[SOLVED] PVE 9.* installer shows empty X screen - PVE 8.4 works fine

[buridi]

Hi all,

I’m running into an issue when trying to install Proxmox VE 9.* using the graphical installer.

After selecting "Install Proxmox VE (Graphical)" from the boot menu, the installer does not proceed normally and instead shows an empty X screen (no UI).

Switching to logs/TTY, I see the following errors:

kmsro: driver missing
Openbox-Message: Unable to find a valid menu file "/var/lib/openbox/debian-menu.xml"
Mesa: Error: ZINK: vkCreateInstance failed (VK_ERROR_INCOMPATIBLE_DRIVER)

Thanks!

 

[cheiss]

Hi,

have you tried selecting the Install Proxmox VE (Terminal UI) option? Or tried setting the nomodeset kernel parameter?
These two options should work in any case.

This is probably just due to a bit too new hardware for the kernel/userland shipped with the installer.
What hardware, esp. graphics card, do you have installed in the system?

 

[buridi]

Hi,

Yes, I’ve tried the Terminal UI installer, and it works without any issues - installation completes successfully that way.

Regarding hardware, it’s not particularly new or exotic:

Server: Dell PowerEdge R640
GPU: NVIDIA Tesla T4

This exact host has been running Proxmox VE 8.4 for over a year without any problems (including graphical installer usage back then).

So it seems specific to the PVE 9.1 graphical installer environment, rather than unsupported or too-new hardware.

 

[cheiss]

GPU: NVIDIA Tesla T4

Nvidia GPUs are known to be problematic, with the standard workaround being the nomodeset option.
It's a really complicated situation with the unofficial in-tree drivers (the only ones which are free and can thus be even shipped with the ISO) and the firmware.
Not much we can do about that, unfortunately.

Though one of the reason we introduced the terminal-based installer; to provide an equivalent alternative for systems where either no GPU is available or the drivers don't work out.

 

[buridi]

I see, thanks a lot.