Public bug reported: We have several factory-fresh Mitac industrial motherboards (https://www.mitacmct.com/IndustrialMotherboard_PH13FEI_PH13FEI) that we are unable to install Ubuntu Server 18.04.5 on. When we boot from the installation media we get the following error and the installation hangs (see attached screenshot, I've transcribed the error below too)
``` [0.000000] [Firmware Bug]: TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to Errata; please update microcode to version: 0x52 (or later) [0.157025] ACPI Exception: AE_BAD_PARAMETER, Could not install PciConfig handler for Root Bridge PCI0 (20170831/evrgnini-241) ``` Googling the microcode bug, the normal advice appears to be "boot into an older, functioning kernel, update the `intel-microcode` package, and then reboot." But in this situation there is no older kernel to boot into; there is no OS installed _at all_ on these boards yet. I'm booting from a USB drive loaded with the latest version of Ubuntu Server 18.04. The only work-around I've found that works so far is to install Ubuntu Desktop 18.04, which can boot successfully on these boards, perform the minimal desktop installation, then use the desktop install to update the `intel-microcode` package, reboot, and then finally install Ubuntu Server. This is obviously not convenient needing to install a complete desktop OS just so I can update the microcode, and then immediately wiping it to install what I wanted in the first place. I have not tried Ubuntu 20.x or 21.x; I need to use Ubuntu 18.04 because these motherboards are being installed into robots that will be running ROS Melodic (ROS Noetic runs on 20.04, but these robots don't have Noetic support yet). I have tried the following to modify the Ubuntu Server ISO, without success: 1- Adding the microcode to initrd --------------------------------------- I unpacked the contents of the Ubuntu Server ISO, decompressed install/initrd.gz, and used the bash script here https://www.kernel.org/doc/html/latest/x86/microcode.html to add the intel-microcode firmware to the image. Then I recompressed initrd.gz, and rebuild the ISO using xorisso. This did not have any effect: Ubuntu Server still encountered the same error when trying to install. 2- Using initrd from Ubuntu Desktop 18.04.5 ---------------------------------------------- I downloaded & unpacked Ubuntu Desktop 18.04.5 and replaced Ubuntu Server's install/initrd.gz with Ubuntu Desktop's casper/initrd (updating txt.cfg and grub.cfg to load the uncompressed initrd instead of the .gz that Ubuntu Server normally uses). Then I rebuilt the Ubuntu Server with xorisso again. The resulted in the system booting, but immediately dropping into an initramfs busybox shell, saying boot files were missing. I assume this is because Ubuntu Server uses the `boot=casper` flag in order to boot into the live desktop session. At this point I'm running out of ideas for how to be able to make Ubuntu Server's installation media work with these boards. Ubuntu Desktop has no problem booting on them, so it's obviously something specific to the Ubuntu Server image, but I'm not sure exactly what or how to fix it. If you need any additional information/logs/etc... please let me know and I'll be happy to provide them. Thanks! ** Affects: ubuntu Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Tags: intel-microcode kernel-bug ubuntu-server ** Attachment added: "Photo of the error I get when I try to install Ubuntu Server on this motherboard" https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1938588/+attachment/5514915/+files/IMG_20210712_164623.jpg -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Bugs, which is subscribed to Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1938588 Title: Ubuntu Server 18.04.5 install fails: TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to errata To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1938588/+subscriptions -- ubuntu-bugs mailing list ubuntu-bugs@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-bugs
