error: ../../grub-core/loader/i386/efi/linux.c:158:can't allocate initrd

[sathyane007]

Hello ;
i have an issue when i try to use rear.iso file to recever linux REH8.7 on a dell idrac BMR.
On a topic , someone suggest to exclude from rear iso firmware in order to reduce intrd but i need also firmware updatation on image file .
is there any updation of this kind of issue please ?
Thanks for your help

[pcahyna]

Hi, this was reported as #2681 . I know two solutions (besides reducing the size of the initrd):

• downgrading grub to a version between 2.02-121.el8 and grub2-1:2.02-141.el8 : Error when booting with rear uefi iso  #2681 (comment)
• firmware update (helped on HP hardware, don't know if it will help on Dell hardware though)

[sathyane007]

Hi pcahyna , thanks for your reply
we are in version grub2-2.02-142.el8_7.1.x86_64
Unfortunatly , we can not downgrade to version 2.02-121.el8 . i ask to upgrade the firmware of dell hardware in case ..
but is there an other solution please to charge rear-iso file ?
in fact we are using rubrik backup as third party backup tools
thanks

[pcahyna]

What Dell hardware is it, exactly?

[sathyane007]

Dell PowerEdge R750
Bios Version 1.9.2
Integrated Dell Remote Access Controller 9........................................................................... Version 6.10.30.00(Build 29)

[sathyane007]

Hello
i have tested on a cisco platform , and i have this version: grub2-efi-x64-2.02-150.el8.x86_64
And i had no problem with rear iso file to load it .

Someone has any idea why it is not working on Dell Platform , ?

[pcahyna]

@sathyane007 this GRUB problem is apparently firmware (both manufacturer and version) dependent, that's why. Have you tried updating it?

[sathyane007]

HI pcahyna thanks for your reply
iDRAC Firmware Version | 6.10.30.00 which is not an old version
do you think i need to upgrade for the latest one ?

[sathyane007]

I have tested on an other platform in firmware version 7.00.30.00 , same issue ...
i 'll try to upgrade firmware version on 7.10.30.00 which is the latest ...

[pcahyna]

not sure if UEFI firmware version is the same as the iDRAC firmware version btw...

For example on my notebook, I get this in the dmidecode output:

Handle 0x0031, DMI type 0, 24 bytes
BIOS Information
        Vendor: ...
        Version: ...
        Release Date: ...
        Characteristics:
                (...)
                UEFI is supported
        BIOS Revision: 1.12
        Firmware Revision: 1.0

[sathyane007]

i confirm it still not working in idrac firmware 7.10.30 .
@pcahyna : here is my dmidecode on my powerEdge R750:

Handle 0x0000, DMI type 0, 26 bytes
BIOS Information
Vendor: Dell Inc.
Version: 1.11.2
Release Date: 08/10/2023
Address: 0xF0000
Runtime Size: 64 kB
ROM Size: 32 MB
UEFI is supported
BIOS Revision: 1.11
Handle 0x0100, DMI type 1, 27 bytes
System Information
Manufacturer: Dell Inc.
Product Name: PowerEdge R750

I cannot see the UEFI version or firmware revision version ?? (under Bios Revision).

[pcahyna]

I guess BIOS version is also the UEFI firmware version, they are probably not separate, so 1.11.2. And 08/10/2023 looks quite new.

[sathyane007]

so it works only if i remove firmware information on that iso file (reducing it) but we have different hardware
idreac dell firmware updated .. grub2 in version 1.50... any other think to upgrade ?

[pcahyna]

@sathyane007 another idea... can you perhaps try if setting REAR_INITRD_COMPRESSION="lzma" produces a small enough initrd? Inspired by #3233