CentOS 8.2 Can't boot from latest kernel from disk, or from live usb
Posted: 2020/06/22 15:34:54
I have a Dell Precision P5530 laptop that had CentOS 8.1 installed on it. I'm new to CentOS and I didn't realize that the software manager 'update software' would update the minor version of CentOS or the Kernel, and it didn't seem obvious to me that's what the update was doing. When I tried to boot back up after this, booting from grub, the 8.2 4.18.0-193.6.3 kernel would go to a black screen immediately following. Selecting one of the other options (the 4.18.0-147.8.1 kernel), I was able to successfully boot.
In the successful boot, I enabled persistent boot logging, turned off grub 'quiet' etc. to debug the boot.
I rebooted, attempting the new grub entry again, and still black screen. Booted into the old kernel, there was no log at all from the attempt to boot into the new kernel. Additionally, while there were all of the boot messages booting into the old kernel (and the tux penguins at the top, etc.), there were no messages at all when trying to boot into the new kernel. So it feels like it has to be something very early in the boot process.
I used dracut to try to rebuild the initramfs for the 193 kernel, but still no luck.
I considered that the 8.2 upgrade has some secure linux enhancements, so I tried enabling secure boot in UEFI. When I do this, I get one line "EFI stub: UEFI Secure Boot is enabled." I've poked around at some settings in this area, but I don't know enough to figure that part out.
So I decided I could just reinstall using a liveUSB. First I used the 'boot' iso, then later the 'dvd1' iso. I checked the hash on both files and they matched. I used rufus (from my windows machine) to burn the isos to a usb. However, when I boot from the usb, I actually get the same situation as I do from booting from disk. I can select which mode I want to boot into "Install" "Test Media and Install" etc. I've tried all the modes, and same situation. Black screen if Secure Boot is off, 'EFI Stub' if Secure Boot is on, but nothing else.
The hard disk is encrypted (LUKS) and it isn't asking for the encryption password, so I know it's not getting far enough in the boot where this is like a graphics driver or desktop manager failure where I can get into a terminal via ctrl alt F3, e.g.
The fact that it can't boot from the live USB makes me feel like there's some weird conflict with the kernel in 8.2 and something in the laptop hardware. But I don't know what it could be. In the old kernel successful boot, the wireless connection was flicking on and off constantly, so I tried disabling radios, but still no luck.
Is there anything else I can do to gain some kind of insight into what's failing? There's no boot logs, no grub messages, so I don't even know what to try next.
In the successful boot, I enabled persistent boot logging, turned off grub 'quiet' etc. to debug the boot.
I rebooted, attempting the new grub entry again, and still black screen. Booted into the old kernel, there was no log at all from the attempt to boot into the new kernel. Additionally, while there were all of the boot messages booting into the old kernel (and the tux penguins at the top, etc.), there were no messages at all when trying to boot into the new kernel. So it feels like it has to be something very early in the boot process.
I used dracut to try to rebuild the initramfs for the 193 kernel, but still no luck.
I considered that the 8.2 upgrade has some secure linux enhancements, so I tried enabling secure boot in UEFI. When I do this, I get one line "EFI stub: UEFI Secure Boot is enabled." I've poked around at some settings in this area, but I don't know enough to figure that part out.
So I decided I could just reinstall using a liveUSB. First I used the 'boot' iso, then later the 'dvd1' iso. I checked the hash on both files and they matched. I used rufus (from my windows machine) to burn the isos to a usb. However, when I boot from the usb, I actually get the same situation as I do from booting from disk. I can select which mode I want to boot into "Install" "Test Media and Install" etc. I've tried all the modes, and same situation. Black screen if Secure Boot is off, 'EFI Stub' if Secure Boot is on, but nothing else.
The hard disk is encrypted (LUKS) and it isn't asking for the encryption password, so I know it's not getting far enough in the boot where this is like a graphics driver or desktop manager failure where I can get into a terminal via ctrl alt F3, e.g.
The fact that it can't boot from the live USB makes me feel like there's some weird conflict with the kernel in 8.2 and something in the laptop hardware. But I don't know what it could be. In the old kernel successful boot, the wireless connection was flicking on and off constantly, so I tried disabling radios, but still no luck.
Is there anything else I can do to gain some kind of insight into what's failing? There's no boot logs, no grub messages, so I don't even know what to try next.