Unable to install fresh Manjaro

[soundofthunder]

@wind77

The current Manjaro ISO is installed using Ventoy.
With dGPU, the ISO can be installed successfully.
So I guess both the ISO and Ventoy are functioning?

Guessing games are a waste of everyone’s time.

The reason that verifying the ISO hash comes up so often in the forum, is that many refuse to even bother. A damaged ISO (with the wrong checksum) can and often does install without any obvious issue – until something goes wrong.

When someone asks “Did you check the ISO?” or similar, please tell them either Yes, you did, or No, you didn’t; and if the answer is No, then check it to make sure.

If an ISO has the wrong checksum, that is invariably where your problem is, and you will have wasted everybody’s time (and your own) by not spending the time to check it.

This message has been brought to you by the letters C.H.E.C.K.S.U.M. for the benefit of both the OP and any passers-by who habitually roll the dice by refusing to check a downloaded ISO for consistency.

[wind77]

@soundofthunder

When someone asks “Did you check the ISO?” or similar, please tell them either Yes, you did, or No, you didn’t; and if the answer is No, then check it to make sure.

My bad.
Yes, the ISO checksum matched.

[soundofthunder]

Create a Ventoy USB (ISO Launcher)

@VENTOY USB

The beauty of using a Ventoy USB is that nothing else is needed. Simply copy/drag any ISO to the Ventoy USB, and you’re done.

Boot with a Ventoy USB, and ISO files are automatically listed in the Ventoy menu, and can be booted directly. A 32GB capacity USB should allow ample space to store several ISOs of your choice; an 8GB capacity USB might hold one, or two ISO’s; do the math.

Ventoy is available from the official Manjaro extra repository:

sudo pacman -S ventoy

Ventoy Usage:

Type ventoy (without arguments) to see usage information:

Usage:  Ventoy2Disk.sh CMD [ OPTION ] /dev/sdX  
 CMD:  
  -i  install Ventoy to sdX (fails if disk already installed with Ventoy)  
  -I  force install Ventoy to sdX (no matter if installed or not)  
  -u  update Ventoy in sdX  
  -l  list Ventoy information in sdX  
  
 OPTION: (optional)  
  -r SIZE_MB  preserve some space at the bottom of the disk (only for install)  
  -s/-S       enable/disable secure boot support (default is enabled)  
  -g          use GPT partition style, default is MBR (only for install)  
  -L          Label of the 1st exfat partition (default is Ventoy)  
  -n          try non-destructive installation (only for install)

Creating the Ventoy USB:

Write the Ventoy system to an empty USB drive;
use /dev/sdX to target the device itself, and not a partition:

sudo sh ventoy -i -r 100 -S -g -L VOLUME /dev/sdX

• Enable -s or disable -S Secure Boot.
• Substitute VOLUME for a volume label name to use.
• Substitute /dev/sdX for the location of your USB device.
• Preserve some space on the target device (example allows 100mb).

Updating the Ventoy USB:

Update the Ventoy system on an existing Ventoy USB;
ensure the updated Ventoy version is available in Manjaro; and then:

sudo ventoy -u /dev/sdX

• The Ventoy USB update process is non-destructive.

---

Above is what I usually give to introduce someone to Ventoy; basically, enough information to quickly get up and running with the concept.

There also, is an example of how I create a Ventoy USB; specifically, making sure it’s created to boot UEFI, and disable Secure Boot in the process. Please compare those parameters with however you created yours.

Note that if the Ventoy USB is not created as UEFI, then it just might explain your description above;

@wind77

blank screen (have HDMI signal, but black screen).

Likewise, if you have an older Ventoy version on the USB, it will be beneficial to update it, as some older versions were a little buggy.

Cheers.

[wind77]

@soundofthunder

Create a Ventoy USB (ISO Launcher)

hmmm…
icymi…

@wind77

Using Manjaro 24.0.3 on Ventoy.

@soundofthunder

Likewise, if you have an older Ventoy version on the USB, it will be beneficial to update it, as some older versions were a little buggy.

The Ventoy on USB stick has been updated to latest version, 1.0.99, before the installation.

[soundofthunder]

It was worth checking. If the Ventoy USB was created in MBR mode, then it likely wouldn’t have booted at all; so, nevermind that.

This, however, should best be disabled:

@wind77

CSM support: enabled.

If you’re booting UEFI, then there’s no need for Legacy mode (CSM).

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I’ll chime in again if I think of anything else.
Cheers.

[wind77]

@soundofthunder

If the Ventoy USB was created in MBR mode, then it likely wouldn’t have booted at all;

Ventoy in Device is GPT mode.

@soundofthunder

This, however, should best be disabled:

CSM was disabled, when dGPU was removed.
And that was the config when I tried to install fresh Manjaro.

However, my current Manjaro was installed with dGPU (>10 yr old GPU), and its presence would force the motherboard to auto enable CSM.

To summarise:

dGPU + CSM ON = install success.
iGPU (dGPU removed) + CSM OFF = install fail.

[soundofthunder]

@wind77

iGPU (dGPU removed) + CSM OFF = install fail.

This makes no obvious sense to me.

[wind77]

@soundofthunder

This makes no obvious sense to me.

If it made sense, this thread wouldn’t exist.

[wind77]

I just want to give an update:

@wind77

if the HDMI cable is a Cat 2 cable (High Speed), which means it can only support 4k @ 30Hz, would that actually cause an issue for Manjaro installer to load properly?

Since I suspected it was a low spec HDMI cable issue, I purchased a new HDMI cable cable of supporting HDMI 2.1 to troubleshoot.

Today the new cable arrived, and after installation, the new cable allowed me to:

1. boot into Manjaro live media environment with no problem.
2. boot into current Manjaro without the need to install anything.
3. W11 also can be booted beyond login screen.

So I think the preliminary conclusion is that:
The monitor only supports 4K @ 60Hz, but the cable only supports max 4K @ 30Hz.
Manjaro’s video driver was unable to detect the cable limitation, and continue to send signal at 60Hz, so there is HDMI signal but blank display.

Lastly, allow me to thank everyone who has contributed ideas to help me troubleshoot!

PS: if you are interested to know the performance difference in 5700G iGPU and dGPU, let me know.