Failed to open |EFI\proxmox\grubx64.efi Error please help!

BonelessMilk

New Member
Mar 10, 2025
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Hi I’m having my proxmox boot loop these errors and I have no idea how to fix it, it starts out as
Unexpected return from initial read: Device Error, buffers ize 0 Failed to load image BB:


Device Error start_image) returned Device Error


Then to


Failed to open |EFI\proxmox\grubx64.efi - device error Failed to load image ??: Device error


Start_image () returned device error

I have tried everything and when I try to boot repair it from a live USB I get the error “grub-efi purge is cancelled”

Is my nvme drive fried or is there a way to fix this?




Then lastly Start Image failed: Device Error
 
Firstly try booting your system with the Proxmox installation ISO USB.

Select Advanced & then Rescue Boot .

If after that your Proxmox instance boots correctly - you will then probably have to fix the bootloaders & EFI partitions etc. for a permanent fix.
 
if the rescue mode doesn't work, then booting a live CD, mounting your root partition and chrooting inside to fix it should be possible - what kind of setup are you using (ext/xfs on top of LVM, ZFS, BTRFS?)
 
Firstly try booting your system with the Proxmox installation ISO USB.

Select Advanced & then Rescue Boot .

If after that your Proxmox instance boots correctly - you will then probably have to fix the bootloaders & EFI partitions etc. for a permanent fix.
I was able to get that to work but when I try to use the command update-grub I get the error, cannot create /boot/grub/grub.cfg.new: Directory nonexistent. Any ideas where to go from here?
 
please post the output of "efibootmgr -v"
 
please post the output of "efibootmgr -v"
BootOrder: 0002,0001,0003,0006,0007,0000


Boot0000* Proxmox
VenHw(99e275e7-75a0-4b37-a2e6-c5385e6c00cb)


Boot0001* UEFI OS
HD (2, GPT,58719d-e379-4d6e-96b3-07695368049,0x800,02200000/File(\EFI\BOOT\B00X64.EFI) . BO


Boot0002* proxmox
HD(2, GPT, 58e719d-e379-4d6e-96b9-07695368049, 0x800, 0x200000/File(\EFI\PROXMOX\SHIM64.EFI)


Boot0003* SPCC M.2 PCIe SSD


BBS(HD, , 0x0) . .0


Boot0006* USB DISK 3.0 PMAP


BBS (HD,, Ox®). BO


Boot0007* UEFI: USB DISK 3.0 PMAP, Partition 2 PciRoot (0x0)/Pci (0x14, 0x0) /USB (18,0)/HD(2,GPT, fof 3cb01-8b62-4530-ac9c-b06f 75f002d8, 0x220, 0x4000) ..BO


I’ve also tried changing the boot order around and have been getting the same error as before but am able to get into the grub recover tool with boot option 0003
 
I'm not exactly sure what is going on, but I suspect you have Secure-boot enabled in the BIOS. I would disable it.

Boot0002* proxmox
HD(2, GPT, 58e719d-e379-4d6e-96b9-07695368049, 0x800, 0x200000/File(\EFI\PROXMOX\SHIM64.EFI)
I don't recognize that "SHIM64.EFI" , AFAIK that should be "SHIMX64.EFI". The fact that it is wrong is perplexing.
 
I'm not exactly sure what is going on, but I suspect you have Secure-boot enabled in the BIOS. I would disable it.


I don't recognize that "SHIM64.EFI" , AFAIK that should be "SHIMX64.EFI". The fact that it is wrong is perplexing.
Sorry it is SHIMX64.EFI the X got left out when copying for some reason
 
What does bootctl output?
systend-boot not installed in ESP.


System:


Firmware: n/a (n/a)


Firmare Arch:x64


Secure Boot: disabled (setup)


TPM2 Support: no


Boot into FW: supported


Current Boot Loader:


Product: n/a


Features:


x Boot counting


x Menu timeout control


x One-shot menu timeout control


x Default entry control x One-shot entry control


x Support for XBOOTLDR partition


x Support for passing random seed to OS


x Load drop-in drivers


x Support Type #1 sort-key field


x Support @saved pseudo-entry


x Support Type #1 devicetree field x Boot loader sets ESP information


ESP: n/a


File:-n/a


Random Seed:


Passed to 0S: no


System Token: not set


Exists: no


Avallable Boot Loaders on ESP:


ESP: /boot/efi (/dev/disk/by-partuuid/5eBe719d-e379-4dбe-96b3-07695C368049)


File: -/EFI/BOOT/BOOTx64.efi


Boot Loaders Listed in EFT Variables:


Title: proxmox


ID: 0X0004


Status: active,


boot-order


Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/5eBe719d-e379-4d6e-96b3-07695c368049


-/EFI/PROXMOX/SHIMX64.EFI


Title: UEFI OS


ID: 0X0001


Status: active, boot-order


Partition: /dev/disk/by-partuuid/5eBe719d-e379-4d6e-96b3-07695c368049


-/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64. EFI


Boot Loader Entries:


SBOOT: /boot/ef1 (/dev/disk/by-partuuid/5eBe719d-e379-4d6e-96b3-07695c368049)


0 entries entry could be determined as default.
 
Again your output contains spelling errors etc. Maybe you are typing it out manually or using OCR?

What does pveversion -v output? What does findmnt / output. What is the history of this node? What version of Proxmox was initially installed?

You still haven't told me if you're BIOS is expecting a secure-boot. (The above output of bootctl is different than normally shown; "Secure Boot: disabled (setup)", not sure what to make of this. Mine, that has secure-boot disabled shows; "Secure Boot: disabled (disabled)").
 
Again your output contains spelling errors etc. Maybe you are typing it out manually or using OCR?

What does pveversion -v output? What does findmnt / output. What is the history of this node? What version of Proxmox was initially installed?

You still haven't told me if you're BIOS is expecting a secure-boot. (The above output of bootctl is different than normally shown; "Secure Boot: disabled (setup)", not sure what to make of this. Mine, that has secure-boot disabled shows; "Secure Boot: disabled (disabled)").
I’m not sure if my motherboard has a secure boot, in all honesty I’ve been searching around the BIOS for and option to disable it but I can’t find any option for it. Or any option that could correlate to a secure boot. My motherboard is a Gigabyte GA-H110N 1.0 if that’s any help to you.
 
Again your output contains spelling errors etc. Maybe you are typing it out manually or using OCR?

What does pveversion -v output? What does findmnt / output. What is the history of this node? What version of Proxmox was initially installed?
Also sorry for the spelling mistakes I’m currently just taking a picture of my screen and having it copy and paste like that. If you have a better solution please let me know and I will switch over to your method. But for the output pveversion -v I get


proxmax-ve: 8.2.0 (running kernel: 6.8.4-2-pve)
pve-manager: 8.2.2 (running version: 8.2.2/9355359cd7afbae4)
proxmox-kernel-helper: 8.1.0
proxmox-kernel-6.8: 6.8.4-2
proxmox-kernel-6.8.4-2-pve-signed: 6.8.4-2
ceph-fuse: 17.2.7-pve3
corosync: 3.1.7-pve3
criu: 3.17.1-2
glusterfs-client: 10.9-5
ifupdown2: 3.2.0-1+pmx8
ksm-control-daemon: 1.5-1
libjs-extjs: 7.0.0-4
libknet1: 1.28-pve1
libproxmox-acme-per 1: 1.5.0
libproxmox-backup-qemue:1.4.1
libproxmox-rs-per1: 0.8.3
libpve-access-control: 8.1.4
libpve-apiclient-perl: 3.3.2
libpve-cluster-api-perl:8.0.6
libpve-cluster-perl: 8.0.6
libpve-common-perl: 8.2.1
libpve-guest-common-perl 1: 5.1.7
libpve-http-server-perl: 5.1.0
libpve-network-perl: 0.9.8
libpve-rs-perl: 0.8.8
libpve-storage-per1: 8.2.1
libspice-server1: 0.15.1-1
lvm2: 2.03.16-2
lxc-pve: 6.0.0-1
Ixcfs: 6.0.0-pve2
novnc-pve: 1,4.0-3
proxmox-backup-client: 3.2.0-1
proxmox-backup-file-restore: 3.2.0-1
proxmox-kernel-helper: 8.1.0
proxmox-mail-forward: 0.2.3
proxmox-mini-journalreader: 1.4.0 proxmox-offline-mirror-helper: 0.6.6
proxmox-widget-toolkit: 4.2.1
pve -cluster: 8.0.6
pve-container: 5.0.10
pve-docs: 8.2.1
pve-edk2-firmware: 4.2023.08-4
pve-esxi-import-tools: 0,7.0
pve-firewall: 5.0.5
pve-firmware: 3.11-1
pve-ha-manager: 4.0.4
pve-i18n: 3.2.2
pve-gemu-kvm: 8.1.5-5
pve-xterms: 5.3.0-3
gemu-server: 8.2.
smartmontools: 7.3-pve1
spiceterm: 3.3.0
swtpn: 0.8.0+pve1
vncterm:1.8.0
zfsuutils-linux: 2.2.3-pve2


and findmnt / produces

TARGET SOURCE FSTYPE OPTIONS
/ /devmaper/pve-root ext4 rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro
 
/ /devmaper/pve-root ext4 rw,relatime,errors=remount-ro
So it appears you have a regular ext4 install.

Gigabyte GA-H110N 1.0
I don't have that MB, but lets assume that since you can't find that setting, you have not enabled it at any stage. However this will only depend on what the history of that node is (which you have not provided).

What I would do in your case is the following (after rebooting into Proxmox):
apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64
 
So it appears you have a regular ext4 install.


I don't have that MB, but lets assume that since you can't find that setting, you have not enabled it at any stage. However this will only depend on what the history of that node is (which you have not provided).

What I would do in your case is the following (after rebooting into Proxmox):
apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64
The history of this node is I have had it for 6 months with no problems running 2 vms, with one being Ubuntu desktop and the other Ubuntu server. I have not updated anything and have just left it be when I started having having this issue when my internet went out. I’m assuming that some update was going on and was not able to complete and ended up corrupting the grub file.

Also the command apt install —reinstall grub-efi-amd64 gives me.



Reading package lists... Done Building dependency tree... Done Reading state information... Done


Reinstallation of grub-efi-amd64 is not possible, it cannot be downloaded


0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 91 not upgraded.
 
When you have internet access. Run:

Code:
apt-get update

apt-get dist-upgrade
I have internet and when I try apt-get update I get the error
HIt: 1 http://security.debian.org bookworm-security InRelease


Hit:2 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian bookworm Inkelease


Hit:3 http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates InRelease


Err:4 https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/ceph-quincy bookworm InRelease


401


Unauthorized [IP: 66.70.154.82 443]


Err:5 https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm InRelease


491


Unauthorized IDIP: 66.70.154.82 443]


Reading package lists... Done


E: Failed to fetch https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/ceph-quincy/dists/bookuorm/InRelease


401 Unauthorized [IP: 66.70.154.82


44


E: The repository


"https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/ceph-quincy bookworm InRelease' is not signed.


N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.


N: See apt-secure(8) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.


E: Failed to fetch https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/pve/dists/bookworm/InRelease


E: The repository


*https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm InRelease' is not signed.


401 Unauthorized [IP: 66.70.154.82 443]


N: Updating from such a repository can't be done securely, and is therefore disabled by default.


N: See apt-secure(B) manpage for repository creation and user configuration details.

And now strangely enough I’m not able to access the web GUI even though I’m able to ping the servers ip address
 
Assuming you do not have a Proxmox subscription, you need to enable repos for the no-subscription repo.

Please provide output for the following:
Code:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-install-repo.list

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ceph.list

cat /etc/apt/sources.list
 
Assuming you do not have a Proxmox subscription, you need to enable repos for the no-subscription repo.

Please provide output for the following:
Code:
cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-install-repo.list

cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ceph.list

cat /etc/apt/sources.list
root@pve: *# cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-install-repo.list
cat: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/pve-install-repo.list: No such file or directory
root@pve: *# cat /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ceph.list deb https://enterprise.proxmox.com/debian/ceph-quincy bookworm enterprise
root@pve: *# cat /etc/apt/sources.list deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib deb http://ftp.us.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib

# security updates

deb http://security.debian.org bookworm-security main contrib