[SOLVED] Tails wont work on Framework Laptop

Framework Laptop 13 Linux
1

I can’t boot into tails from a usb on the framework laptop.

I feel like I have tried everything, but cant seem to get it to work. I have made multiple tails usbs that all boot on my other laptops.

It is also not a discovery problem, I can find the usb, and choose to boot into tails on it. Then tails will not load.

It did load, and functioned properly like the second or third time time I tried, but since then no luck. I have tried like 50 more times while troubleshooting, but nothing since.

Its driving me crazy because I know its possible being that it did work that one time…

is anyone else able to run Tails?

or has anyone run into similar issues and found any answers?

2

I don’t know tails, but it sound familiar to my experience of installing popOS 22.04 on the Framework Laptop…

Go to BIOS and disable secure boot then retry to boot from the USB key

That did the trick for me

3

Still getting a “unable to find a medium containing a live file system” error

5

I tested Tails v5.4 and was able to load it without issues, the wifi adapted is not recognised but otherwise all seems to work as expected.

6

I also seem unable to get Tails to boot. Tried 3 different types of USB drive, 2 of which work on other machines, yet they don’t work on the Framework. I either get the “unable to find a medium containing a live file system” error, or it freezes when the three dots appear during boot. I’ve disabled Secure Boot but nothing has changed. I’ll see if I can find other USB drives to use and can report back if something works.

7

4th time lucky! It seems to depend on the USB drive being used. I’ve now switched to a Toshiba 8GB drive and booted into it a few times without issue. Previously, I was trying with 2 types of Kingston drives (one of which Tails themselves say has issues) and some unbranded one.

1 Like
8

Interesting… Thats so weird, i have tried multiple different usbs, they all work on my other laptops. Seems like we are having the exact same problem. i will try a couple other usbs and see if they work.

There is no compatibility issues with the drives on the framework except that they wont boot, works perfectly for all other purposes. (i even tried with the framework expansion card and no luck booting)

9

Im aware the wifi card is not yet supported, but i have an external one that works. Only if i could boot into tails to use it lmao

10

do you mind telling me the exact usb you using?

11

what usb exactly are you using?

12

It is a 16 gb USB 2.0 “Sandisk Ultra”

sandiskultrausb2.0
sandiskultrausb2.0168×300 4.2 KB

result of lsusb -v

idVendor 0x0781 SanDisk Corp.
idProduct 0x556c Ultra
bcdDevice 1.26
iManufacturer 1 SanDisk
iProduct 2 Firebird USB Flash Drive`

13

Toshiba TransMemory 8GB

proxy-image
proxy-image570×388 14.1 KB

14

SOLVED: (must use usb 2.0 flash drive)

Seems to be an issue with usb 3.0 flash drives.

I ordered a bunch of different usb flash drives to do some boot testing and usba 3.0 and usbc drives seem to be the problem.

All usba 2.0 flash drives that I have tested are booting into tails.

2 Likes
15

Glad you sorted it out!

Tried USB 2.0 and SD card as it was the only suitable medium for me, never would have thought USB 3.0 could be a problem for bootable USB stick.

I have done loads of USB 3.0 windows installation media, never had an issue…

16

Tails 5.5 (released last week) uses kernel 5.10.140.

According to this Debian bug issue AX210 wi-fi card only works on kernel 5.14 onwards.

For any other you need to install firmware-iwlwifi.

17

I’m having this same issue, but don’t own any USB 2 flashdrives or hubs.

It would be really nice if we could get to the bottom of this, because my USB 3 tails drive works fine on all my other computers.

I also tried removing “live-media=removable” from the grub options in case the laptop was somehow treating it as non-removable, but no luck.

18

I still havent come to a solution, it just wont read non-usb 2 drives as a live OS for some reason.

I have been using these drives from amazon and can confirm they work with no issue…

[https://www.amazon.com/SanDisk-64GB-Cruzer-Flash-Drive/dp/B07MDXBTL1/ref=mp_s_a_1_19?crid=ZEU4Z4K2VGRF&keywords=usb+2.0+flash+drive&qid=1674184674&sprefix=usb+a+2.0+fla%2Caps%2C85&sr=8-19]

19

I can confirm that tails 5.10 works from a usb 3.0 in a framework laptop 12th gen

2 Likes
20

My Framework arrived today. Tails 6.18 will not load. Various errors; the final ones are very long and only appear for < 1 second so I have to video record the screen to capture them. But the first few errors are clear:
[ 6.139738] ima: Can not allocate sha384 (reason: -2)
[ 6.400275] atkbd serio0: Failed to enable keyboard on isa0060/serio0
[ 7.497759] amdgpu 0000:c0:00.0: amdgpu: Fatal error during GPU init

Anyway, from here it just shows the three Tails dots cycling left to right. Then the screen hangs indefinitely and I have to push power button, which leads to the long and fast error dump I mentioned previously.

My system is:
Framework Laptop 13 DIY Edition (AMD Ryzen™ AI 300 Series)

I have no hard drive or OS on it because Tails is the only intended OS on this device.

I have disabled Secure Boot; no effect.

I have tried three random USB sticks and read all of Tails’ troubleshooting FAQ. No effect.

I ordered a 2.0 USB stick and will try in a few days when it arrives.

21

Most likely a usb drive issue, but im currently using the framework expansion card w tails OS with no issues. (Ryzen 7640u) you have to boot as an external drive from the boot menu though, not as a usb if using the expansion card. Could be an issue w the newest version of tails (maybe try downloading an older version) or maybe the AI series for some reason? but that seems unlikely.