[Bug 1938588] Re: Ubuntu Server 18.04.5 install fails: TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to errata

[Brian Murray]

** Package changed: linux (Ubuntu) => ubuntu-meta (Ubuntu)

** Tags added: rls-ii-incoming

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to ubuntu-meta in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1938588

Title:
  Ubuntu Server 18.04.5 install fails: TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to
  errata

Status in ubuntu-meta package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  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!

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/ubuntu-meta/+bug/1938588/+subscriptions