GNU GRUB locks up loading kernel/initrd on SuperMicro MBD-X11SAE-M

[fedorowp]

The Problem
-----------

Using a SuperMicro MBD-X11SAE-M motherboard, (which uses the Intel C236 chipset,) running firmware version 1.0b 03/24/2016 - latest at time of filing this bug, the machine locks-up - no disk activity, no caps lock response, black screen -- upon invocation of the 'linux' command in grub.

Work-Around
-----------

Editing the boot script to replace the 'linux' and 'initrd' commands with 'linux16' and 'initrd16' allows the boot to complete.

This behaviour and work-around have been tested under the following problem scenarios:

Problem Scenarios
-----------------

1. Ubuntu 16.10 Server installer running from USB 3.0 stick booted in EFI mode
[Grub version 2.02~beta2-36ubuntu11]

2. Ubuntu 17.04 Alpha 1 installer running from a different model USB 3.0 stick booted in EFI mode
[Grub version 2.02~beta3-3ubuntu2]

3. Ubuntu 16.04 LTS LiveUSB running from a a different model USB 3.0 stick booted in EFI mode
[Grub version 2.02~beta2-36ubuntu3]

4. Installed Ubuntu 17.04 Alpha 1, running in BIOS(non-UEFI mode) installed to a RAID-1 located on a pair of Corsair Voyager Vega 16GB USB 3.0 sticks.

Additional Notes
----------------

1. All three Server Installer and LiveUSB sticks have been verified to boot properly in EFI-mode on a Toshiba laptop when plugged into its USB 3.0 port.

2. Installer sticks were created by dd'ing the ISOs to the memory sticks.

3. Brands/models of USB sticks used for testing:
Kingston HyperX 64GB
Kingston DataTraveler G4 8GB
Kingston DataTraveler 100 G3 8GB

4. All installer and LiveUSB tests where tried using both the USB 3.0 and USB 3.1 ports on the SuperMicro motherboard.

5. The Linux kernel booted in UEFI mode also has an incompatibility with this motherboard. This ticket only addresses the Grub issue.

Hardware
--------

Motherboard: SuperMicro MBD-X11SAE-M Motherboard
Processor: Intel Xeon E3-1225 v5 SkyLake 3.3 GHz
RAM: 2x Kingston ValueRAM 16GB (1 x 16G) DDR4 2133 Server Memory ECC DIMM
SSDs: 2 Samsung 960 EVO M.2 500GB NVMe SSDs (One installed into motherboard socket, one installed into SYBA M.2 PCI-e To PCI-e 3.0 x4 Card)

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

Can you run "set debug=all" before executing the linux command to enable verbose debug output, and see what that reveals?

[gahabana (gahabana)]

hi ,
i have the same problem on Supermicro motherboard X10SRM-F. Bios is latest (2.0a).
Either Ubuntu 16.10 or Beta 17.10 - whether in UEFI mode or Legacy mode , both from USB key as well as from Virtual CDROM drive - after selecting on 1st screen (GRUB screen) - "Install Ubuntu Server" screen goes black and nothing happens.
Will try your workarounds (...16) but suspect something is wrong with BIOS or Ubuntu installers.

In addition I upgraded from 16.04 (which can boot/be installed) to 16.10 and it worked fine. But when i upgraded to 17.04 (beta) - i can only boot with kernel that i carried over from 16.10 (4.8 version ) and new 4.10 and even one manually installed from kernel PPA result in black screen after selecting grub entry. That is when i tried to re-install 16.10 or 17.04 and simply cannot make any progress.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for grub2 (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]