Bug 29979

Thank you for the report, and apologies for the angst.
The following note is for the CC's, not you, Zamir.

@Morgan, @Dave
I have no experience of Netinstall, and wonder whether it can operate in text mode. If it can, and get far enough to install inxi, we can ask for the O/P from 'inxi -MSGxx'; and possibly the system journal? Or whatever else you might suggest.
CC'ing also tmb as this may be a kernel issue.

CC: (none) => davidwhodgins, fri, lewyssmith, tmb

Installer boots in text mode, with a help screen.
There type "text" and enter to continue in text mode, also in stage 2.
There are also other options described, i.e passing parameters to kernel.

A way to investigate the system is to boot a live Mageia iso.
(and if you want, install it)

Thank you for information.

I tried 'text' option and seems that it workaround for me.
I found that boot menu for UEFI and MBR/legacy has differences.
UEFI menu not contain "text" option. 

======= EFI/BOOT/grub.cfg =======
menuentry 'Start Mageia 8 Install' {
        linux /isolinux/x86_64/vmlinuz audit=0 quiet noiswmd
        initrd /isolinux/x86_64/all.rdz
}

menuentry 'Start Mageia 8 Rescue' {
        linux /isolinux/x86_64/vmlinuz audit=0 noiswmd rescue
        initrd /isolinux/x86_64/all.rdz
}

menuentry 'Memory Test' {
        linux32 /isolinux/memtest
}

===== isolinux/isolinux.cfg =====
label linux
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 noiswmd audit=0 vga=791 splash quiet
label vgalo
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 noiswmd audit=0 vga=785
label vgahi
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 noiswmd audit=0 vga=791
label text
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 noiswmd audit=0 text
label rescue
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 noiswmd audit=0 audit=0 rescue
label noacpi
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 vga=791 splash quiet noiswmd audit=0 acpi=off
label x86_64
  kernel x86_64/vmlinuz
  append initrd=x86_64/all.rdz audit=0 vga=791 splash quiet noiswmd
label memtest
  kernel memtest

-----------------------------

I find it convenient to have multiple images on flash, so I use bootflash with grub2 and iso-images, instead of "dd if=iso of=flash". 
Live image freeze and boot fail under such conditions.
In addition, the live image does not allow to perform a full custom installation.

grub.cfg example from flash:


-----------------------------
menuentry "Mageia 7.1 x86_64 netinstall nonfree" {
 loopback loop /iso/Mageia-7.1-netinstall-nonfree-x86_64.iso
 linux (loop)/isolinux/x86_64/vmlinuz audit=0 quiet noiswmd logo.nologo mitigations=off text
 initrd (loop)/isolinux/x86_64/all.rdz
}

menuentry "Mageia 8.0 x86_64 xfce" {
    echo ooo
    set isofile="/iso/Mageia-8-Live-Xfce-x86_64.iso"
    set mlabel="Mageia-8-Live-Xfce-x86_64"
    search --no-floppy -f --set=root $isofile
    loopback loop (hd0,1)$isofile
    linux  (loop)/boot/vmlinuz iso-scan/filename=$isofile isofile=$isofile isoloop=$isofile isofrom=/dev/sda1/$isofile lang=ru_RU audit=0 root=mgalive:LABEL=$mlabel noiswmd rd.luks=0 rd.lvm=0
    initrd (loop)/boot/initrd.img
}
-----------------------------

p.s. In my opinion the best solution is to get the video driver working, but I haven't found any solutions for this.

> I tried 'text' option and seems that it workaround for me
Does this mean that you could install the system successfully?

And - once installed, does it then boot & work correctly?

> I find it convenient to have multiple images on flash,
> so I use bootflash with grub2 and iso-images
> Live image freeze and boot fail under such conditions.
Do you mean multiple images of installation ISOs, or multiple 'installed' systems?
What happens if you boot a Live ISO (say USB) independantly? Does this freeze?

>>> Does this mean that you could install the system successfully?

I haven't tried going all the way with the installation, but I trust you and I think I can. 

>>> And - once installed, does it then boot & work correctly?

I used livecd(ubuntu)+rsync for copy Mageia form old laptop to new laptop and it working correclty after copied. (updated Mageia7 too).

>>> Do you mean multiple images of installation ISOs, or multiple 'installed' systems?

I mean usb-flash with multiple ISO images for purpose installation/repaid OS.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Multiboot_USB_drive

>>> What happens if you boot a Live ISO (say USB) independantly? Does this freeze?

>>> dd if=Mageia-8-Live-Xfce-x86_64.iso of=/dev/sda

I haven't tried.

>>>    set isofile="/iso/Mageia-8-Live-Xfce-x86_64.iso"
>>>    set mlabel="Mageia-8-Live-Xfce-x86_64"
>>>    search --no-floppy -f --set=root $isofile
>>>    loopback loop (hd0,1)$isofile
>>>    linux  (loop)/boot/vmlinuz iso-scan/filename=$isofile isofile=$isofile isoloop=$isofile isofrom=/dev/sda1/$isofile lang=ru_RU audit=0 root=mgalive:LABEL=$mlabel noiswmd rd.luks=0 rd.lvm=0
>>>    initrd (loop)/boot/initrd.img

Black screen. Freeze or incorrect termination.

----------------------------
Summary:
1) netinstaller not working in graphic mode with amdgpu. WA  - use text mode.
2) official image not working in graphic mode with amdgpu. WA - use text mode.
3) livecd must work, but does not allow to select a packages.
4) livecd not support multiboot USB drive (support only dd method).
5) grub menu UEFI not contain 'text' mode option. WA - use edit for append 'text' option in grub menu.

Thank you for these furthe explanations.
If you have a working system installed on the machine with the troublesome amdgpu graphics, please can you post the output of:
 $ inxi -MSGxx
to describe the system, especially the graphics.

> I mean usb-flash with multiple ISO images for purpose installation/repair OS
I am not sure whether our ISOs should be expected to work in this exotic situation.

CC'ing Martin for his view before assigning this.

CC: (none) => mageia

Hi Team,

$ inxi -MSGxx
System:    Host: PAD5 Kernel: 5.15.19-desktop-1.mga8 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 10.3.0 Desktop: Cinnamon 4.8.3 
           tk: GTK 3.24.24 dm: LightDM Distro: Mageia 8 mga8 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 82L7 v: IdeaPad 5 Pro 14ACN6 serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 
           v: IdeaPad 5 Pro 14ACN6 serial: <superuser required> 
           Mobo: LENOVO model: LNVNB161216 v: No DPK serial: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO v: GECN27WW(V1.11) 
           date: 10/26/2021 
Graphics:  Device-1: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD/ATI] Cezanne vendor: Lenovo driver: amdgpu v: kernel bus ID: 04:00.0 
           chip ID: 1002:1638 
           Device-2: Chicony Integrated Camera type: USB driver: uvcvideo bus ID: 1-3:2 chip ID: 04f2:b6be 
           Display: x11 server: Mageia X.org 1.20.14 driver: amdgpu,v4l resolution: 2240x1400~60Hz s-dpi: 96 
           OpenGL: renderer: AMD RENOIR (DRM 3.42.0 5.15.19-desktop-1.mga8 LLVM 11.0.1) v: 4.6 Mesa 21.3.4 direct render: Yes 

Thanks.

We have a section on the Wiki about multi-boot methods:

https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Installation_Media#LiveUSB_MultiBoot_Methods_.28verified.29

but I think it is a bit out of date. There is a new contender, Ventoy, which other people have reported works with the Mageia ISOs. I did submit a patch for multibootusb that made it work, but that project looks to be abandoned now.

So it can be made to work, but it's not something we directly support.

Thank you Martin.
What about the starting problem of the installer vesa driver not working with the graphic card in question? Just say "alas, there is always some hardware which we cannot install on?" Or in your experience, should it?

It may be a case of too new hardware for the Linux kernel on the Mageia 8 ISOs. Cezanne is the code name for the GPU in the Zen 3 generation of APUs. The Mageia 8 netinstall works fine on my laptop with the previous generation (Zen 2) APU. Try the cauldron netinstall ISO to see if that works. I believe it is possible to use that to install Mageia 8, if you point it at the right repository.

Created attachment 13116 [details]
screen after load cauldron image

Hi Martin,

>>> Try the cauldron netinstall ISO to see if that works. I 

I tried.
1) iso image has incorrect configuration of file /etc/nsswitch.conf
  "hosts:" not contain "dns", consequently dns lookup broken.
  if hotfix this issue, that image https://mageia.ip-connect.info/distrib/cauldron/x86_64/install/stage2/mdkinst.sqfs and ... the result is exactly the same as Mageia8

>>> The Mageia 8 netinstall works fine on my laptop with the previous generation (Zen 2) APU

Please specify your screen resolution just in case. Because my resolution 2240x1400 not standard for VESA. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VESA_BIOS_Extensions

(In reply to Martin Whitaker from comment #10)
> It may be a case of too new hardware for the Linux kernel on the Mageia 8
> ISOs.
Thank you Martin. This is very probable; I wondered likewise, but do not have the H/W knowhow that you expressed. Sign off from from the bug if you wish now.

(In reply to Zamir Ostroukhov from comment #12)
> >>> Try the cauldron netinstall ISO to see if that works. I 
> I tried.
> 1) iso image has incorrect configuration of file /etc/nsswitch.conf
>   "hosts:" not contain "dns", consequently dns lookup broken.
>   if hotfix this issue, that image
> https://mageia.ip-connect.info/distrib/cauldron/x86_64/install/stage2/
> mdkinst.sqfs and ... the result is exactly the same as Mageia8
The screenshot attachment is useful evidence.
It is no panick that Mageia 8 installer does not work with very recent graphics hardware. But it should for Mageia 9, so changed version to Cauldron.

Assigning to 'tools' re the Installer.
tmb is CC'd re the kernel/driver aspect.

CC: lewyssmith => (none)
Version: 8 => Cauldron
Summary: installer don't working with intergated amdgpu video card due to vesa driver => installer don't working with intergated amdgpu video card [AMD/ATI] Cezanne @ 2240x1400 due to vesa driver
Assignee: bugsquad => mageiatools