Arch Linux

flatmoll

Guest

[SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Hi, I try to install:
Arch Linux 2024.07.01
ON Dell Inspiron 15 3558
WITH Kingston Datatraveller Exodia M
USING Ventoy 1.0.99 flashed from Windows 10;

Secure boot is off. Windows boots normally.
When I select Arch in Ventoy (normal boot),
I see the blinking underscore on top left (text cursor),
but it is frozen and nothing else is happening.

I searched the internet but found nothing matching my problem.
I hope this is the right place to ask.

Last edited by flatmoll (2024-07-30 22:57:09)

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 1,110

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

have you disabled fast boot in windows power management?

seth

Member

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 60,080

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

… and can you boot when passing "nomodeset" to the kernel commandline?

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flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

have you disabled fast boot in windows power management?

After I did, nothing changed.
In fact, message blinks shortly before Ventoy starts:

Failed to open \EFI\BOOT\? - Invalid Parameter
Failed to load image ??: Invalid Parameter
start_image() returned Invalid Parameter,
falling back to default loader

? in my message stands for invalid Unicode char,
this square with question mark inside.

I don't know if this error is related to Arch,
since I have 3 images on my USB stick.

flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

… and can you boot when passing "nomodeset" to the kernel commandline?

I don't have access to the archiso command line,
the freeze happens right after selection in Ventoy,
and the screen is empty except the frozen cursor on top left,
the cursor you usually use to navigate in terminal.

Edit: This Arch image boots normally in Virtualbox.

Last edited by flatmoll (2024-07-29 22:33:29)

Cornul11

Member

Registered: 2022-02-02

Posts: 12

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Which mode do you use, normal or grub2?

Last edited by Cornul11 (2024-07-29 22:36:54)

flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Which mode do you use, normal or grub2?

Normal boot, selected in Ventoy.

seth

Member

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 60,080

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Create an arch iso using dd - at this point we don't even know whether this is an issue w/ the iso/kernel or ventory and while I've no idea how ventoy actually works

I don't have access to the archiso command line

not being able to pass parameters to the kernel commandline (NOT! some interactive bash, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel_parameters
) isn't a good start anyway.

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How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 1,110

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

I've not used ventoy myself as I've PXE set up - but most if not every bootloader usually allows to edit the boot parameter or the entire bootventry - usually E or TAB with the entry in question selected

flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Create an arch iso using dd - at this point we don't even know whether this is an issue w/ the iso/kernel or ventory and while I've no idea how ventoy actually works

I don't have access to the archiso command line

not being able to pass parameters to the kernel commandline (NOT! some interactive bash, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Kernel_parameters
) isn't a good start anyway.

I only have windows 10 laptop,
so dd or parted are unavailable to me.
I don't think I can do this through Virtualbox.

Maybe you used some utility
that is also available on windows?

cryptearth

Member

Registered: 2024-02-03

Posts: 1,110

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Maybe you used some utility that is also available on windows?

usually with uefi all you need is a FAT32 formatted partition and a bootloader installed to EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI - this should also work on windows - there's no need to "burn" an image onto a flashdrive - a simple extract should be sufficient
keep in mind: for tools like ventoy with FAT32 you're limited to a filesize of 4gb - which should be sufficient as ventoy is meant to boot installers and tools - not full blown live desktops

flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

UPDATE:
Booting windows (Ventoy, normal mode) - same freeze.
Booting arch (Ventoy, grub2) - boots normally.
Updating Ventoy didn't help.
I firmly believe this is somehow related to the error
with Unicode chars I described above.

Edit: I assume the problem is with normal boot on all OS,
so this is either Ventoy or Dell doing things.

Last edited by flatmoll (2024-07-30 15:01:18)

seth

Member

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 60,080

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/USB_fl … or_Windows

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How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc

flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Maybe you used some utility that is also available on windows?

usually with uefi all you need is a FAT32 formatted partition and a bootloader installed to EFI\BOOT\BOOTX64.EFI - this should also work on windows - there's no need to "burn" an image onto a flashdrive - a simple extract should be sufficient
keep in mind: for tools like ventoy with FAT32 you're limited to a filesize of 4gb - which should be sufficient as ventoy is meant to boot installers and tools - not full blown live desktops

FAT32! How I forgot?
However, it didn't help.
Still the same freeze and error message.

flatmoll

Guest

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

After trying several times,
I booted normally with Rufus.
The last option I would trust but it worked.
The problem was in Ventoy.

Please be aware:
Ventoy 1.0.99 for Windows.

Ventoy worked for me 2 years ago,
but it was installed on Arch, not Arch on it.

In my experience, Linux originated software
works a little worse on Windows than on Linux.
E.g. KDE, Ventoy, dd.

Edit: since it's not Arch problem, how to close the thread?

Last edited by flatmoll (2024-07-30 23:00:00)

seth

Member

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 60,080

Re: [SOLVED] Empty screen on iso boot

Mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

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How to upload text · How to boot w/o GUI · Disable Windows Fast-Start! · Fix your xinitrc