[SOLVED] Boot from auto-install .iso help

[inputsource]

Hello,

I have followed the official docs for setting up an .iso for Automated Installation, but when booting from the finalized USB we get stuck at a blank grub> prompt.

Here is an outline of the steps performed.

1. Create answer.toml file
2. Verify answer file by running proxmox-auto-install-assistant validate-answer answer.toml
3. Create .iso with proxmox-auto-install-assistant prepare-iso /path/to/source.iso --fetch-from iso --answer-file /path/to/answer.toml
4. Copy created .iso from proxmox host to local machine
5. Create bootable USB

I have noticed two files get generated after the 3rd step (auto-installer-mode.toml and proxmox*.iso) and I am unsure what auto-installer-mode.toml is for.

Once I have the created .iso on my local machine I have tried using tools like rufus, etcher, and followed these instructions for GNU/Linux.

Everything results in the same blank grub> prompt after booting from the created USB.

 

[aaron]

To rule out any issue on the USB flash drive; can you test booting the resulting ISO in a VM?

 

[kartnico]

Hello,

Same problem on my side.

I tested booting the ISO on a virtual machine in "Legacy BIOS" and UEFI = It is OK.

When I test on a physical hypervisor with the USB key :
- in "Legacy BIOS" it is OK
- in UEFI + Secure Boot it is KO. Everything results in the same blank grub> prompt after booting from the created USB.

Regards

 

[aaron]

I did some initial investigation and from what I can say for now, is that the prepared ISO tends to have issues getting to the grub screen when booting in UEFI mode from a USB flash drive.

Attaching the same ISO via a remote IPMI connection for example, where it is passed through as a virtual CDROM, things seem to work as expected on our test servers.

No idea as of yet what the actual cause it, and therefore how we can address it, but I can reproduce the issue here.

 

[inputsource]

I did some initial investigation and from what I can say for now, is that the prepared ISO tends to have issues getting to the grub screen when booting in UEFI mode from a USB flash drive.

Attaching the same ISO via a remote IPMI connection for example, where it is passed through as a virtual CDROM, things seem to work as expected on our test servers.

No idea as of yet what the actual cause it, and therefore how we can address it, but I can reproduce the issue here.

Trying to boot from USB with UEFI + Secure Boot was our problem as well. Attached the virtual media through IPMI and it went through the automated install process.

Thanks for the help.

 

[aaron]

We think we found the cause and have a patch for the assistant ready. The next version of it should create ISOs that will work in UEFI mode from a USB flash drive.

 

[Kingneutron]

FYI for anyone who wants to experiment with unattended install:

https://github.com/kneutron/ansitest/blob/master/proxmox/proxmox-unattended-install.toml

https://github.com/kneutron/ansitest/blob/master/proxmox/proxmox-mkiso-unattended-install.sh

 

[t.lamprecht]

FYI for anyone who wants to experiment with unattended install:

https://github.com/kneutron/ansitest/blob/master/proxmox/proxmox-unattended-install.toml

https://github.com/kneutron/ansitest/blob/master/proxmox/proxmox-mkiso-unattended-install.sh

The answer file for unattended installation must be customized for each use case, to ensure correct network and disk setup is used.

While I welcome community contributions, I think in this case such an extra script doesn't provide much value in exploring this new feature, and it's just better to recommend users to read and follow our documentation to this topic:
https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Automated_Installation

Note also that this thread is a bout a bug in the prepare-iso command, so your comment is not really on topic and fitting for this thread, as it won't help with work around that issue at all.