt upgrade. After that you have a functioning Debian 12 UEFI Virtual machine.

Thanks to Aki and CwF for their input.

[maroskukan]

As I was preparing a Vagrant template for this release, I have noticed that this issue affects VirtualBox on Linux, bot not for Windows. For example I have a build Windows 11 VM where I ran Hyper-V as well as VirtualBox (7.0.8 r156879) and I do not see the Gray screen.

[sjcrookes]

I have a solution that worked for me if someone comes across this. Simply disable framebuffer on the standard install mode.

Edit the Grub boot entry when booting off the install ISO.
1. Highlight the "Install" option
2. Press "e" to edit the Grub entry
3. Add " fb=false " before the "--- quiet" parameter
Should read something like " linux /install.amd/vmlinuz vga=788 fb=false --- quiet"
4. Press F10 or Ctrl+X to boot

Happy days!

My Setup:
Windows 10 Pro
Running Virtual Box 7
UEFI Enabled
Using Debian 12.2.0 amd64 net install ISO

[lewulff]

Hey sjcrookes, just tried your solution, and it works for me running WIN 11 and VirtualBox 7.0.10.

Thanks for the advice!

[pbear]

Nice to see a workaround for this problem. I agree, VBox's EFI mode has many useful testing applications. As an aside, will mention the live ISOs boot fine in EFI mode (but their installation options are more limited).

[Dolapevich]

I can also confirm this is still and issue in latest Debian debian-12.2.0-amd64-netinst.iso while trying a Virtualbox EFI only install, selecting "Install" causes a gray screen.
I am using virtualbox from oracle:
Package: virtualbox-7.0
Version: 7.0.12-159484~Ubuntu~jammy

On tty3 I can see a problem on bterm and a stacktrace.
Here is my video: https://youtu.be/Mz-TTNJ28CM

[i-door]

I had the same issue today with installing Q4OS 5.2 Aquarius, Trinity (q4os-5.4-x64-instcd.r1.iso), built on Debian 12 Bookworm, on Virtualbox, EFI.

The grey screen issue was resolved by applying the fix to edit the Grub entry as noted by @sjcrookes.
For less savvy users, by clicking "e" instead of "Enter" on the Install option at boot.

Much thanks, noted to confirm the issue extends to Deb 12 based DE.