New Debian 3cx install GRUB Fails

[saguaro]

I am installing a new 3cx v15 using the debian iso on a Shuttle NC02U with a m.2 PCE Express SATA. The install goes fine until it get's to GRUB then it fails. Any idea's?

 

[smario]

Hi,

Are you installing our ISO?

Make sure that from the BIOS settings, check if you have BIOS CSM mode enabled. It is recommended on the NC02U to have this enabled as this forces the Debian installer to boot into PC compatibility mode (and not EFI) and also install GRUB on the MBR rather than the EFI layout.

When you boot into the Debian installer, go through the steps until you've reached the question about installing grub.

Pause and do not proceed with grub install just yet.

Hold ctrl+alt + F2. You will be presented with a terminal in which you will type: tail -f /var/log/syslog. Like this you can monitor what happens when you install grub. You will switch between the terminal and the installer screen this way. CTRL+ALT+F1 will take you back to the installer.

Go back to the installer (ctrl+alt+F1). Install grub and make sure its selected to install on the MBR of the boot disk usually /dev/sda1. If it fails, CTRL+ALT+F2 takes you back to the syslog output and you can get the exact reason why grub is failing. If it fails reply back with the error message that GRUB logs to syslog. Check first though that you have CSM enabled to disable Debian going into EFI mode from the BIOS.

Let me know of your results.

 

[saguaro]

The BIOS is not in UEFI mode. This works to a Standard drive just not to a M.2 in pcie. This fails on the grub. I will post the logs

 

[saguaro]

grub-installer failed with error code 1. I did find a couple of articles about Debian and NVE SSD not being support in some kernel versions.

 

[smario]

The BIOS is not in UEFI mode. This works to a Standard drive just not to a M.2 in pcie. This fails on the grub. I will post the logs

It looks like you're faced with one or possibly two problems here. M2 support for the current Debian stable kernel is sometimes problematic but thankfully not far from the current kernel version, things improve drastically. Secondly, there is a known bug in grub installing the bootloader on nvme disks, both in UEFI or legacy mode.

Being faced with both problems here presents you with two options:

1) Swap out the M2 SSD for a traditional disk. 3CX PBX disk I/O requirements are more than comfortably met with a traditional SATA disk/SSD on a mini PC. It's also a NC02U hardware setup that we've tested and know works very well. This also solves both the nvme Debian support problem as well as the Grub problem.

2) The NC02U BIOS supports setting the disk to native SATA; NVME disabled. Check the BIOS options for the M2 disk. This will allow you to partition and install to disk but Grub must be installed manually. It will fail if you install using the Debian installer screens as you will almost likely be dealing with the second problem mentioned above . I will PM you regarding this.

 

[saguaro]

This is a M.2 nvme unit. The SSD does not show in SATA mode. I will just switch to a standard sata.

 

[Bhavin]

Hi there

I have solved this problem, these are the steps I followed

1. Enter BIOS
2. Go to Advanced - Oboard Devices Configuration - M.2 Device Select change to PCIE
3. Go to Boot - Change Boot Mode Select - UEFI
4. Save and Exit
5. Boot from the 3CX ISO - Follow setup till the grub fails
6. From the setup menu go to shell
7. Type the following:

cd /target
mount -t proc proc proc/
mount --rbind /sys sys/
mount --rbind /dev dev/
mount --rbind /run run/
chroot . /bin/bash

nano /etc/apt/sources.list
--add in
deb http://http.debian.net/debian jessie-backports main
--exit and save

apt-get update
apt-get -t jessie-backports install linux-image-amd64
apt-get -t jessie-backports install grub-efi
update-grub
grub-install

exit the shell and go to continue without installing boot loader

after the setup finish and the reboot you should be able to setup the 3CX system

Kind Regards

Bhavin

 

[Bhavin]

The M.2 drive will not show in the BIOS