Cant install proxmox multiple errors

[juankorn]

Hi everyone, im kinda newby with this and I hope I can get some clarification.

I have a brand new pc.
Ryzen 9 9950x
Asus prime B840M-A WIFI
64gb DDR4 (16x4)
1ssd 240
2x 1TB SSD kingston datacenter

I downloaded proxmox 9.1 and tried to install it.
I get multiple errors.
Past the "Loading initial ramdisk" message I get a "kernel panic please reboot your computer vfs unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0 0)"
Sometimes I choose "Install proxmox VE (Graphical)" and screen blinks black and back to main menu. If I choose again it freezes.
Other times I reach to actually start the installation. But get an error when its creating mounts.

Tried with version 8.x 9.x. Balena etcher, ventoy, rufus to no avail.
I've installed multiple times proxmox, always with balena, but never had this kind of problem. In fact, I've never had any problem before.

I did tried this thing
"https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/loading-initial-ramdisk-freeze.170163/post-794297" with nomodeset noapic edit on the GRUB. But its the same.
I really dont know what to do.

One thing that i didnt test is to disable UEFI and go CSM. But this motherboard doesnt allow me to enable it if I dont have a GPU wich I dont have right now. Maybe I can test that tomorrow. But I want to know if there is anything else that I can do.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Onslow]

Hi, @juankorn
As a test, try to install some other Linux distro (e.g. Debian or Ubuntu).
At least you'll know if the issue is Proxmox related, or some general one.

 

[juankorn]

Hi, @juankorn
As a test, try to install some other Linux distro (e.g. Debian or Ubuntu).
At least you'll know if the issue is Proxmox related, or some general one.

Thanks for the advice !
Downloaded last debian 13.4.0-amd64-netinst and gives me a kernel panic error. So its not a proxmox thing.

 

[gfngfn256]

Asus prime B840M-A WIFI
64gb DDR4 (16x4)

Looking at this site - it appears that the B840M-A WIFI M/B uses DDR5 & not DDR4. These are NOT interchangeable.

I have a brand new pc.

So firstly - you need to perform a complete HW test - including testing ALL the RAM , CPU & the various disks.

Also I would update the BIOS to the latest available. (Looks like Version 1654 from 2026/04/20)

As the poster above suggested - also try another (simple) Linux install & see where it goes.

Good luck.

 

[juankorn]

Looking at this site - it appears that the B840M-A WIFI M/B uses DDR5 & not DDR4. These are NOT interchangeable.


So firstly - you need to perform a complete HW test - including testing ALL the RAM , CPU & the various disks.

Also I would update the BIOS to the latest available. (Looks like Version 1654 from 2026/04/20)

As the poster above suggested - also try another (simple) Linux install & see where it goes.

Good luck.

DDR5 yes, that was a typo. Im actually on the middle of a bios update. The linux install goes with kernel panic too.
It will be bad if I have something not working right since its brand new. Can happen but it really sucks.

PC rebooted after bios update and no video right now. I just hope, i just really hope that it didn't brick.

 

[cwt]

If the system remains „black“ even after an hour or more remove the power cable, hold the power button for a few seconds and remove the bios battery. Put it back in, attach the power cable and try to power it on. If the system comes back to life, try a Debian installation without any memory or other overclocking options, only in bios defaults.

 

[gfngfn256]

i just really hope that it didn't brick.

Unlikely - but not impossible. Reset BIOS if necessary (as pointed out by poster above).
More importantly - this sounds like a HW issue on a new PC.
The first thing todo would be to reseat all the connectors, CPU socket & pins check & reseat, same for RAM, check cabling & replace if necessary.
Maybe try with one stick of RAM at a time. This is sometimes useful in eliminating faulty RAM/socket.
Use some live-media that is capable of testing all HW - maybe Hiren's BootCD PE?

 

[juankorn]

Well here's the update.

Yesterday i tried to do the bios flashback. Wasnt doing anything so I left it all night. Today it was still flashing (i guess?). I brought a gpu from home and installed it. But no video. That mobo is dead.
I had the same motherboard in a sealed box to build another server. Used that mother with the same cpu and ram without the gpu and Installed proxmox without any issue.
It was a faulty motherboard all along. But now i have a faulty motherboard that maybe RMA will say, no, its because you killed it when updating the bios, bye.

Thanks to people here trying to help me. Now i have to win a fight.