Failed to Prepare UEFI Boot

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mle

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Aug 5, 2021
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hi Guys

I have a problem with the installation of Proxmox v7.0.1 in UEFI mode on a Dell R320 server with ext4 file system

Storage:
Dell Perc H710 mini (Original Firmware) (non-IT-Mode) 2xSSD 250GB Samsung Pro RAID-1 (Element Size 256Kb, Read Policy Adaptive, Write Policy write through)

I have test wise times Win Server 2016 installed in uefi mode under ntfs no problems
I also tested it with debian v10 the same error.
As soon as the installation is finished and tries to write the bootloader, this error occurred (Failed to Prepare UEFI Boot)

I know I could flash the H710 mini in IT mode and use ZFS-RAID-1 but I don't want to because of the performance and the massive RAM consumption.

I know that Proxmox v7.0.1 now also supports btrfs and know the theoretical advantages. But I don't know what the performance and data security looks like, e.g. data recovery in case something really goes wrong.

I have a couple of H710 mini controllers at home and could also replace them should it break.
That is why I thought about using hardware RAID-1 without cach functions. (If the power fails for a longer period of time) (UPS is available and H710 mini is equipped with a battery).

ext4 shouldn't have any problems with a RAID volume. I'm not so sure about the LVM volume anymore.

But now it fails because of the installation of the bootloader. (grub, efi)

Do you have any suggestions as to how I should install a fail-safe and high-performance system or what could be causing the error.

Log attached.

Thanks in advance for your answers.

Sorry if anything is wrong first post

German English no problem
 

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this looks more like a bios/UEFI bug - please check if there are updates for your mainboard.
 
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Thanks for your fast reply

Dell has a full firmware und BIOS upgrade service ISO everything is on the last updates accessible
Platform Specific Bootable ISO, PER320, 21.07.00 System Verwaltung 07 July 2021
BIOS v2.9.0 25 Mar 2020
 
is secure boot enabled? if so, maybe try turning it off..
 
Hello together
I wanted to post exactly the same issue with an Dell PowerEdge R720. I used an NVMe-SSD "Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB". So there is no hardware raid involved. The drivers are up to date. I tried the install process multiple times with the same result. I wasn't able to install the grub-bootloader from another distro in live mode. Any suggestions?

proxmox_error.png
 
lamera said:
Hello together
I wanted to post exactly the same issue with an Dell PowerEdge R720. I used an NVMe-SSD "Samsung 970 Evo Plus 1TB". So there is no hardware raid involved. The drivers are up to date. I tried the install process multiple times with the same result. I wasn't able to install the grub-bootloader from another distro in live mode. Any suggestions?

View attachment 28481
Click to expand...
Hello lamera

Dell R720 Servers kann not boot from nvme ssd but you can use an alternative Bootloader.

I think the issue is any bios setting or firmware update

Use this to update everything

https://www.dell.com/support/home/d...d=n1yw8&oscode=naa&productcode=poweredge-r720

and this for boot from an nvme drive

https://www.tachytelic.net/2020/10/dell-poweredge-install-boot-pci-nvme/

I have the same setup running on a Dell R720 and R730 without troubles
 
Last edited:
Hi mle
I know, but the installation of proxmox should still work. I get the same installation error as you.
I followed already these instructions from paulie and have an usb with clover ready. But after booting from clover I don't see this NVMe drive.
 
Info:

I tried to install Proxmox on the onboard sata controller (Perc S110) same problem.
Now I have swapped the h710 to an it-mode flashed h310 and install Proxmox v7.0.1 without any problem. (only 1x SSD without RAID)
But I still want to use RAID-1.

lamera said:
Hi mle
I know, but the installation of proxmox should still work. I get the same installation error as you.
I followed already these instructions from paulie and have an usb with clover ready. But after booting from clover I don't see this NVMe drive.
Click to expand...

Mybe the pcie to m.2 adapter you are using does not work.

I use this one

https://www.amazon.de/DELOCK-PCIe-x...keywords=delock+m.2+pci&qid=1628354262&sr=8-3
 
New day new luck xD

After the 100 x installation, it finally worked.
I just can't tell you why.

Bios reset to factory default settings.
iDrac controller reset to factory default settings.
Both SSD formatted and RAID-1 rebuilt and full initialized.
Dell lifecycle controller activated (because of the whole switching back and forth of the RAID controllers)
Proxmox installation stick newly created (Linux DD)
All necessary BIOS settings made.

and suddenly it works as if it had never happened, the only difference is that the Dell lifecycle controller is still activated

Hope it helps others who have this problem on Dell 12gen servers.

In conclusion, I can only say that Proxmox v7.0.1 on a Dell R320 and a Perc H710 mini work without problems also runs under UEFI xD
 
Hello, running into a similar/the same issue. I'm over in this thread as well.

Dell PowerEdge 620 with PERC H710 Mini. Using two Samsung 870 EVO SATA 3 SSDs in a RAID-1 configuration.

bootloader setup errors: - failed to prepare EFI boot using Grub on '/dev/sda2': unable to install the EFI boot loader on '/dev/sda'
Click to expand...
and
unable to initialize physical volume /dev/sda3
Click to expand...

I changed settings in bios and it allowed the install to make it further before getting the error
1) Boot into System Setup(F2) > Boot settings > BIOS Boot Settings > Disabled all Bios boot options > Back to Boot settings > Changed to UEFI Boot > Saved and restarted
2) Boot into System Setup(F2) > Boot settings > UEFI Boot Settings > Disabled all UEFI Boot Settings (except external USB with Proxmox install) > Back to Boot settings > Changed Boot sequence and boot external USB at top
Click to expand...

Any suggestions or advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll be sure to post what the fix ends up being!

mle said:
All necessary BIOS settings made.
Click to expand...
What are the BIOS settings you changed?
 
And it's working. No idea what I did to fix it :/

I reset the bios to default, rebuilt the raid1 and repeated all the steps I did from this post. Ran the install, it failed due to unable to initialize physical volume /dev/sda3, ran the install again (setting the drive size to 925GB - originally set at 931GB) and it worked.

Honestly, the only thing I really did different was the order of things. When I first set it up I did firmware updates > built raid > adjusted BIOS settings. This time the firmware was done already > adjusted BIOS settings > built raid. So maybe the order matters?
 
I'd the same issue with my Intel NUC Gen8.

IMG_0659..jpg

The solution is to activate in BIOS the "Internal UEFI Shell" - the installation was then successful.


InternalUEFIshell.jpg
 
Got it working!

Proxmox 7.2.1 on Dell R620 with UEFI boot available on both disks. Here's my setup:

Dell PowerEdge R620 rev.1
BIOS: 2.9.0
iDRACv7: 2.65.65.65 (Ent. licence installed)
Lifecycle: 2.65.65.65
IDSDM: 1.10

Storage: 2x 1TB Crucial BX500 2.5" SSD (CT1000BX500SSD1)
Storage Controller: No dedicated card (onboard SATA in AHCI mode)


Posting my experience in case anyone else is having the same issues... although it seems pretty hit-or-miss with Dell R-series (20/30 gen). Here's what I went through FWIW:

After many repeat install failures and messing with a ton of settings I decided to reset everything back to defaults and try again.

  • Started fresh with defaulting the BIOS, iDRAC, etc. and zeroing the disks (disk wipe was probably unnecessary but easy enough to do at bed time and leave overnight)
  • Booted into BIOS and checked the few common settings like virtualisation-tech, performance settings, etc.
  • Reboot and setup iDRAC with basic network settings and password (so I don't have to sit on the floor with a wired keyboard and crappy old monitor)
  • Re-wrote the USB (this time Windows with Rufus using DD)
  • Reinstalled drives and plugged in USB
  • Booted into BIOS and:
    • Disabled the dual SD card module << I'm wondering if this was the problem...? Wasn't installing there, but didn't disable in other failed attempts
    • In boot settings (currently set to BIOS boot) - un-ticked every boot device option
  • Reboot, back into BIOS and:
    • Enabled UEFI
  • Reboot, back into BIOS and:
    • un-ticked every option except the USB containing the installer (plugged into front USB port, in case that also matters)
  • Reboot and start the install:
    • Standard settings through the install GUI
    • ZFS-RAID1 with no special config/changes - just selected option, confirmed the 2 SSD's were the selected drives, clicked OK
    • Filled in the other basic location, network and user info
    • Started install
  • Worked. :rolleyes:
Not sure what the exact problem was... the only difference I can point at is what's highlighted above with the SD module. It didn't look like the installer was trying to write anything to it in the other failed attempts, but I didn't think to look too closely before going back to defaults and doing the above.

Good luck!

Please post an update here if you figure out the exact cause. I have a few of these servers (amost all identical in spec) and this is the first one that wasn't a simple and smooth install.
 
deekaay said:
Got it working!

Proxmox 7.2.1 on Dell R620 with UEFI boot available on both disks. Here's my setup:

Dell PowerEdge R620 rev.1
BIOS: 2.9.0
iDRACv7: 2.65.65.65 (Ent. licence installed)
Lifecycle: 2.65.65.65
IDSDM: 1.10

Storage: 2x 1TB Crucial BX500 2.5" SSD (CT1000BX500SSD1)
Storage Controller: No dedicated card (onboard SATA in AHCI mode)


Posting my experience in case anyone else is having the same issues... although it seems pretty hit-or-miss with Dell R-series (20/30 gen). Here's what I went through FWIW:

After many repeat install failures and messing with a ton of settings I decided to reset everything back to defaults and try again.

  • Started fresh with defaulting the BIOS, iDRAC, etc. and zeroing the disks (disk wipe was probably unnecessary but easy enough to do at bed time and leave overnight)
  • Booted into BIOS and checked the few common settings like virtualisation-tech, performance settings, etc.
  • Reboot and setup iDRAC with basic network settings and password (so I don't have to sit on the floor with a wired keyboard and crappy old monitor)
  • Re-wrote the USB (this time Windows with Rufus using DD)
  • Reinstalled drives and plugged in USB
  • Booted into BIOS and:
    • Disabled the dual SD card module << I'm wondering if this was the problem...? Wasn't installing there, but didn't disable in other failed attempts
    • In boot settings (currently set to BIOS boot) - un-ticked every boot device option
  • Reboot, back into BIOS and:
    • Enabled UEFI
  • Reboot, back into BIOS and:
    • un-ticked every option except the USB containing the installer (plugged into front USB port, in case that also matters)
  • Reboot and start the install:
    • Standard settings through the install GUI
    • ZFS-RAID1 with no special config/changes - just selected option, confirmed the 2 SSD's were the selected drives, clicked OK
    • Filled in the other basic location, network and user info
    • Started install
  • Worked. :rolleyes:
Not sure what the exact problem was... the only difference I can point at is what's highlighted above with the SD module. It didn't look like the installer was trying to write anything to it in the other failed attempts, but I didn't think to look too closely before going back to defaults and doing the above.

Good luck!

Please post an update here if you figure out the exact cause. I have a few of these servers (amost all identical in spec) and this is the first one that wasn't a simple and smooth install.
Click to expand...
Few Qs-

  1. I have the exact same server (w/o iDRAC license). This thing has PERC H710 mini. Which does not support pass through mode. I ended up flashing its firmware to IT mode. I am not sure how your 620 do not have that card
  2. How do you reset bios/iDRAC/UEFI etc of this to factory/default?
 
I had the same issues.
DELL R710 PERC H700;
Nothing above helped.

What solved my issue is that, I went back to RAID configuration. I had configured two VirtualDisks - one of SSDs, one of HDDs with the plan to use the SSD Raid for os and containers. I went back to the RAID and deleted the HDDs VD, so that there is only the SSDs VD left. Then the installation proceeded as normal.
 
TL;DR. Try booting from BIOS mode in your device and installing proxmox, then switch back to UEFI afterwards.

Just as a aid to others who might be struggling with this. I found a different solution to the same problem that was simple.

I have a Dell R720 with a Perc H710 mini (flashed to IT-Mode) and a 250GB Samsung SSD plugged into the optical drive SATA port.

I was also getting the same error after getting to 99% of installation:

bootloader setup errors: - failed to prepare EFI boot using Grub on '/dev/sda2': unable to install the EFI boot loader on '/dev/sda'

I had tried one of the above recommendations: making my Samsung SSD the only boot option in the BIOS, but that didn't fix it.

I didn't want to go through the long list above so I tried changing the boot mode to BIOS instead of UEFI. And wahlah! Proxmox was able to complete the install with no problems.

Afterwards I changed back to UEFI boot in the BIOS and the Dell R720 was able to boot from the disk into proxmox just fine.

I wonder if its a compatability problem with the bootloader and UEFI and being in BIOS mode upon system boot fixes it. ???
 
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