Unable to install AlmaLinux 10.2 - Computer reboots

Support
1

Hi all,

I tried to install a fresh AlmaLinux 10.2 but the installation fails.

I built an USB key with a boot distribution of AlmaLinux 10.2. I first tried with Rufus on Windows using the default EFI mode. The computer where I want to install AlmaLinux is a old fanless (chinese) PC equipped with a American Megatrends Boot system (v. 2.17.1246). It already has a Debian 11 that I want to replace. The PC usually boots on the USB key and the AlmaLinux installation menu appears. I select “Test this media & install AlmaLinux” and enter. A flashing prompt appears during 10s and the computer reboots suddenly… I tried all options of the menu but I’m not able to launch the installation itself.

I then used the DD option under Rufus when I built the USB key (along with selecting the compatibility with old Bios) but the installation failed again. The computer reboots automatically each time.

Has anyone else ever had this problem?

I already use AlmaLinux on an other more recent Chinese Fanless PC (with the same Bios) and I had no problem to install a 10.1 version on it. When I try my USB key to install the 10.2 version over the 10.1, it works.

Vincent

2

After testing with an other USB key flashed on Linux with dd, I finally flashed a minimal version of AlmaLinux 9.8 and it works on this old machine… The installation process with Anaconda begins and, then, all is fine. I have a system fully usable.

I don’t understand why the installation of AlmaLinux 10.2 is not possible. I think that my machine is not compatible with the Anaconda installer included in the 10.2 version.

Vincent

3

You mention it’s old, so I suspect that’s the issue.
Upstream EL10 dropped support for older X86_64_v2 architecture, supporting v3 and newer only. AlmaLinux does rebuild a v2 version which you’d need to install from a specific v2 ISO, and rely on software packages also targetted for it.

That would also explain why your other similar but newer PC works with Alma 10.

AlmaLinux also maintain a V2 version of the EPEL repo for additional software, but you should carefully consider what you want to run as some use cases my run in to issues finding suitable dependencies unless you can build them yourself.
You can find the x86_v2 installer on the usual mirrors AlmaLinux ISOs
Good luck.

4

You have 9. You can run:

ld.so --help

If its output contains:

Subdirectories of glibc-hwcaps directories, in priority order:
  x86-64-v4
  x86-64-v3
  x86-64-v2 (supported, searched)

then the hardware does not support binaries that use the x86-64-v3 set of instructions.

5

What a pity.

I liked AlmaLinux’ simple installation and the fact that it supports networks without IP6 out of the box (Debian does, too, just not their GUI… you have to configure that with nmcli, which I find yucky).

Unfortunately my recent project, setting up a llama-server on Almalinux, failed because it seemed impossible to get the CUDA toolbox working. So I set up the server on ArchLinux, which went smooth and straightforward.

And now I tried to set up AlmaLinux on a Phenom II X6 1100T with 32GB RAM… old but far sufficient for the intended use as an airgapped IPMI browser… no need to throw away a fine working PC only to waste money and resources for a new computer that can run even Win11.

I am speechless… so I today learnt RH and derivatives are no longer suitable for systems that do not use brand-new hardware.

So, thanks to all for the support, adios to the Alma community.

7

For what it is worth, I’ve had ollama running on AlmaLinux 9 and CUDA was not an issue. (I also had self-written code that did use CUDA, but that was with CentOS 5 or 6, so not current.)

8

Sad to read that. The good news its you can go ahead your project with Arch Linux. anyway, best wishes and go back when you want.

regards!