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Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot

Avron - over 1 year ago -

https://wiki.parabola.nu/Installing_Parabola_on_Libreboot_with_full_disk_encryption_(including_/boot) directs to https://libreboot.org/docs/gnulinux/grub_boot_installer.html

If I try "Search ISOLINUX menu (USB)", I get:

error: syntax error.
error: Incorrect command.
error: syntax error.

Press any key to continue.." 

Then it goes back to the main menu. I also tried to do it manually:

set root='usb0'
linux /parabola/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz
initrd /parabola/boot/x86_64/parabolaiso.img
boot

I could find the paths but I have no clue what the options should be, so I tried without.

It seems to start booting but it can't find a device and I am stuck with a [rootfs ]# prompt as in the picture below.

So I am missing kernel parameters but what are they?

I see /parabola/x86_64/root-image.fs.sfs, I guess it may be to be used as root fs but I can't find how to indicate that. I saw https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel_parameters#GRUB which uses a root=UUID=... parameter but I don't know how to do for this root-image.fs.sfs.

EDIT: I forgot to mention this is the 20160907 stable Libreboot on an x201i. However, I also tried booting the same iso from the 20220710 stable Libreboot on an x200, the "search isolinux" option gives the same result.


Replies (8)

Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - bill-auger - over 1 year ago -

there is a long-standing bug report about libreboot and the
parabola LiveISOs - it offers multiple suggestions for manual
booting

https://labs.parabola.nu/issues/2108#note-7
https://labs.parabola.nu/issues/2108#note-16
https://labs.parabola.nu/issues/2108#note-19
https://labs.parabola.nu/issues/2108#note-21

the systemd/LXDE ISO is the only one on the download page that is
known to boot OOTB on all libreboot computers - you will have
trouble upgrading after it is installed though, because it is
quite out-of-date - but it is possible - i did it just a few
months ago

the other option is to burn the ISO onto a CD - im pretty sure
any of the parabola LiveISOs will boot on any libreboot computer
that way

RE: Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - Avron - over 1 year ago -

Thanks.

I'll try flashing the seabios_withgrub payload, if that works it would be the easiest solution, now and for the future, and it is flexible.

I don't have anything to deal with CDs so I won't try that.

I previously used the lxde iso and gave up updating after trying a number of things, seems risky to rely on that to repair or reinstall in the future.

I previously flashed seabios_grubfirst but selecting SeaBIOS in the menu immediately comes back to the menu without doing anything. The description of this payload says "SeaBIOS is configured via special bootorder file in CBFS so as to ONLY load GNU GRUB". Perhaps it means only boot GRUB from the flash, not GRUB anywhere else. But if so, I don't understand why it does not even boot the installed system (not parabola) that boots fine with the grub entry in the menu.

In any case, don't use that payload to boot the parabola cli iso, it does not work.

RE: Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - Avron - over 1 year ago -

Finally, I flashed the grub_x200_8mb_libgfxinit_corebootfb payload.

The grub menu has a seabios entry, after selecting it I press ESC and I select the USB drive, then it boots the parabola cli iso from USB with no problem. So problem solved.

Strangely, when I select the default entry (grub) to boot the system on the disk, sometimes it says it can't find anything (lots of messages) and won't boot the system on the disk (trisquel, /boot is not encrypted, but it can't boot with seabios as grub was not installed on the mbr) it comes back to the main menu and still won't work. I power off and on, then this time it works.

RE: Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - bill-auger - over 1 year ago -

it boots the parabola cli iso from USB with no problem. So problem solved.

not quite - you really must mention which ISO you booted - they
are not all made the same way

even then, it is not obvious why that bootlader works and the
other does not - so we are far from a general solution

RE: Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - Avron - over 1 year ago -

I used the systemd iso with the 5.17.3 kernel parabola-x86_64-systemd-cli-2022.04-netinstall.iso

I picked that one because it is the most recent one. For the purpose of installing or repairing a system, does it matter whether it is a systemd or openrc iso? I thought there is no relation between the init system of the iso and of the system to be installed or repaired.

Besides, I understand that the LXDE iso has a graphical installer but normally, the target audience for this is for less technically skilled people, but if updating the system is anyway difficult, these people might not be able to use it. Or is there any other motivation for this kind of iso?

About "why that bootloader works", I have used a number of trisquel and debian iso, in addition to paralbola and I have never seen any not booting with a general purpose seabios of libreboot or osboot. On the libreboot site, I always saw that seabios should work with anything that has grub on the mbr.

About "why the other does not", my understanding of how these iso work is very poor. If other people using parabola more competent than me don't know, perhaps some discussion with libreboot people would be useful.

RE: Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - bill-auger - over 1 year ago -

does it matter whether it is a systemd or openrc iso?

there is no relation, it does not make any difference which ISO
you use, for any purpose

Or is there any other motivation for this kind of iso?

no, that is the motivation - only to help non-technical people
bypass the daunting CLI install procedure

I always saw that seabios should work with anything that has grub on the mbr.

yes, i am fairly convinced that the problem is related to the EFI

RE: Problem booting Parabola CLI iso on Libreboot - bill-auger - 5 months ago -

there is a related ticket https://labs.parabola.nu/issues/2108

just an update for completeness, several people have confirmed that entering these commands manually allows these libreboot payloads to boot the ISOs - this is probably the general solution

root=(usb0)
linux /parabola/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz parabolaisobasedir=parabola parabolaisolabel=PARA_202205
initrd /parabola/boot/x86_64/parabolaiso.img
boot

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