[SOLVED] Update from 8.3.3 to 8.4.1 - GRUB issue, how to correct boot setup?

DanH · Wednesday at 13:45

Not sure where I need to go and fix this... Please help..

After I upgraded a node from 8.3.3 to 8.4.1, proxmox did not boot anymore.

A co-worker installed this cluster and did not do much of documentation.

So I checked if I needed to fix the boot with grub-install or proxmox-boot-tool refresh

[ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "UEFI" || echo "BIOS"
UEFI
I used UEFI, thus proxmox-boot-tool.

root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool refresh
Running hook script 'proxmox-auto-removal'..
Running hook script 'zz-proxmox-boot'..
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
No /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids found, skipping ESP sync.

Removable bootloader found at '/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64.efi', but GRUB packages not set up to update it!
Run the following command:

echo 'grub-efi-amd64 grub2/force_efi_extra_removable boolean true' | debconf-set-selections -v -u

Then reinstall GRUB with 'apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64'

root@pve01:~# echo 'grub-efi-amd64 grub2/force_efi_extra_removable boolean true' | debconf-set-selections -v -u
info: Trying to set 'grub2/force_efi_extra_removable' [boolean] to 'true'
info: Loading answer for 'grub2/force_efi_extra_removable'
root@pve01:~# apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.

Here the system rebooted!

The system came up, but I have different questioins..

For example, the file /etc/default/grub is completely empty. I compared it with the other system in the cluster which I did not upgrade yet.

I copied over the content from the running system (system, is identical) and rebooted. Came up fine too. Now I am unsure what to do.
I followed the instructions at https://pve.proxmox.com/wiki/Recover_From_Grub_Failure
(This subsection applies to PVE 8 hosts that have their boot disk on LVM, boot in UEFI mode and were upgraded from PVE 7.) <-- applies to this system

root@pve01:~# [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && apt install grub-efi-amd64
E: dpkg was interrupted, you must manually run 'dpkg --configure -a' to correct the problem.

As soon as I run 'dpkg --configure -a', the system reboots again.

root@pve01:~# dpkg --configure -a
Setting up openssh-sftp-server (1:9.2p1-2+deb12u6) ...
Setting up openssh-server (1:9.2p1-2+deb12u6) ...
rescue-ssh.target is a disabled or a static unit not running, not starting it.
ssh.socket is a disabled or a static unit not running, not starting it.
Setting up pve-qemu-kvm (9.2.0-5) ...
Setting up grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx6) ...
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[62659]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 14171: grub-install.real
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[62659]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 14171: grub-install.real

Hangs here and after a few seconds.. reboot.

It comes up, though. Seems to work too.

root@pve01:~# pveversion
pve-manager/8.4.1/2a5fa54a8503f96d (running kernel: 6.8.12-11-pve)

But something with booting seems off..

Help...

fabian · Wednesday at 14:04

DanH said:
But something with booting seems off..

if it boots now, then everything should be okay.. it sounds like the machine crashed in the middle of an upgrade, which can of course cause problems..

DanH · Wednesday at 14:56

Thanks.
However, I have a bad feeling.

Questions: If I do either of this:

dpkg --configure -a
or
apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64

Is it normal that the system just reboots?

What would I have to do to verify that boot setup is actually correct?

fabian · 2025-06-12T09:10:07+0200

no, that is not normal. we've recently had a report where just that happened on a system which seems to have been caused by a broken EFI implementation on that hardware. you could try installing UEFI updates if there are any available from your vendor.

it depends on how exactly your system is configured - could you post the output of "proxmox-boot-tool status"?

DanH · 2025-06-12T09:46:07+0200

Hello Fabian,

Code:

root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool status
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
E: /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids does not exist.
root@pve01:~# pveversion
pve-manager/8.4.1/2a5fa54a8503f96d (running kernel: 6.8.12-11-pve)
root@pve01:~#

That output surprised me. I might first need to fix this?
Just, I do not know how. Would you be able to assist me?

Unfortunately, I have not checked the details below before I updated from 8.3.3 to 8.4.1.

I've added some more info:

Code:

root@pve01:~# findmnt /
TARGET SOURCE               FSTYPE OPTIONS
/      /dev/mapper/pve-root xfs    rw,relatime,attr2,inode64,logbufs=8,logbsize=32k,noquota
root@pve01:~#

Code:

root@pve01:~# lsblk -o +FSTYPE
NAME                 MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS FSTYPE
sda                    8:0    0   3.6T  0 disk
├─sda1                 8:1    0   3.6T  0 part             zfs_member
└─sda9                 8:9    0     8M  0 part
sdb                    8:16   0   3.6T  0 disk
├─sdb1                 8:17   0   3.6T  0 part             zfs_member
└─sdb9                 8:25   0     8M  0 part
sdc                    8:32   0  74.5G  0 disk
├─sdc1                 8:33   0  1007K  0 part
├─sdc2                 8:34   0   512M  0 part /boot/efi   vfat
└─sdc3                 8:35   0    74G  0 part             LVM2_member
  ├─pve-swap         252:0    0     4G  0 lvm  [SWAP]      swap
  ├─pve-root         252:1    0    16G  0 lvm  /           xfs
  ├─pve-data_tmeta   252:2    0     1G  0 lvm
  │ └─pve-data-tpool 252:4    0  42.8G  0 lvm
  │   └─pve-data     252:5    0  42.8G  1 lvm
  └─pve-data_tdata   252:3    0  42.8G  0 lvm
    └─pve-data-tpool 252:4    0  42.8G  0 lvm
      └─pve-data     252:5    0  42.8G  1 lvm
sdd                    8:48   1   7.5G  0 disk             iso9660
├─sdd1                 8:49   1   242K  0 part
├─sdd2                 8:50   1     8M  0 part             vfat
├─sdd3                 8:51   1   1.3G  0 part             hfsplus
└─sdd4                 8:52   1   300K  0 part
sde                    8:64   1   3.8G  0 disk
└─sde1                 8:65   1   3.8G  0 part             vfat
zd0                  230:0    0  16.5G  0 disk
zd16                 230:16   0    64G  0 disk
├─zd16p1             230:17   0    50M  0 part             ntfs
├─zd16p2             230:18   0  63.4G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd16p3             230:19   0   546M  0 part             ntfs
zd32                 230:32   0    64G  0 disk
├─zd32p1             230:33   0    50M  0 part             ntfs
├─zd32p2             230:34   0  63.4G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd32p3             230:35   0   546M  0 part             ntfs
zd48                 230:48   0     4M  0 disk
zd64                 230:64   0  16.5G  0 disk
zd80                 230:80   0    64G  0 disk
├─zd80p1             230:81   0    50M  0 part             ntfs
├─zd80p2             230:82   0  63.4G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd80p3             230:83   0   546M  0 part             ntfs
zd96                 230:96   0     4M  0 disk
zd112                230:112  0   260G  0 disk
├─zd112p1            230:113  0   450M  0 part
├─zd112p2            230:114  0   100M  0 part
├─zd112p3            230:115  0    16M  0 part
├─zd112p4            230:116  0 237.1G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd112p5            230:117  0   859M  0 part
zd128                230:128  0    70G  0 disk
├─zd128p1            230:129  0   100M  0 part             vfat
├─zd128p2            230:130  0    16M  0 part
├─zd128p3            230:131  0  69.2G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd128p4            230:132  0   723M  0 part             ntfs
zd144                230:144  0     4M  0 disk
zd160                230:160  0    60G  0 disk
├─zd160p1            230:161  0   100M  0 part             vfat
├─zd160p2            230:162  0    16M  0 part
└─zd160p3            230:163  0  59.9G  0 part             ntfs
zd176                230:176  0     1M  0 disk
zd192                230:192  0    70G  0 disk
├─zd192p1            230:193  0   100M  0 part             vfat
├─zd192p2            230:194  0    16M  0 part
├─zd192p3            230:195  0  69.2G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd192p4            230:196  0   726M  0 part             ntfs
zd208                230:208  0    70G  0 disk
├─zd208p1            230:209  0   100M  0 part             vfat
├─zd208p2            230:210  0    16M  0 part
├─zd208p3            230:211  0  69.2G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd208p4            230:212  0   723M  0 part             ntfs
zd224                230:224  0   8.5G  0 disk
zd240                230:240  0     1M  0 disk
nvme0n1              259:0    0 476.9G  0 disk
├─nvme0n1p1          259:3    0 476.9G  0 part             zfs_member
└─nvme0n1p9          259:5    0     8M  0 part
nvme1n1              259:1    0 476.9G  0 disk
├─nvme1n1p1          259:2    0 476.9G  0 part             zfs_member
└─nvme1n1p9          259:4    0     8M  0 part
zd256                230:256  0    64G  0 disk
├─zd256p1            230:257  0    50M  0 part             ntfs
├─zd256p2            230:258  0  63.4G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd256p3            230:259  0   546M  0 part             ntfs
zd272                230:272  0    70G  0 disk
├─zd272p1            230:273  0   100M  0 part             vfat
├─zd272p2            230:274  0    16M  0 part
├─zd272p3            230:275  0  69.3G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd272p4            230:276  0   641M  0 part             ntfs
zd288                230:288  0    64G  0 disk
├─zd288p1            230:289  0    50M  0 part             ntfs
├─zd288p2            230:290  0  63.4G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd288p3            230:291  0   546M  0 part             ntfs
zd304                230:304  0    64G  0 disk
├─zd304p1            230:305  0    50M  0 part             ntfs
├─zd304p2            230:306  0  63.4G  0 part             ntfs
└─zd304p3            230:307  0   546M  0 part             ntfs
zd320                230:320  0  16.5G  0 disk
zd336                230:336  0     1M  0 disk
zd352                230:352  0    50G  0 disk
├─zd352p1            230:353  0  49.9G  0 part             ext4
├─zd352p14           230:366  0     4M  0 part
└─zd352p15           230:367  0   106M  0 part             vfat
zd368                230:368  0  16.5G  0 disk
zd384                230:384  0     4M  0 disk
zd400                230:400  0     1M  0 disk
zd416                230:416  0   8.5G  0 disk
zd432                230:432  0     1M  0 disk
zd448                230:448  0   8.5G  0 disk
zd464                230:464  0  16.5G  0 disk
zd480                230:480  0     4M  0 disk             iso9660

Code:

root@pve01:~# [ -d /sys/firmware/efi ] && echo "UEFI" || echo "BIOS"
UEFI

Code:

root@pve01:~# efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0004
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0004,000E,0010,0011,0000,0002,0003,000F
Boot0000* proxmox       HD(2,GPT,c258d7e6-df4c-4d09-96df-ea8b2891689e,0x800,0x100000)/File(\EFI\proxmox\grubx64.efi)
Boot0002  UEFI: Built-in EFI Shell      VenMedia(5023b95c-db26-429b-a648-bd47664c8012)..BO
Boot0003  Hard Drive    BBS(HD,,0x0)..GO..NO........o.S.T.4.0.0.0.N.M.0.0.3.5.-.1.V.4.1.0.7....................A...........................>..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L. . . . . . . . . . . . .C.Z.5.1.H.E.6.J........BO..NO........o.S.T.4.0.0.0.N.M.0.0.3.5.-.1.V.4.1.0.7....................A...........................>..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L. . . . . . . . . . . . .C.Z.5.1.Z.E.R.Q........BO..NO........o.I.N.T.E.L. .S.S.D.S.C.2.B.B.0.8.0.G.4....................A...........................>..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.T.B.L.W.2.3.6.4.3.0.S.C.8.0.K.0.N.G. . ........BO
Boot0004* proxmox       HD(2,GPT,c258d7e6-df4c-4d09-96df-ea8b2891689e,0x800,0x100000)/File(\EFI\PROXMOX\GRUBX64.EFI)
Boot000E* UEFI OS       HD(2,GPT,c258d7e6-df4c-4d09-96df-ea8b2891689e,0x800,0x100000)/File(\EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI)
Boot000F  USB KEY       BBS(11,,0x0)..GO..NO........o.U.S.B. .2...0. .U.S.B. .F.l.a.s.h. .D.r.i.v.e.r.1.1.0.0....................A...................................6..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.A.A.5.5.0.0.0.0.0.1.1.9.8.5.4.2........BO..NO........i.G.e.n.e.r.a.l. .U.S.B. .F.l.a.s.h. .D.i.s.k. .1...0.0....................A.............................6..Gd-.;.A..MQ..L.0.4.7.5.0.7.0.0.0.0.0.0.1.4.9.4........BO
Boot0010* UEFI: USB 2.0 USB Flash Driver1100    PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1d,0x0)/USB(0,0)/USB(2,0)/USB(1,0)/HD(1,MBR,0xc3072e18,0x38,0x78bfc8)..BO
Boot0011* UEFI: General USB Flash Disk 1.00     PciRoot(0x0)/Pci(0x1d,0x0)/USB(0,0)/USB(0,0)/HD(2,GPT,cc204a36-7205-49c2-80bd-642a2e65b1fd,0x224,0x4000)..BO
root@pve01:~#

I also figured out that I can run
grub-update -no-nvram
and the system would not reboot.

fabian · 2025-06-12T12:01:48+0200

did you check if there is a BIOS/UEFI update available?

https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/after-new-update-get-stuck-on-grub.164141/#post-760526 was a report with the same symptoms (you could try the steps there to verify it is actually writing the EFI variables that triggers the crash) that was fixed by one..

DanH · 2025-06-12T14:36:35+0200

Fabian,
Thanks for the linkj. That was really helpful.
I also have a Supermicro and it was on BIOS 1.3. Same as @PATTERSON108.
I have updated the BIOS to 2.6. That solved the issues.

"dpkg --configure -a" now ran through without error and no reboot of the system.
"grub-install -v" did go through too without error.
"efibootmgr -v" looks ok to me.

Though, I am not sure about this. Do I have to fix that?

Code:

root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool status
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
E: /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids does not exist.
root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool reinit
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool status
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
E: /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids does not exist.
root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool refresh
Running hook script 'proxmox-auto-removal'..
Running hook script 'zz-proxmox-boot'..
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
No /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids found, skipping ESP sync.
root@pve01:~# proxmox-boot-tool status
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
E: /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids does not exist.
root@pve01:~#

Dan

fabian · 2025-06-13T07:57:30+0200

no, those are okay - you are not using proxmox-boot-tool to manage your ESP

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[SOLVED] Update from 8.3.3 to 8.4.1 - GRUB issue, how to correct boot setup?

DanH

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