[SOLVED] "Welcome to GRUB" after apt dist-upgrade

gfngfn256 · Mar 4, 2025

fabian said:
I've now managed to reproduce the issue as well, it happens if
- your system is booted using EFI but with secure boot disabled
- you are using the fallback bootloader (BOOTX64.EFI) to boot, but the Grub packages don't know about it
- the update will then update everything but that fallback bootloader binary
- the fallback binary and the rest of Grub on the ESP don't match anymore -> failure to boot

I reproduced the same - after suspecting this was the case.

fabian said:
I just sent a patch for our installer to ensure the fallback copy of Grub is also updated:
https://lore.proxmox.com/pve-devel/20250304094522.1621953-1-f.gruenbichler@proxmox.com/T/#u

Thanks for this fabian, & all your time & effort is much appreciated!

Edit: I'll just add, there are probably numerous users out there, who will suffer the same when they come to reboot their systems.

fabian · Mar 4, 2025

gfngfn256 said:
Edit: I'll just add, there are probably numerous users out there, who will suffer the same when they come to reboot their systems.

well, most systems should use the proxmox entry, the other one is just there as a fallback for broken EFI implementations..

I also sent an RFC patch earlier to detect the situation and tell affected users how to fix it f or already installed systems:

https://lore.proxmox.com/pve-devel/20250304105523.2724043-1-f.gruenbichler@proxmox.com/T/#u

Krypty · Mar 5, 2025

fabian said:
well, most systems should use the proxmox entry, the other one is just there as a fallback for broken EFI implementations..

I also sent an RFC patch earlier to detect the situation and tell affected users how to fix it f or already installed systems:

https://lore.proxmox.com/pve-devel/20250304105523.2724043-1-f.gruenbichler@proxmox.com/T/#u

Just following up that while I had no *known* issues (been a few months since my last reboot), I ran apt dist-upgrade today and actually came across this message from your patch. I got the warning, which I first googled and came across this thread, and did the steps suggested.

Rebooted my proxmox server as usual. No issues.

gfngfn256 · Mar 5, 2025

So I also just ran an update/dist-upgrade, got the message from the patch & followed the commands listed.
I attach all output:

Code:

Starting system upgrade: apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages will be upgraded:
  proxmox-kernel-helper
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 16.3 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm/pve-no-subscription amd64 proxmox-kernel-helper all 8.1.1 [16.3 kB]
Fetched 16.3 kB in 1s (12.1 kB/s)             
Reading changelogs... Done
(Reading database ... 60427 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../proxmox-kernel-helper_8.1.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) over (8.1.0) ...
Setting up proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.142+deb12u1) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Running hook script 'zz-proxmox-boot'..
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
No /etc/kernel/cmdline found - falling back to /proc/cmdline
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/0EB4-B1FB
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-7-pve
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-8-pve
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-7-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-7-pve
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done

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'


Your System is up-to-date


Seems you installed a kernel update - Please consider rebooting
this node to activate the new kernel.

starting shell


/# Executing suggested commands above:

~# 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@MINS-PRXMX:~# apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
0 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 1 reinstalled, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 0 B/45.7 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Preconfiguring packages ...
(Reading database ... 60427 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../grub-efi-amd64_2.06-13+pmx5_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx5) over (2.06-13+pmx5) ...
Setting up grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx5) ...
This system is booted via proxmox-boot-tool, running proxmox-boot-tool init for all configured bootdisks
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
UUID="0EB4-B1FB" SIZE="1073741824" FSTYPE="vfat" PARTTYPE="c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b" PKNAME="nvme0n1" MOUNTPOINT="/boot/efi"
E: '/dev/disk/by-uuid/0EB4-B1FB' is mounted on '/boot/efi' - exiting.
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/cmdline found - falling back to /proc/cmdline
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/0EB4-B1FB
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-7-pve
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-8-pve
Generating grub configuration file ...
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331499: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331499: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331512: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331512: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331525: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331525: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331538: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331538: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331599: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331599: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-7-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-7-pve
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331976: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[1700253]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 331976: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-7-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-7-pve
Found memtest86+ 64bit EFI image: /boot/memtest86+x64.efi
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
~#

The only line I'm bothered with above is:
E: '/dev/disk/by-uuid/0EB4-B1FB' is mounted on '/boot/efi' - exiting.
Maybe it should have been umounted before executing?

Anyway I've rebooted successfully &:

Code:

~# efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* proxmox       HD(2,GPT,9cbeef3c-23f6-4dec-89ca-dc71a7bf1903,0x800,0x200000)/File(\EFI\proxmox\grubx64.efi)
Boot0001* UEFI OS       HD(2,GPT,9cbeef3c-23f6-4dec-89ca-dc71a7bf1903,0x800,0x200000)/File(\EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI)..BO

Looks fine to me.

fabian · Mar 6, 2025

gfngfn256 said:
The only line I'm bothered with above is:
E: '/dev/disk/by-uuid/0EB4-B1FB' is mounted on '/boot/efi' - exiting.
Maybe it should have been umounted before executing?

yes. your ESP should either be mounted at /boot/efi (then grub-install and friends can just write to it directly), or not mounted and managed by proxmox-boot-tool (it will automatically mount and unmount it as needed and invoke grub-install and friends).

pigpen · Mar 6, 2025

I also did an update today:

Code:

Log started: 2025-03-06  09:51:51
(Reading database ... 82047 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../proxmox-kernel-helper_8.1.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) over (8.1.0) ...
Setting up proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.142+deb12u1) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Running hook script 'zz-proxmox-boot'..
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
No /etc/kernel/cmdline found - falling back to /proc/cmdline
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/F1B8-EA75
        Copying kernel 6.5.13-6-pve
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-7-pve
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-8-pve
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-7-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-7-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.5.13-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.5.13-6-pve
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done

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'

Log ended: 2025-03-06  09:52:12

And did what it said:

Code:

Log started: 2025-03-06  09:54:05
(Reading database ... 82047 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../grub-efi-amd64_2.06-13+pmx5_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx5) over (2.06-13+pmx5) ...
Setting up grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx5) ...
This system is booted via proxmox-boot-tool, running proxmox-boot-tool init for all configured bootdisks
Re-executing '/usr/sbin/proxmox-boot-tool' in new private mount namespace..
UUID="F1B8-EA75" SIZE="1073741824" FSTYPE="vfat" PARTTYPE="c12a7328-f81f-11d2-ba4b-00a0c93ec93b" PKNAME="nvme0n1" MOUNTPOINT="/boot/efi"
E: '/dev/disk/by-uuid/F1B8-EA75' is mounted on '/boot/efi' - exiting.
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/cmdline found - falling back to /proc/cmdline
Copying and configuring kernels on /dev/disk/by-uuid/F1B8-EA75
        Copying kernel 6.5.13-6-pve
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-7-pve
        Copying kernel 6.8.12-8-pve
Generating grub configuration file ...
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584327: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584327: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584340: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584340: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584353: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584353: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584366: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584366: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584427: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584427: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-7-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-7-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.5.13-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.5.13-6-pve
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584904: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[3678978]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 584904: /usr/sbin/grub-probe
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-7-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-7-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.5.13-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.5.13-6-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.2.16-20-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.2.16-20-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.2.16-3-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.2.16-3-pve
Found memtest86+ 64bit EFI image: /boot/memtest86+x64.efi
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
Log ended: 2025-03-06  09:54:11

Note the E: '/dev/disk/by-uuid/F1B8-EA75' is mounted on '/boot/efi' - exiting.

Reboot went fine, EFI boot order remains the same:

Code:

root@prox:~# efibootmgr -v
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 1 seconds
BootOrder: 0000,0001
Boot0000* proxmox       HD(2,GPT,426372a8-d55a-44d6-a2e3-f20f4d0e7569,0x800,0x200000)/File(\EFI\PROXMOX\GRUBX64.EFI)
Boot0001* UEFI OS       HD(2,GPT,426372a8-d55a-44d6-a2e3-f20f4d0e7569,0x800,0x200000)/File(\EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI)..BO

Would you say all is the way it should be?

fabian · Mar 6, 2025

what I wrote above applies here as well - an ESP should either be managed by proxmox-boot-tool, or mounted on the host, not both. but yes, the grub installation should be correct now!

pigpen · Mar 6, 2025

Thank you very much for your support! Highly appreciated!

gfngfn256 · Mar 6, 2025

fabian said:
an ESP should either be managed by proxmox-boot-tool, or mounted on the host, not both.

So which is it - my Proxmox install was a fresh one (non-ZFS) - all handled by the Proxmox installation & its' OS.
Do I need todo anything to rectify this?

fabian · Mar 6, 2025

for a setup with a single ESP like yours, you can choose either method, both should work. the default setup would be to have it mounted and not managed by proxmox-boot-tool.

FormerVMW · Mar 6, 2025

I'm glad I googled the message

Fabian: Thanks for the root cause analysis and code update.

It affected all of our servers. I send thanks to those who upgraded, rebooted, and discovered the issue first.

Vittorio · Mar 6, 2025

Hi all

I'm getting same error after proxmox-kernel-helper upgrade from 8.1.0 to 8.1.1

I've understood that a fix has been already requested (thanks), but I haven't understood if I can do something right now before restarting proxmox as suggested after a kernel update

Should I execute what's written at the end of the update log?

Code:

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'

This is what I've got as update log

Code:

Starting system upgrade: apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-3-pve-signed proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-4-pve-signed
  proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-5-pve-signed proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-6-pve-signed
Use 'apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be upgraded:
  proxmox-kernel-helper
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 16.3 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm/pve-no-subscription amd64 proxmox-kernel-helper all 8.1.1 [16.3 kB]
Fetched 16.3 kB in 0s (168 kB/s)              
Reading changelogs... Done
(Reading database ... 93773 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../proxmox-kernel-helper_8.1.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) over (8.1.0) ...
Setting up proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.142+deb12u1) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
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'


Your System is up-to-date

Seems you installed a kernel update - Please consider rebooting
this node to activate the new kernel.

Thanks

FormerVMW · Mar 7, 2025

Vittorio said:

Hi all

I'm getting same error after proxmox-kernel-helper upgrade from 8.1.0 to 8.1.1

I've understood that a fix has been already requested (thanks), but I haven't understood if I can do something right now before restarting proxmox as suggested after a kernel update

Should I execute what's written at the end of the update log?

Code:

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'

This is what I've got as update log

Code:

Starting system upgrade: apt-get dist-upgrade
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
Calculating upgrade... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
  proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-3-pve-signed proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-4-pve-signed
  proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-5-pve-signed proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-6-pve-signed
Use 'apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following packages will be upgraded:
  proxmox-kernel-helper
1 upgraded, 0 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 16.3 kB of archives.
After this operation, 0 B of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]
Get:1 http://download.proxmox.com/debian/pve bookworm/pve-no-subscription amd64 proxmox-kernel-helper all 8.1.1 [16.3 kB]
Fetched 16.3 kB in 0s (168 kB/s)            
Reading changelogs... Done
(Reading database ... 93773 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../proxmox-kernel-helper_8.1.1_all.deb ...
Unpacking proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) over (8.1.0) ...
Setting up proxmox-kernel-helper (8.1.1) ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postinst.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Installing new version of config file /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-proxmox-boot ...
Processing triggers for initramfs-tools (0.142+deb12u1) ...
update-initramfs: Generating /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
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'


Your System is up-to-date

Seems you installed a kernel update - Please consider rebooting
this node to activate the new kernel.

Thanks

Run the command. The command is the fix. Before the fix was implemented, the command you see was not outputted

After you run the command(s), it will properly update grub and you'll be able to reboot without issues.

fufufighter · Mar 7, 2025

Oh my god thank you for this fix, I was about to reinstall! I'm still going to but for other reasons.

ErwinW · Mar 7, 2025

Unfortunately one of my Proxmox servers is now showing the " Welcome to GRUB!" message.
I'm a bit lost now how to resolve this issue, could somebody please advice how to continue. (I'm not that advanced with the linux commands)

gfngfn256 · Mar 7, 2025

ErwinW said:
Unfortunately one of my Proxmox servers is now showing the " Welcome to GRUB!" message.

Follow my above posted message.

You will need to create a Proxmox ISO USB installer (maybe you still have one) & then boot up from it, select the Advanced Mode & rescue boot. This should make your Proxmox instance boot (for now).

To fix it permanently you will need to provide further output after that.

I'm gone for now, but should be back Saturday evening.

ErwinW · Mar 7, 2025

gfngfn256 said:
Follow my above posted message.

You will need to create a Proxmox ISO USB installer (maybe you still have one) & then boot up from it, select the Advanced Mode & rescue boot. This should make your Proxmox instance boot (for now).

To fix it permanently you will need to provide further output after that.

I'm gone for now, but should be back Saturday evening.

Thanks, i was able to solve but did the final step differently
What I did:

1. Booted up into Proxmox Rescue Mode from my installer USB
2. When booted up, logged in on the GUI
3. Run the Update to 8.1.1
4. Run the command:

Code:

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

5. Run the command:

Code:

apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64

6. Shut down system
7. Removed USB
8. Boot

All working again!

Big thanks to @gfngfn256

TrevorW · Mar 8, 2025

One of my systems crashed during the grub update. I didn't know about the proxmox rescue boot so I began the process of restoring VMs from backups to one of my other machines, after confirming the restores were working I started looking at the faulty machine and was able to boot using the fallback instance and I attempted to recover the update process using

Code:

dpkg --configure -a

this again crashed the system. I've attached the term.log covering the 2 aborted updates.

I then found this thread and the rescue boot, using that I was able to successfully boot and login via the gui, from here I was able to complete the upgrade by

Code:

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

and

Code:

apt install --reinstall grub-efi-amd64

I've since rebooted without the rescue boot and everything is back to normal.

My only concern is the warning

Code:

/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..

during the successful upgrade.

Was this related to why the system twice crashed during the update procedure?

Code:

Log started: 2025-03-08  19:37:12
(Reading database ...
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 86867 files and directories currently installed.)
Preparing to unpack .../grub-efi-amd64_2.06-13+pmx5_amd64.deb ...
Unpacking grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx5) over (2.06-13+pmx5) ...
Setting up grub-efi-amd64 (2.06-13+pmx5) ...
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[85454]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 32913: grub-install.real
File descriptor 3 (pipe:[85454]) leaked on vgs invocation. Parent PID 32913: grub-install.real
grub-install.real: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Installation finished. No error reported.
Generating grub configuration file ...
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-6-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-4-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-4-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.5.13-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.5.13-6-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.108-1-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.15.108-1-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.102-1-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.15.102-1-pve
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Found memtest86+ 64bit EFI image: /boot/memtest86+x64.efi
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
Log ended: 2025-03-08  19:37:31

Log started: 2025-03-08  19:38:32
(Reading database ...
(Reading database ... 5%
(Reading database ... 10%
(Reading database ... 15%
(Reading database ... 20%
(Reading database ... 25%
(Reading database ... 30%
(Reading database ... 35%
(Reading database ... 40%
(Reading database ... 45%
(Reading database ... 50%
(Reading database ... 55%
(Reading database ... 60%
(Reading database ... 65%
(Reading database ... 70%
(Reading database ... 75%
(Reading database ... 80%
(Reading database ... 85%
(Reading database ... 90%
(Reading database ... 95%
(Reading database ... 100%
(Reading database ... 86864 files and directories currently installed.)
Removing proxmox-kernel-6.8.12-4-pve-signed (6.8.12-4) ...
Examining /etc/kernel/postrm.d.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/initramfs-tools 6.8.12-4-pve /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-4-pve
update-initramfs: Deleting /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-4-pve
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/proxmox-auto-removal 6.8.12-4-pve /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-4-pve
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-proxmox-boot 6.8.12-4-pve /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-4-pve
Re-executing '/etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-proxmox-boot' in new private mount namespace..
No /etc/kernel/proxmox-boot-uuids found, skipping ESP sync.
run-parts: executing /etc/kernel/postrm.d/zz-update-grub 6.8.12-4-pve /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-4-pve
Generating grub configuration file ...
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-8-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-8-pve
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.8.12-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.8.12-6-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.5.13-6-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-6.5.13-6-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.108-1-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.15.108-1-pve
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15.102-1-pve
Found initrd image: /boot/initrd.img-5.15.102-1-pve
/usr/sbin/grub-probe: warning: Couldn't find physical volume `pv1'. Some modules may be missing from core image..
Found memtest86+ 64bit EFI image: /boot/memtest86+x64.efi
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done
Log ended: 2025-03-08  19:38:38

fabian · Mar 10, 2025

anything visible in the system log (journal)? was there any error on the screen? anything particular about this system (complicated LVM setup, for example?)

TrevorW · Mar 10, 2025

fabian said:
anything visible in the system log (journal)? was there any error on the screen? anything particular about this system (complicated LVM setup, for example?)

Thanks Fabian, yeah there were some SMART errors reporting in the system log and I calculated the poweron hours and the disk had been on for 7+ years so I've replaced it.

[SOLVED] "Welcome to GRUB" after apt dist-upgrade

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