Installation failed - Mistake while installing bootloader

ludibubi · 2026-01-09 12:45

Hi together! My name is Ludger and I'm located in germany

I have an old Acer convertibel Switch-One10, which is running Win10
Now I'm looking for an alternative OS and I found this one. I downloaded free10-x64-20241123 and started it in Livemode. for the first viewe it is running properly. Now I tried to install it, but I got this error:

The bootloader could not be installed. The installorder <pre>grub-install -target=i386-efi -efi-directory=/boot/efi-bootloader-id=Q4OS_Aquarius-force</pre> returned the errorcode 1

The unit has no HDD and uses emmc. I've used the installation with cleaning the whole storage and new partitions.

What can I do.

swarfendor437 · 2026-01-09 12:59

Hi ludibubi. Q4OS current release is based on Debian 12 bookworm which is what I have used in my search criteria. I am not sure (can't remember) if Q4OS offers net install but this is what came back:

"Installing Debian 12 on an Acer Switch 10 (specifically models like the SW5-017P or SW5-012) requires attention to UEFI boot configuration, firmware, and specific post-installation steps due to hardware limitations. The process is documented on the Debian Wiki for the Acer Switch V 10, which covers the relevant hardware.

Begin by creating a bootable USB installer using the Debian 12 x64 netinstall ISO, ensuring the media is written correctly—avoid tools like Unetbootin, as they may cause installation errors.
The installation media should be booted from the Micro-SD slot or USB-C port on the display unit, not the USB-A port on the keyboard unit, to prevent disconnection during installation.

To access the UEFI setup, press F2 during boot. Enable booting from external media and set a supervisor password to modify Secure Boot settings.
Use F12 during boot to select the boot device. If the system does not recognize the installer, ensure that Secure Boot is disabled or properly configured with a trusted EFI file.

During installation, use the text mode installer and add the boot parameters fb=false fbcon=rotate:1 to ensure the screen is correctly oriented during setup, allowing visibility of the screen while using the keyboard.
This is critical because the display is rotated 90 degrees.

After installation, before rebooting, switch to a text mode terminal (Ctrl+Alt-F2) and perform the following adjustments to fix UEFI boot issues caused by the Acer firmware

:

# cd /target/boot/efi/EFI
# mkdir -p Microsoft/Boot
# mv debian/*.efi debian/*.CSV Microsoft/Boot/
# cd Microsoft/Boot
# mv bootmgfw.efi bootorig.efi
# mv shimx64.efi bootmgfw.efi

This step is necessary due to a known UEFI bootloop issue with certain Acer models.

Additionally, to prevent soft lockups, blacklist the soc_button_array kernel module:

# echo 'blacklist soc_button_array' > /etc/modprobe.d/acer-switch-v-10-blacklist.conf

Post-installation configuration includes fixing the display rotation using xrandr --output DSI1 --rotate right.

For the touch screen, apply a coordinate transformation matrix:

xinput set-prop 'FTSC1000:00 2808:5123' --type=float 'Coordinate Transformation Matrix' 0 1 0 -1 0 1 0 0 1

Audio works out of the box with PulseAudio.
Wireless networking requires the non-free firmware-iwlwifi package, which may need to be provided via USB during installation if Wi-Fi is not available. For full functionality, consider installing xserver-xorg-video-intel and configuring TearFree in /etc/X11/xorg.conf.d/20-intel.conf to reduce screen tearing.

Finally, ensure the system is configured to boot correctly by verifying the EFI boot entry and trusted file settings in UEFI, especially if Secure Boot re-enables after reboot."

ludibubi · 2026-01-09 15:38

Thks for reply and the infos. I'm a totally beginnner in Linux. The first part of the instruction is no problem. The stick is prepared with Ventoy. I start the iso-file and the OS in running in Livemode.

In the instructions they say that I have to use the text mode installer. Who con I reach it and what is the text for installingorder?

Regards Ludger

swarfendor437 · 2026-01-12 22:49

I just tried creating a new VM of Q4OS 5.8 inside Q4OS and cannot find a text installer as such. What you could do is drop to a 'tty' terminal by pressing Ctrl+ Alt+ F1 and then use the commands that way? It might be possible to use the Debian net-install for bookworm (Debian 12) and then attempt to install Q4OS afterwards but not sure how you would do that.

https://www.q4os.org/forum/viewtopic.ph … 598#p33598

Last edited by swarfendor437 (2026-01-12 22:57)

Q4OS Forum

#1 2026-01-09 12:45

Installation failed - Mistake while installing bootloader

#2 2026-01-09 12:59

Re: Installation failed - Mistake while installing bootloader

#3 2026-01-09 15:38

Re: Installation failed - Mistake while installing bootloader

#4 2026-01-12 22:49

Re: Installation failed - Mistake while installing bootloader

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