Endeavouros not booting into live environment on an old BIOS based system

General system EndeavourOS installation
1

Hello, I recently tried to install endeavouros in my BIOS based machine with an nvidia graphics card. I currently use debian and wanted to try out endeavouros/arch experience.
The procedure-
I used a ventoy flash drive and pasted my verified iso file into it. I booted into it and saw 3 options to enter the live environment, I tried the default method and it gave a black screen which means my monitor turned off. I tried the NVIDIA Latest Graphics Card option but it said my gpu (GT 740) does not support the 570 driver(which I already knew). It gave a blank screen with a blinking underscore like keyboard cursor. I tried the no modeset option but it also did not work, it gave the same problem like the NVIDIA option.
I tried to wait for half an hour in all of these methods, but it doesn’t work.

inxi -Fxxxxz output-(debian)

ak@debian:~$ inxi -Fxxxxz
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-31-amd64 arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 tk: Qt v: 5.15.8 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM
    Distro: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop Mobo: Gigabyte model: G31M-ES2L serial: <superuser required>
    BIOS: Award v: FI date: 08/09/2010
CPU:
  Info: quad core model: Intel Core2 Quad Q9550 bits: 64 type: MCP
    smt: <unsupported> arch: Penryn rev: A cache: L1: 256 KiB L2: 12 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 2833 min/max: N/A cores: 1: 2833 2: 2833 3: 2833 4: 2833
    bogomips: 22665
  Flags: ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 ssse3
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK107 [GeForce GT 740] driver: nvidia v: 470.256.02
    arch: Kepler pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:0fc8 class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9
    compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: nvidia gpu: nvidia display-ID: :0
    screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 101 s-size: 483x261mm (19.02x10.28")
    s-diag: 549mm (21.61")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-0 res: 1920x1080 hz: 100 dpi: 102
    size: 480x260mm (18.9x10.24") diag: 546mm (21.49") modes: N/A
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 470.256.02 renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GT
    740/PCIe/SSE2 direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel NM10/ICH7 Family High Definition Audio
    vendor: Gigabyte GA-D525TUD driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0
    chip-ID: 8086:27d8 class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: NVIDIA GK107 HDMI Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0e1b class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-31-amd64 status: kernel-api
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 0.3.65 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
    4: pw-jack type: plugin
Network:
  Device-1: Qualcomm Atheros AR8131 Gigabit Ethernet
    vendor: Gigabyte GA-G31M-ES2L driver: atl1c v: kernel pcie: speed: 2.5 GT/s
    lanes: 1 port: bf00 bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 1969:1063 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Ralink RT5370 Wireless Adapter type: USB driver: rt2800usb
    bus-ID: 5-5:2 chip-ID: 148f:5370 class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: wlxc83a35c9505a state: up mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.38 TiB used: 43.47 GiB (3.1%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda vendor: A-Data model: SU800 size: 476.94 GiB
    speed: <unknown> type: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 8B scheme: MBR
  ID-2: /dev/sdb vendor: Toshiba model: DT01ACA100 size: 931.51 GiB
    speed: <unknown> type: HDD rpm: 7200 serial: <filter> rev: A7C0 scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / size: 173.1 GiB used: 17.78 GiB (10.3%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda1
  ID-2: /home size: 14.66 GiB used: 2.33 GiB (15.9%) fs: ext4 dev: /dev/sda6
Swap:
  ID-1: swap-1 type: partition size: 8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2
    dev: /dev/sda3
  ID-2: swap-2 type: zram size: 2.29 GiB used: 256 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
    dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 66.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 52 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nvidia fan: 33%
Info:
  Processes: 166 Uptime: 16m wakeups: 0 Memory: 3.82 GiB
  used: 2.44 GiB (63.7%) Init: systemd v: 252 target: graphical (5)
  default: graphical Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12 Packages: pm: dpkg
  pkgs: 1772 Shell: Bash v: 5.2.15 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.26
ak@debian:~$

Thanks,
GK

2

Hey welcome at the forum :enos:

Wonder if you made sure the ISO file is properly written to the ventoy stick and ventoy system itself on the drive is updated, if one or the other or both does not apply its mostlikely the ISO will not work properly.

I tried the ISO on Nvidia graphics, and it does boot properly on default entry.
(open source Nouveau drivers from kernel)

3

I had updated ventoy when this issue appeared but it didn’t fix. I tried to write the file in the drive TWO times, in windows and in linux. first time used linux, it did not show the peter alvin thing, but second time it started to show it, I will try to rewrite and use it.
Which option should I use to install then?
Thanks,
GK

4

I tried to rewrite the iso but it did not fix the issue, waiting for a reply.

5

You wrote ventoy in EFI mode or legacy too? in case it happens that ventoy and some systems simply do not like each other. I looked at your Motherboard and seems surely an old legacy device.

SO the only thing i can suggest is writing the ISO file directly to the USB and not using Ventoy or such tools.

https://discovery.endeavouros.com/installation/create-install-media-usb-key/2021/03/

To make sure there is no general issue i just tried to boot on 3 different legacy machines here and all booting fine two of them using old nvidia GPU.

The default entry is blacklisting the new Nvidia Driver, and booting system using the in kernel nouveau driver properly.

what revision is your Board?

You checked if the Bios is the last available one? As Latest Kernels often needs latest Bios to work fully properly

6

I have an old machine with no efi support. I used dd to burn the ISO to USB stick, and it works well.

2 Likes
7

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yes here the same

8

I think I wrote ventoy in legacy/MBR mode and it is updated,I updated it today and other iso’s like debian, linux mint, windows 10 ltsc seem to work fine. My mobo revision is 2.0 and the bios is latest, FI. And Yes, I am going to try doing that right now my balenaetcher is flashing another usb.

9

I just tried to flash the drive with only endeavouros and I still get the same problems, Blank screen with monitor off when using Default option and blinking cursor on a blank screen with no modeset option.
One Key Point I noticed-
I noticed that when it is loading initramfs the gpu fans stops, while the cpu fan keeps on working, and my gpu ALWAYS spins it’s fans while it has power so this is likely a driver issue.
I noticed this because my cpu suddenly started to made less noise and became quieter.

One more question, what happens when the initramfs is loaded? Which of these screen do you get? The blank screen or the blinking keyboard cursor? Approx how much time it takes to load after the initramfs loading? This will help me save time as I will know if it is too late and my installation is not working. I have usb2.0 with approx usb speed of 6/7 MB/s.

10

I had boot issues with Ventoy on one of my older machines… I got it to boot properly, changing from default boot to boot from grub in Ventoy, when selecting the image… it’s likely not your issue, but maybe it’s worth a try.

11

So you mean I should boot into the usb from grub? But I don’t think that grub will even think about booting into the usb. If you mean something else then please tell.

12

I believe what is being requested is
When ventoy first boots up and you choose endeavour choose the grub option instead of the normal boot option.

1 Like
13

user is not using ventoy and now has written ISO directly to usb as it is.

Booting the livesession on usb 2 and older systems can take a while.
You checked shasum of the ISO ?

in the same folder where you have the ISO downloaded:

wget https://mirror.alpix.eu/endeavouros/iso/EndeavourOS_Mercury-2025.02.08.iso.sha512sum
sha512sum -c EndeavourOS_Mercury-2025.02.08.iso.sha512sum

If its not on a linux install you will need a tool to check https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/powershell/module/microsoft.powershell.utility/get-filehash?view=powershell-7.5

or gui:

14

Yeah, I tried that option too, but it did not work, AKA the issue is not fixed.

15

does it give a login prompt when you keystroke: Ctrl + Alt + F4

16

Just downloaded the latest ISO and tried a old laptop with no efi support using DD to burn the ISO. Everything works as expected.

3 Likes
17

So I should just wait more? I’ll try that but don’t stop the suggestions guys, I don’t this will fix because I have already waited about 30 minutes for every option which means there is some problem or something.

18

I am also going to try this, currently my DD is flashing the drive, I have already formatted the drive as ext4 to avoid any conflict or so.

19

Yes it does appear after initramfs is loaded and when the blinking keyboard cursor appears. If I type in “root” it logs me in as root.

20

Even waiting more and using DD to flash the drive did not work, the flashing process took 10mins, but I waited for 25minutes! And as we all know that the read speed is usually higher than the write speed so it should NEVER take more than 10 minutes right? Therefore, the issue is not fixed
Thanks for you continued support,
LL