X Timeout When Installing Rocky Linux

Introduction

When attempting to install Rocky Linux over a slow or unreliable network connection including through IPMI (Intelligent Platform Management Interface), you may encounter timeout issues that prevent the installer from loading properly.

Problem

When the installer fails to load within the expected time frame, you may encounter the following error message:

X did not start in the expected time, falling back to text mode.

This error occurs because the graphical installer (X server) is unable to start within the default timeout period. This is often caused by slow network speeds, high latency, or interruptions in the connection, which delay the loading of necessary resources. This issue can also occur when a server is configured to use 802.3ad (LACP) for link aggregation but is not configured to support this during the iPXE boot process. As a result, the network interfaces may fail to establish a proper connection, leading to network communication problems. As a result, the installer fails over to text mode, which may not be desired.

Resolution

If switching to a faster network connection is not an option, there are two primary methods to resolve this issue:

1. Increase the timeout period to give the installer more time to load.
2. Load the installation media into memory, which bypasses the need to continuously fetch data over the network.

Both methods involve editing the kernel parameters during the installation process.

Increase timeout

The default timeout for the installer is 60 seconds. You can increase this timeout by modifying the kernel parameters.

1. During the boot process, press e to edit the kernel boot options.

2. Locate the line that begins with linux or linuxefi and contains the kernel parameters.

3. Add the following parameter to the end of the line:

   inst.xtimeout=<SECONDS>
   

   For example, to set the timeout to 5 minutes (300 seconds), you would add:

   inst.xtimeout=300
   

4. Press Ctrl-X or F10 to continue booting with the new parameter.

The installer will now wait up to the specified timeout period before falling back to text mode.

Load into memory

If increasing the timeout does not resolve the issue or if the network connection is highly unstable, you can force the installer to load the entire installation media into memory. This eliminates the need to continuously fetch data over the network during the installation process.

1. As with the previous method, press e to edit the kernel boot options.

2. Add the following parameter to the end of the line:

   rd.live.ram
   

   This option instructs the installer to copy the entire ISO or installation image into memory.

3. Continue with the installation.

Depending on the size of the installation media and the speed of the network, this process may take some time and you will not see any progress or status update.

Notes

Loading the installation media into memory can require significant RAM. The amount of memory needed depends on the size of the ISO or image and the packages included. For example, a minimal Rocky Linux installation image may require only a few gigabytes of RAM, while a full DVD image with additional packages could require significantly more.

If you’re working in a slow or unreliable network environment and need to install or manage multiple servers, it may be worth setting up a local mirror. A local mirror allows you to host the necessary installation files and package updates within your network, significantly reducing dependency on external connections.

References & related articles

How to Create a Local Mirror Using Reposync with CIQ Depot