Cannot get past grub to reach the customizable boot options (live-USB); terminates into a blank, black screen [Solved]

[MXer321]

EDITED ON 10 AUG 2021:

• MOST EVERYTHING IN THIS THREAD IS SUPERCEDED BY ANOTHER THREAD OF MINE.
• SOLUTION: viewtopic.php?p=648112#p648112
• CORDIALLY SUGGEST TO IGNORE STUFF BELOW IN THIS THREAD. KINDLY GO TO THE LINK ABOVE INSTEAD.

***********************************************
Dear forum,

Good afternoon. While non-persistent boot is working, a customizable boot selection terminates in a blank, black screen. I get the blank, black screen after selecting the second option for customizable boot on the grub menu.

My attempted mitigations that have failed are:
>> I have tried using 18.3, 19.3 and 19.4 versions of MX.
>> I have burned these to some identical USBs, using MX Live Maker whilst using a non-persistent session of MX. I am not using Rufus.
>> I have tried booting ‘TORAM’ and then cloning from a live running session (as per viewtopic.php?t=61886&start=11, thank you).

In sum, I cannot get past grub to reach the customizable boot options (with an eye towards establishing persistence). No problems with starting and using non-persistent MX sessions.

Hardware is a 2020-vintage, 64-bit LG Gram 17 (A17Z90N-R.AAC8U1). I am the original owner.

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Processor	 // 	x64-based Intel(R) Core(TM) i7-1065G7 CPU @ 1.30GHz, 1498 Mhz
Cores	 // 	4 Cores
Logical Processors	 // 	8 Logical Processors
Installed RAM	 // 	16.0 GB (15.7 GB usable)
BIOS Version/Date	 // 	Phoenix Technologies Ltd. C2ZE0160 X64, 4/7/2020
SMBIOS Version	 // 	3.1
BIOS Mode	 // 	UEFI
BaseBoard Manufacturer	 // 	LG Electronics
BaseBoard Product	 // 	17Z90N
BaseBoard Version	 // 	FAB1
Secure Boot State	 // 	On
Virtualization-based security Available Security Properties	 // 	Base Virtualization Support, Secure Boot, DMA Protection, UEFI Code Readonly, SMM Security Mitigations 1.0, Mode Based Execution Control, APIC Virtualization
Pen and touch	 // 	No pen or touch input is available for this display

Searching the MX Linux forums, I found:

Code: Select all

Search term: “persistent”	>1,100 results
Search term: “persistence”	>3,550 results
Search term: “black screen”	>2,100 results

I thank you advance for your replies and uncompensated assistance. With kindest regards.




{{ edited for clarity per forum rules on [/] type text. Thx! }}

[fehlix]

Suggest to start with what displayed at top of the Help page:

Help for Current Versions of MX
When asking for help, use Quick System Info from MX Tools. It will be properly formatted using the following steps.
1. Click on Quick System Info in MX Tools
2. Right click in your post and paste.

Thanks

[MXer321]

Thank you, fehlix.

Code: Select all

System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 5.8.0-3-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/antiX/vmlinuz quiet splasht nosplash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.3_ahs_x64 patito feo November 11  2020 
           base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LG product: 17Z90N-R.AAC8U1 v: 0.1 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 10 v: 0.1 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LG model: 17Z90N v: FAB1 serial: <filter> UEFI: Phoenix v: C2ZE0160 X64 
           date: 04/07/2020 
Battery:   ID-1: CMB0 charge: 74.9 Wh condition: 76.1/80.0 Wh (95%) volts: 8.7/7.7 
           model: LG LGC-LGC type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Unknown 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-1065G7 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Ice Lake 
           family: 6 model-id: 7E (126) stepping: 5 microcode: 78 L2 cache: 8192 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 23961 
           Speed: 1235 MHz min/max: 400/3900 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1170 2: 1202 3: 1200 
           4: 1201 5: 1201 6: 1202 7: 1201 8: 1200 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled 
           Type: l1tf status: Not affected 
           Type: mds status: Not affected 
           Type: meltdown status: Not affected 
           Type: spec_store_bypass 
           mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB filling 
           Type: srbds status: Not affected 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel vendor: LG driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:8a52 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel Iris Plus Graphics (ICL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.1.8 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel vendor: LG driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 
           chip ID: 8086:34c8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.8.0-3-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Intel driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 2000 bus ID: 00:14.3 
           chip ID: 8086:34f0 
           IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Realtek RTL8152 Fast Ethernet Adapter type: USB driver: r8152 bus ID: 3-7:4 
           chip ID: 0bda:8152 serial: <filter> 
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 506.75 GiB used: 1.64 GiB (0.3%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLB512HAJQ-00000 size: 476.94 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> 
           rev: EXA7301Q scheme: GPT 
           ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Glide 3.0 size: 29.81 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B serial: <filter> rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: N/A size: 12.16 GiB used: 25.1 MiB (0.2%) fs: overlay 
           source: ERR-102 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 56.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           2: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster ahs
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 249 Uptime: 1m Memory: 15.27 GiB used: 641.8 MiB (4.1%) Init: SysVinit 
           v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36 

Sincerely,

MXer321

[fehlix]

Suggest, to get latest MX-19.4_July_ahs.iso from any of the listed Download server under "Snapshot" at https://mxlinux.org/wiki/detailed-iso-list/

or just a nearby server like this one:
http://nl.mxrepo.com/Downloads/Snapshots/
Do also try to verify the download either with one of the provided checksums ( recommend sha512sum)
or even better gnupg-signature.

[MXer321]

Many kind thanks.

I am now running non-persistent MX-19.4_July_ahs.ISO (2021 vers). Sadly for me, I could not get into the customizable boot, and ended up with the blank, black screen. No issues starting and using a non-persistent session, which I am typing this on.

I downloaded the ISOs and confirmed the SHA512 sums from both of the sources you kindly had recommended: (i) mxlinux.org/wiki/detailed-iso-list/ [[via sourceforge.net/projects/mx-linux/files/Snapshots/]] and (ii) nl.mxrepo.com/Downloads/Snapshots/. Over the last several weeks and months, I had used sourceforge also, and confirmed the SHA256 sums for v18.3, 19.3 and 19.4.

Separately, I also just tried the same for the non-'Oz' version: MX-19.4_July_x64 (2021 vers.), just to see whether by chance, it might get me somewhere. Sadly for me again, I could not get into the customizable boot.

Code: Select all

Snapshot created on: 20210715_1844
System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 5.10.0-5mx-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/antiX/vmlinuz quiet splasht nosplash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.4_ahs_x64 patito feo March 31  2021 base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LG product: 17Z90N-R.AAC8U1 v: 0.1 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 10 v: 0.1 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LG model: 17Z90N v: FAB1 serial: <filter> UEFI: Phoenix v: C2ZE0160 X64 
           date: 04/07/2020 
Battery:   ID-1: CMB0 charge: 74.9 Wh condition: 76.1/80.0 Wh (95%) volts: 8.7/7.7 
           model: LG LGC-LGC type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Unknown 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-1065G7 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Ice Lake 
           family: 6 model-id: 7E (126) stepping: 5 microcode: A6 L2 cache: 8192 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 23961 
           Speed: 1200 MHz min/max: 400/3900 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 1055 2: 1024 3: 1047 
           4: 1149 5: 1097 6: 977 7: 1099 8: 954 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled 
           Type: l1tf status: Not affected 
           Type: mds status: Not affected 
           Type: meltdown status: Not affected 
           Type: spec_store_bypass 
           mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB filling 
           Type: srbds status: Not affected 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel Iris Plus Graphics G7 vendor: LG driver: i915 v: kernel 
           bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:8a52 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.10 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel Iris Plus Graphics (ICL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.3.4 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel Ice Lake-LP Smart Sound Audio vendor: LG driver: snd_hda_intel 
           v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 chip ID: 8086:34c8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.10.0-5mx-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Intel Killer Wi-Fi 6 AX1650i 160MHz Wireless Network Adapter 
           driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 2000 bus ID: 00:14.3 chip ID: 8086:34f0 
           IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Realtek RTL8152 Fast Ethernet Adapter type: USB driver: r8152 bus ID: 3-7:4 
           chip ID: 0bda:8152 serial: <filter> 
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 506.75 GiB used: 2.02 GiB (0.4%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLB512HAJQ-00000 size: 476.94 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> 
           rev: EXA7301Q scheme: GPT 
           ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Glide 3.0 size: 29.81 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B serial: <filter> rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: N/A size: 12.15 GiB used: 361.6 MiB (2.9%) fs: overlay 
           source: ERR-102 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 38.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           2: deb http://mirrors.rit.edu/mxlinux/mx-packages/mx/repo/ buster ahs
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 250 Uptime: 44m Memory: 15.27 GiB used: 1.15 GiB (7.6%) Init: SysVinit 
           v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36 

img19dot4.png

I value your helping me, and appreciate the depth of your expertise and generosity with your time. Thank you.

MXer321

[JayM]

Perhaps this is why:

Drives: Local Storage: total: 506.75 GiB used: 2.02 GiB (0.4%)
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLB512HAJQ-00000 size: 476.94 GiB
block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter>
rev: EXA7301Q scheme: GPT
ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Glide 3.0 size: 29.81 GiB
block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B serial: <filter> rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR

What did you use to burn the ISO file to the USB stick, and in what operating system?

[MXer321]

Perhaps this is why:

Drives: Local Storage: total: 506.75 GiB used: 2.02 GiB (0.4%)
ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLB512HAJQ-00000 size: 476.94 GiB
block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter>
rev: EXA7301Q scheme: GPT
ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Glide 3.0 size: 29.81 GiB
block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B serial: <filter> rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR

What did you use to burn the ISO file to the USB stick, and in what operating system?

Many thanks, neighbor JayM.

It was very instructive for me that you pointed out MBR -- I thank you. I went back and re-did everything over again with GPT. However, I am still stuck.

Code: Select all

System:    Host: <filter> Kernel: 5.8.0-3-amd64 x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: N/A 
           parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/antiX/vmlinuz quiet splasht nosplash 
           Desktop: Xfce 4.14.2 tk: Gtk 3.24.5 info: xfce4-panel wm: xfwm4 dm: LightDM 1.26.0 
           Distro: MX-19.3_ahs_x64 patito feo November 11  2020 
           base: Debian GNU/Linux 10 (buster) 
Machine:   Type: Laptop System: LG product: 17Z90N-R.AAC8U1 v: 0.1 serial: <filter> Chassis: 
           type: 10 v: 0.1 serial: <filter> 
           Mobo: LG model: 17Z90N v: FAB1 serial: <filter> UEFI: Phoenix v: C2ZE0160 X64 
           date: 04/07/2020 
Battery:   ID-1: CMB0 charge: 74.8 Wh condition: 76.1/80.0 Wh (95%) volts: 8.7/7.7 
           model: LG LGC-LGC type: Li-ion serial: <filter> status: Unknown 
CPU:       Topology: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-1065G7 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Ice Lake 
           family: 6 model-id: 7E (126) stepping: 5 microcode: 78 L2 cache: 8192 KiB 
           flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx bogomips: 23961 
           Speed: 2371 MHz min/max: 400/3900 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 2900 2: 2900 3: 2900 
           4: 1833 5: 2591 6: 2900 7: 2896 8: 2104 
           Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled 
           Type: l1tf status: Not affected 
           Type: mds status: Not affected 
           Type: meltdown status: Not affected 
           Type: spec_store_bypass 
           mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via prctl and seccomp 
           Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization 
           Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Enhanced IBRS, IBPB: conditional, RSB filling 
           Type: srbds status: Not affected 
           Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:  Device-1: Intel vendor: LG driver: i915 v: kernel bus ID: 00:02.0 chip ID: 8086:8a52 
           Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.9 driver: modesetting unloaded: fbdev,vesa 
           resolution: 1920x1080~60Hz 
           OpenGL: renderer: Mesa Intel Iris Plus Graphics (ICL GT2) v: 4.6 Mesa 20.1.8 
           direct render: Yes 
Audio:     Device-1: Intel vendor: LG driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus ID: 00:1f.3 
           chip ID: 8086:34c8 
           Sound Server: ALSA v: k5.8.0-3-amd64 
Network:   Device-1: Intel driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: 2000 bus ID: 00:14.3 
           chip ID: 8086:34f0 
           IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
           Device-2: Realtek RTL8152 Fast Ethernet Adapter type: USB driver: r8152 bus ID: 3-7:4 
           chip ID: 0bda:8152 serial: <filter> 
           IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
Drives:    Local Storage: total: 1.40 TiB used: 367.64 GiB (25.6%) 
           ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 vendor: Samsung model: MZVLB512HAJQ-00000 size: 476.94 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s lanes: 4 serial: <filter> 
           rev: EXA7301Q scheme: GPT 
           ID-2: /dev/sda type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Cruzer Glide 3.0 size: 29.81 GiB 
           block size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B serial: <filter> rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR 
           ID-3: /dev/sdb type: USB vendor: SanDisk model: Extreme Portable SSD size: 931.51 GiB 
           block size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B serial: <filter> rev: 1012 scheme: MBR 
Partition: ID-1: / raw size: N/A size: 12.16 GiB used: 466.1 MiB (3.7%) fs: overlay 
           source: ERR-102 
Sensors:   System Temperatures: cpu: 78.0 C mobo: N/A 
           Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Repos:     No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list 
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster-updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list 
           1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian buster main contrib non-free
           2: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian-security buster/updates main contrib non-free
           Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list 
           1: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster main non-free
           2: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ buster ahs
           No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/various.list 
Info:      Processes: 240 Uptime: 50m Memory: 15.27 GiB used: 1.00 GiB (6.6%) Init: SysVinit 
           v: 2.93 runlevel: 5 default: 5 Compilers: gcc: 8.3.0 alt: 8 Shell: quick-system-in 
           running in: quick-system-in inxi: 3.0.36 

Also, I had been creating my USB distros utilizing MX Live USB Maker, albeit now with gpt flagged. That said, I decided to go back and bring Rufus back into the mix here -- am open to using MX Live USB Maker or Rufus.
1. MX Live USB Maker (OS:mx194-jul2021-snapshot) from ISO --with gpt now flagged
2. MX Live USB Maker (OS:mx194-jul2021-snapshot) from toram/clone --with gpt
3. Rufus (OS:Win10) from ISO --with gpt
But sadly for me, no cigar on punching thru from grub menu and past a blank, black screen that follows; the above three did not work to enter customizable boot for MX-19.4_July_ahs (i.e. snapshot Jul 2021). No problems in starting and using a non-persistent session.

With much appreciation and kindest regards.

[MXer321]

Other attempted mitigations that have failed for my circumstances:

Whenever booting customizable:

1. No edits to kernel screen. Keep: quiet splasht nosplash menu

2. Only 'menu'. Delete: quiet splasht nosplash

3. Keep nosplash and menu. Delete: quiet and splasht

4. Add 'nomodeset' and keep 'menu'. Delete: quiet splasht nosplash


With appreciation and thanks for you all.

[JayM]

Try a different USB stick. Some of the SanDisks contain firmware that doesn't work with the MX/antiX Live USB system.

[fehlix]

While non-persistent boot is working, a customizable boot selection terminates in a blank, black screen. I get the blank, black screen after selecting the second option for customizable boot on the grub menu.

Hmmm... so you don't get the interactive text-menus displayed, but it would boot without trying to go through the text menus.

Do you actually see the text-splash screen, when booting from the first menu entry (the one without text menu)?
Could you also try to just disable text-splash screen, with adjusting boot parameter
to either
splasht=
or
just remove splasht.
And would it display something during boot-up?