Grub error message on MacBook Pro

[abt8102]

Hello,

I'm running Ubuntu 22.04 as the only OS on my 2009 MacBook Pro (model MBP5,2) and I followed this guide to get rid of an annoying 40 second white-screen delay during boot that is caused by Apple's firmware.

As a TL;DR the guide involves deleting Ubuntu's /boot/efi partition and then recreating it as a "HFS+" partition and installing grub into that because that's what the Apple firmware wants.

It fixed my original problem, but now after turning on the computer I get a black screen with the following two grub error messages:

error: no server specified.
error: no suitable video mode found.

This screen with these error messages remains stuck for about 10 seconds and then Grub continues to boot the system normally. I didn't have these error message before. What do they mean and how can I get rid of them?

I have never touched the /etc/default/grub config and it only contains these lines (comments omitted):

GRUB_DEFAULT=0
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden
GRUB_TIMEOUT=0
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR=`lsb_release -i -s 2> /dev/null || echo Debian`
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

I already did a sudo update-grub and it completed normally but the error messages still remain.

[MAFoElffen]

I see that you also asked this question at: https://askubuntu.com/questions/1463...essage-on-boot

[yancek]

Have you tried the suggestion at the link below for the video error? Not sure about the server error. A 10 second delay seems like a minor problem using a new Ubuntu on such an old Mac. Also, I would have mentioned the fact that you are having this problem on a Mac in the title so that it would get the attention of those members here who are familiar with them.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2409853

[abt8102]

Have you tried the suggestion at the link below for the video error? Not sure about the server error. A 10 second delay seems like a minor problem using a new Ubuntu on such an old Mac. Also, I would have mentioned the fact that you are having this problem on a Mac in the title so that it would get the attention of those members here who are familiar with them.

https://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=2409853

Thank you, I will give them a try now. I just thought it was strange because my /etc/default/grub is exactly the same as before I followed the guide, so nothing about the grub configuration has changed really.

I should mention that when following the guide, while installing the grub-efi-amd64 package a blue terminal popped up asking me whether I wanted to reinstall or reconfigure grub and I selected no because I figured that grub was going to be reinstalled to the new HFS+ partition later anyway. I don't know much about grub or why the grub-efi-amd64 package was needed in the first place.

[MAFoElffen]

Actually, while editing the /etc/default/grub menu, instead change this line:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash"

To this

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="-- splash video=uvesafb:1920x1080-32@60,mtrr:3,ywrap,noblank"

Then change this line

#GRUB_GFXMODE=640x480

To this

GRUB_GFXMODE=1920x1080x24

Save and exit. Then do

sudo update-grub

That Mac Book Pro has nVidia GeForce 9600M GT and Intel i915 graphics.

[abt8102]

OK I just tried the suggestion mentioned in that thread and added

GRUB_TERMINAL=console

to /etc/default/grub and ran a sudo update-grub after that.

Curiously I now again have a roughly 30 to 40 second long white-screen on boot!! Makes me wonder if my original problem wasn't caused by Apple firmware but by grub all along. I have really no idea what's going on anymore.

Commenting out the GRUB_TERMINAL=console restores the previous error message screen.

Addendum:

After doing some more researach and finding this article on help.ubuntu.com about UEFI Booting, I followed their advice and added these two commands to the top of my /boot/grub/grub.cfg

set debug=video
insmod efi_gop

I now get the following messages displayed on screen for about 10 seconds:

video/efi_gop.c:87: GOP: found usable mode
error: no server is specified.
video/efi_gop.c:388: GOP: beeping mode 0
video/efi_gop.c:439: GOP: initialising FB @ 0xc0010000 1920x1200x32
video/efi_gop.c:516: GOP: Success

Normally I wouldn't care too much as the system is working otherwise, but this error screen slows down the boot process by a good 10 seconds and it won't even go away when pressing ENTER or ESCAPE.

I'm posting my /boot/grub/grub.cfg below, I think the culprit must be in there somewhere and something in there must also be causing the error: no server is specified. message.

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#


set debug=video
insmod efi_gop


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  set have_grubenv=true
  load_env
fi
if [ "${initrdfail}" = 2 ]; then
   set initrdfail=
elif [ "${initrdfail}" = 1 ]; then
   set next_entry="${prev_entry}"
   set prev_entry=
   save_env prev_entry
   if [ "${next_entry}" ]; then
      set initrdfail=2
   fi
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi


if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi


export menuentry_id_option


if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi


function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}
function initrdfail {
    if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -n "${partuuid}" ]; then
      if [ -z "${initrdfail}" ]; then
        set initrdfail=1
        if [ -n "${boot_once}" ]; then
          set prev_entry="${default}"
          save_env prev_entry
        fi
      fi
      save_env initrdfail
    fi; fi
}
function recordfail {
  set recordfail=1
  if [ -n "${have_grubenv}" ]; then if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then save_env recordfail; fi; fi
}
function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}


if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_gpt
insmod ext2
set root='hd0,gpt2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi


if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=640x480
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=de_DE
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ "${recordfail}" = 1 ] ; then
  set timeout=30
else
  if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
    set timeout_style=hidden
    set timeout=0
  # Fallback hidden-timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
  # unavailable.
  elif sleep --interruptible 0 ; then
    set timeout=0
  fi
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###
set menu_color_normal=white/black
set menu_color_highlight=black/light-gray
### END /etc/grub.d/05_debian_theme ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
function gfxmode {
    set gfxpayload="${1}"
    if [ "${1}" = "keep" ]; then
        set vt_handoff=vt.handoff=7
    else
        set vt_handoff=
    fi
}
if [ "${recordfail}" != 1 ]; then
  if [ -e ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt ]; then
    if [ ${grub_platform} != pc ]; then
      set linux_gfx_mode=keep
    elif hwmatch ${prefix}/gfxblacklist.txt 3; then
      if [ ${match} = 0 ]; then
        set linux_gfx_mode=keep
      else
        set linux_gfx_mode=text
      fi
    else
      set linux_gfx_mode=text
    fi
  else
    set linux_gfx_mode=keep
  fi
else
  set linux_gfx_mode=text
fi
export linux_gfx_mode
menuentry 'Ubuntu' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28' {
    recordfail
    load_video
    gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
    insmod gzio
    if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
    insmod part_gpt
    insmod ext2
    set root='hd0,gpt2'
    if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
    else
      search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
    fi
    linux    /boot/vmlinuz-5.19.0-32-generic root=UUID=761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
    initrd    /boot/initrd.img-5.19.0-32-generic
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Ubuntu' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28' {
    menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 5.19.0-32-generic' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-5.19.0-32-generic-advanced-761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        gfxmode $linux_gfx_mode
        insmod gzio
        if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
        insmod part_gpt
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,gpt2'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 5.19.0-32-generic ...'
        linux    /boot/vmlinuz-5.19.0-32-generic root=UUID=761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28 ro  quiet splash $vt_handoff
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd    /boot/initrd.img-5.19.0-32-generic
    }
    menuentry 'Ubuntu, with Linux 5.19.0-32-generic (recovery mode)' --class ubuntu --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-5.19.0-32-generic-recovery-761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28' {
        recordfail
        load_video
        insmod gzio
        if [ x$grub_platform = xxen ]; then insmod xzio; insmod lzopio; fi
        insmod part_gpt
        insmod ext2
        set root='hd0,gpt2'
        if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd0,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd0,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci0,gpt2  761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
        else
          search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28
        fi
        echo    'Loading Linux 5.19.0-32-generic ...'
        linux    /boot/vmlinuz-5.19.0-32-generic root=UUID=761584f6-29e7-446a-8a8f-ea421eeacc28 ro recovery nomodeset dis_ucode_ldr 
        echo    'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
        initrd    /boot/initrd.img-5.19.0-32-generic
    }
}


### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux_zfs ###
### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux_zfs ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###


### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_memtest86+ ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_uefi-firmware ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/35_fwupd ###
### END /etc/grub.d/35_fwupd ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###


### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

[abt8102]

@MAFoElffen
Thank you, I just tried it but I still get the same two error messages, only now in reverse order.

[abt8102]

So adding insmod efi_gop to the top of /boot/grub/grub.cfg gets rid of the error: no suitable video mode found. The other GOP messages were just because I had previously also enabled debugging with set debug=video

As for the "error: no server specified", it apparently has to do with the font loading of all things.

Commenting out the if-check for the x$feature_default_font_path and so making grub try to load the font from OS partition gets rid of the error message, however I am then back to a 30 second white screen.

Both /boot/grub/unicode.pf2 and /boot/grub/fonts/unicode.pf2 files are present in the boot partition so I don't understand what grub is complaining about. And what is the error message even supposed to mean, what kind of server would be involved in loading the font file?

[abt8102]

The error messages appear no matter what video mode I chose. I can "overwrite" them by displaying the grub menu, then you will only see them flashing on the screen for a split second. So the actual boot delay is caused by something else.

I did some debugging by adding echo statements after every step in the Ubuntu menu entry in /boot/grub/grub.cfg and everything runs instantly. There is just a VERY long delay after the last grub command initrd /boot/initrd.img-5.19.0-32-generic completes and before the first kernel diagnostic boot messages show up.

The first boot messages I see on the screen have a timestamp of about 2 seconds so I assume that means the kernel has been running for 2 seconds. I don't know what's going on in the remaining 8 or so seconds where nothing happens and I just get a black screen.

[MAFoElffen]

Do this to try to see:

systemd-analyze blame

You had said kernel was booting and/or booted already, so, that should show each process and how long they took.