Linux Not Starting with Two FAT Partitions

[erikjohnson]

Hi All,

Linux kernel is failing to start when booting from USB Flash Drive on a NUC7JY (BOXNUC7CJYH2) when there are _two_ VFAT partitions on a SATA SSD.
The symptom is a black screen after GRUB. I've confirmed with command line grub: "linux /bzImage" is succesful and then just hangs after "boot".

I've boiled it down to this set of repro steps:
1. wipe the SSD completely (all zeros), boots OK
2. fdisk to create a GPT with three partitions, boots OK
3. mkfs.vfat on any one partition, boots OK
4. mkfs.vfat on a second partition, boot FAILS

I've tried (with no luck):
- two different USB drives (Kingston generic and Samsung FIT 1100)
- two different SSDs (Crucial m4 and OCZ Vertex 3)
- all USB ports on the NUC
- every possible sequence of reboot, power cycle, hard power cycle
- endless permutations of Visual BIOS settings
- resetting to BIOS defaults
- updated BIOS to 57 (JYGLKCPX.86A.0057)
- F10 to change boot order
- SSD connected to internal SATA or to USB via SATA-USB adapter
- with the UFD plugged in, the SSD will also fail to boot itself (using the same kernel and loader are installed in an ESP)

What does work:
- overwriting either (or both) of the VFAT filesystems with EXT4
- A different PC using the same UFD and SSD
- A different bootable UFD (live Fedora 30)
- the SSD will boot itself iff the UFD is not plugged in (using the same kernel and loader are installed in an ESP)

The hardware setup is as simple as possible: one SATA SSD, one bootable UFD, keyboard, monitor connected.
The kernel is 5.2.60-yocto-standard and GRUB is 2.04

Any thoughts about what could be the root of the problem? Kernel? Visual BIOS? NUC?

Thanks in advance,
Erik

[Maria_R_Intel]

Hello erikjohnson,

Thank you for posting on the Intel* Community.

Intel does not test and validate Intel NUC on Linux, however, we know that a lot of NUC owners are using it successfully on many different Linux distros, as you can check here https://compatibleproducts.intel.com/ProductDetails?EPMID=126135

Intel suggests you check your Linux distro's website and forums at https://www.linux.org/forums/ for peer assistance with this issue.

Best regards, 

Maria R.  

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[Maria_R_Intel]

Hello erikjohnson,

We have not heard back from you, so we will close this thread. If you need any additional information, please submit a new question as this thread will no longer be monitored.

Best regards, 

Maria R.  

Intel Customer Support Technician