Ventoy install of Proxmox 8.1 halts at "Loading initial ramdisk"

[levidos]

Was redacting this post when I finally managed to fix the issue.
I'll post this anyway in case others encounter it. Scroll to the end for the solution.

Hardware

• Dell OptiPlex Micro 3090
• Intel Core i5-10500T CPU @ 2.30GHz
• Intel UHD Graphics 630 Video
• 256GB NVMe disk in AHCI mode
• Secure Boot Disabled
• UEFI Boot Path Security set to Never
• Deep Sleep Control: Disabled
• Active State Power Management: Disabled

Symptoms

• Proxmox 8.1-2 (8.1.4) ISO installs fine using Ventoy and Proxmox GUI Install
• After reboot, the boot is stuck at:
• Loading Linux 6.5.11-8-pve ...
• Loading initial ramdisk ...
• Num Lock on the keyboard is not working, I have to unplug the computer

Things I tried

• Disabled TPM
• Tested the memory
• Booting into Proxmox 6.5.11-8-pve recovery mode, same issue
• Proxmox 7.4-1 installs & boots fine. I tried upgrading 7.4 -> 8.1, and it rebooted fine after dist-upgrade, but proxmox-ve goes missing.
• Uncommenting GRUB_TERMINAL=console in /etc/default/grub
• Disabling Audio in BIOS
• Disabling Absolute(r) Computrace
• Disabling SMM Security Mitigation
• Disable Intel Software Guard Extension
• Disable C-States Control
• Disable SERR Messages
• Disable Wifi and Bluetooth

Also checked

• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/stuck-on-loading-initial-ramdisk.126155/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/proxmox-ve-7-4-cannot-be-installed.125677/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/stuck-on-loading-initial-ramdisk.137010/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/a...-9-attached-screen-loses-signal-nvidia.136870
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/pve-fails-to-load-past-loading-initial-ramdisk.62738/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/booting-proxmox-8-1-hangs-at-loading-initial-ramdisk.137453/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/stuck-loading-initial-ramdisk.117502/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/hanging-at-loading-initial-ramdisk.135919/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/pve-8-1-stuck-on-loading-initial-ramdisk.140919/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/stuck-at-loading-initial-ramdisk-message.105696/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/pve-linux-6-5-11-7-pve-stucks-loading-initial-ramdisk.138157/
• https://forum.proxmox.com/threads/pve-8-0-and-8-1-hangs-on-boot.137033/

Installing Proxmox 7.4-1 worked fine.

Solution

• I wiped the Ventoy USB and re-created it with Rufus.
• Re-installed Proxmox and all works
• Simply booting the computer without the Ventoy USB didn't solve the problem, I had to reinstall from a Rufus USB.

The clue was when editing the Grub "script" I spotted the following on the linux line: rdinit=/vtoy/vtoy
This made me think that Ventoy might be related to the problem.
Removing the rdinit=/vtoy/vtoy grub parameter also allowed booting, so that might be quicker than a reinstall.

 

[p3ter_b]

Thank you soooo much!
I ran into the exact same problem.
(installed proxmox-ve_8.1-2.iso using ventoy-1.0.97-linux.tar.gz)

The file /etc/default/grub.d/installer.cfg introduces the rdinit=/vtoy/vtoy option:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX    rdinit=/vtoy/vtoy"

In order to remove the vtoy grub leftovers permanently, change it to:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX"

Then run update-grub and reboot.


I'm using Ventoy without any issues on several distros for years, so I wasn't expecting this to be the issue after a successful installation.
But since Ventoy needed a fix to install proxmox 8.1 in the first place, I guess I'll file another issue there.

 

[praxmaxl]

great to see there obviously is a solution. Thanks for documenting it here.

However, from a not-used-to-interfiering-with-the-boot-process-dummie's point of view the solution above it is a little tricky to digest.

here is a service to my fellow dummies:

1. in the GRUB menu time apply the e option to the Proxmox VE GNU/LINUXentry
   • this throws you into en editable text file
2. remove the rdinit=/vtoy/vtoy that is found in one of the lines towards the end (not at the absolute end though)
3. press F10 to boot with these options

once you have successfully booted finally

1. edit /etc/default/grub.d/installer.cfg in the way mentioned above using vi
   • make sure not to loose the closing " in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX" (otherwise #2 is throwing an error about this at you)
2. run update-grub
3. reboot
4. enjoy that it is working now till the end of time

 

[SpaceFrog]

great to see there obviously is a solution. Thanks for documenting it here.

However, from a not-used-to-interfiering-with-the-boot-process-dummie's point of view the solution above it is a little tricky to digest.

here is a service to my fellow dummies:

1. in the GRUB menu time apply the e option to the Proxmox VE GNU/LINUXentry
   • this throws you into en editable text file
2. remove the rdinit=/vtoy/vtoy that is found in one of the lines towards the end (not at the absolute end though)
3. press F10 to boot with these options

once you have successfully booted finally

1. edit /etc/default/grub.d/installer.cfg in the way mentioned above using vi
   • make sure not to loose the closing " in GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="$GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX" (otherwise #2 is throwing an error about this at you)
2. run update-grub
3. reboot
4. enjoy that it is working now till the end of time

You Legend!
Exactly what this dummy needed.

 

[stooovie]

Well, I installed proxmox via the official ISO and still have the same issue. This is NOT my first proxmox install and it did boot fine after the install, once.