Problem installing Qubes 4.2 (fresh install) - When Install using latest Kernel is selected. (6.6.1)

[the-moog]

How to file a helpful issue

Qubes OS release

4.2.0 RELEASE from ISO, booted/mounted using Ventoy.

Brief summary

Installing on a partition on an internal spinning disk. There are three OS on separate partitions (subdivided using LVM) Prior installs seem to work but the Boot with latest kernel option fails with a timeout.

Steps to reproduce

Put Ventoy on a USB stick Load the ISOs from your favourite OS's Edit the Ventoy config file Boot into Ventoy Select "Install Qubes OS 4.2.0 (release)" ...Wait for next boot.... Choose "Install Qubes OS R4.2.0 using Kernel Latest (6.6.2-1.qubes.fc37)"

Expected behavior

As per "Install Qubes OS R.4.2.0"

Actual behavior

R4.1.?? Installed previously fine (though has serious stability and GUI scaling issues) I have used it for a couple years. R4.2 RC5 Installer starts, but the RC did not understand the disks, so I got no further R4.2 1st/top Install option installer starts R4.2 last/bottom install option ("using latest kernel 6.6.2-1") fails with an error similar to this error

It puts up hundreds of that error, I mashed keys and pressed esc, ctrlc and ctrlz lots and eventually it did a file not found and dropped into a shell. I was able to capture some logs if that helps?

Looking at the log file the Kernel 6.6 seems not to have fixed my reason for re-installing (to get a newer Kernel version).

_Note: Slightly off topic; But here for completeness... Kernel 6.6+ is required due to a bug that effects PCI NVME with certain controller chips being not recognised that appeared in 5.. Apparently this is supposed to be fixed in Kernel 6.6, from what I see perhaps that is not the case?

See Kernel Bug and Similar issue and Similar issue

[no-usernames-left]

Qubes 4.2 ISO doesn't work properly on Ventoy yet. Do it the old-fashioned way.

[the-moog]

OK Solved one of the issues. The long delay, followed by 1000's of messages like the one at the bottom of this post. (I've posted an image, below, as you can't do tiny text here)

Is simply because the installer is expecting the disk name to match the inst.repo. It seems the disk writer programs I tried (Rufus and WinImage) were cropping the disk volume name, thus it was not as the installer expected.

IMO, The installer should ask if that named disk is what you want to use instead, rather than just crashing out, especially as it is a partial match, I assume it only needs to update the kernel init line?

[the-moog]

Qubes 4.2 ISO doesn't work properly on Ventoy yet. Do it the old-fashioned way.

I am not posting the issue about Ventoy, the issue there is not something Qubes should care about. Though saying that the issue should be noted in the install README as Ventoy a useful tool as it saves having to manage many USB ISO sticks , each with just one boot image. The real issues are the lack of nvme in 6.6.1 and the way it craps out if the name does not match - something Ventoy can actually fix as it can insert a new name. So the new issue is that I have no system qubes or templates, just a rather resource hungry Fedora. install.....hohum....

[no-usernames-left]

The real issues are the lack of nvme in 6.6.1

What do you mean by this? I just installed R4.2.0 on NVMe last week with kernel-latest and it worked fine; all I had to do was qubes-dom0-update nvme-cli for better visibility.

[the-moog]

@no-usernames-left It seems some NVMe device drivers were left out of the Kernel between <some release, I can't recall exactly> and 6.5.. I am unlucky enough to have chosen an NVMe device that uses that controller chip. Ref kernel bug in 1st posting.

[the-moog]

I've found the cause of there being no Qubes after install too, see https://github.com/QubesOS/qubes-issues/issues/8912#issue-2117139473