Installation problem (no cdrom found) and a possible solution?

[gabbegubben]

So, I have installed Proxmox VE without any trouble on two servers via a USB-stick. Then I tried it on an older server and got the dreaded

no cdrom found
unable to continue (type exit or CTRL-D to reboot)
/ #

message. I thought this was weird since I used the exact same installation media which had previously worked flawlessly. I tried everything possible with the same disappointing results, virtual media through IPMI, virtual media through a KVM, several USB-sticks, a million different BIOS-settings...

I then tried to debug the installation script and found that if I tried the installation again from the command line after the "unable to continue" message by running

/ # ./init

it found the "cdrom" and the installation started!

After some digging I found that in this server, a SAS-controller failed to start. This caused a 30 second timeout before other devices where initialized, and unfortunately the Proxmox installation script does a 4 x 5 second retry loop, which was about 10 seconds to little in this case.

So, if anyone else is having the same problem a simple

./init

might do the trick, and perhaps you awesome guys at Proxmox could increase the number of retries in the installer a bit?

 

[t.lamprecht]

Hi,

thanks for sharing your insights!

might do the trick, and perhaps you awesome guys at Proxmox could increase the number of retries in the installer a bit?

Sure can do, at this point it probably can only help.

 

[mdekonin]

Hi,

thanks for sharing your insights!

Sure can do, at this point it probably can only help.

Hi,
I am install Proxmox for the first time on an HP Proliant DL380 G7 and having the same problem, However, @gabbegubben suggestion didn't work for me. It just redid the 5 second retry on /dev/sr0 and /dev/sdd ... no attempt to access the USB. Any suggestions?

I'm going to look at the .init script but I'll have to learn vi first, I'm a nano guy
Thanks,
Michael

 

[FredCailloux]

I am amazed that in 2024, that same issue has not yet been resolved.
I'm reading that same issue as far back as 2014.
Has anyone found a solution to this recurring installation problem ?
I mean, the procedure cannot be more simple:
1- Burn a USB key with the Proxmox.iso image
2- Stick the thing in a USB port
3- Power ON
4- Follow instructions on the GUI.

I'm I missing something ?

 

[FredCailloux]

Found the obvious solution, which is not a solution but rather a bypass:
1- Grab an external USB DVDROM burner and a virgin DVD 4.7G
2- Plug into a computer and Burn the Proxmox ISO file
3- Connect the external USB DVDROM back into the server
4- Power ON
5- Follow instructions from the installation GUI

At this point, you must satisfy yourself with an archaic method, but, hey, it worked !