OS Installation Problems - Bad Board?

Siorus · March 24, 2025, 2:11pm

I’m experiencing multiple OS installation issues with my O6:

Radxa Debian image: Connects to WiFi but drops connection + forgets password every ~90 seconds
Radxa Fedora image: No network connections detected at all
Official Debian net install: No WiFi drivers (I’m a Linux beginner and haven’t figured out how to install them without a working OS yet)
Official Fedora: Both ISO and raw images hang at boot with no drive activity
Official Ubuntu: Almost completes installation but errors out (log attached)

Additional issues:

Requires hard reset after any crash/hang using the back panel button
Fan behavior changed: After installing/updating Radxa Debian, fan ran at full speed constantly after boot. After wiping install and resetting BIOS, fan now completely stops during the boot process before eventually resuming at low speed if/when OS loads.

The BIOS is set to ACPI* rather than device tree; I don’t see any other relevant settings to change. Based on these symptoms across multiple distros, I suspect a hardware fault with the board.

Has anyone experienced similar problems? Any troubleshooting suggestions before I request an RMA?

For sake of completeness, the board is running on a known-good 750w Seasonic power supply, the Radxa Realtek wifi card, and a Kingston NV3 SSD. It has always been handled with appropriate ESD precautions (wrist strap + mat).

Truncated Ubuntu installation error log (I can post the full log if necessary):

Blockquote
Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_log.3303[5469]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_event.3303[3303]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_event.3303[3303]: Oct 04 10:46:07 ubuntu subiquity_event.3303[3303 Oct 04 10:46:08 ubuntu subiquity_event.3303[3303]: Running command [‘udevadm’, ‘settle’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
TIMED subp([‘udevadm’, ‘settle’]): 0.013
Running command [‘mount’, ‘–make-private’, ‘/target/usr/bin/ischroot’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘umount’, ‘/target/usr/bin/ischroot’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘mount’, ‘–make-private’, ‘/target/sys/firmware/efi/efivars’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘umount’, ‘/target/sys/firmware/efi/efivars’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘mount’, ‘–make-private’, ‘/target/sys’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘umount’, ‘/target/sys’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘mount’, ‘–make-private’, ‘/target/run’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘umount’, ‘/target/run’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘mount’, ‘–make-private’, ‘/target/proc’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘umount’, ‘/target/proc’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘mount’, ‘–make-private’, ‘/target/dev’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
Running command [‘umount’, ‘/target/dev’] with allowed return codes [0] (capture=False)
finish: cmd-install/stage-curthooks/builtin/cmd-curthooks/install-grub: FAIL: installing grub to target devices
finish: cmd-install/stage-curthooks/builtin/cmd-curthooks/configuring-bootloader: FAIL: configuring target system bootloader
finish: cmd-install/stage-curthooks/builtin/cmd-curthooks: FAIL: curtin command curthooks
Traceback (most recent call last):
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/commands/main.py”, line 202, in main
ret = args.func(args)
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/commands/curthooks.py”, line 2100, in curthooks
builtin_curthooks(cfg, target, state)
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/commands/curthooks.py”, line 2055, in builtin_curthooks
setup_grub(cfg, target, osfamily=osfamily,
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/commands/curthooks.py”, line 851, in setup_grub
install_grub(instdevs, target, uefi=uefi_bootable, grubcfg=grubcfg)
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/commands/install_grub.py”, line 451, in install_grub
in_chroot.subp(cmd, env=env, capture=True)
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/util.py”, line 843, in subp
return subp(*args, **kwargs)
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/util.py”, line 323, in subp
return _subp(*args, **kwargs)
File “/snap/ubuntu-desktop-bootstrap/289/lib/python3.10/site-packages/curtin/util.py”, line 172, in _subp
raise ProcessExecutionError(stdout=out, stderr=err,
curtin.util.ProcessExecutionError: Unexpected error while running command.
Command: [‘unshare’, ‘–fork’, ‘–pid’, ‘–mount-proc=/target/proc’, ‘–’, ‘chroot’, ‘/target’, ‘/usr/lib/grub/grub-multi-install’]
Exit code: 1
Reason: -
Stdout: ‘’
Stderr: Installing grub to /boot/efi.
Installing for arm64-efi platform.
grub-install: warning: Cannot set EFI variable Boot0000.
grub-install: warning: efivarfs_set_variable: writing to fd 8 failed: Input/output error.
grub-install: warning: efivarfs_set_variable: failed to unlink /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/Boot0000-8be4df61-93ca-11d2-aa0d-00e098032b8c: Invalid argument.
grub-install: warning: _efi_set_variable_mode: ops->set_variable() failed: Input/output error.
grub-install: error: failed to register the EFI boot entry: Input/output error.

Unexpected error while running command.
Command: [‘unshare’, ‘–fork’, ‘–pid’, ‘–mount-proc=/target/proc’, ‘–’, ‘chroot’, ‘/target’, ‘/usr/lib/grub/grub-multi-install’]
Exit code: 1
Reason: -
Stdout: ‘’
Stderr: Installing grub to /boot/efi.
Installing for arm64-efi platform.
grub-install: warning: Cannot set EFI variable Boot0000.
grub-install: warning: efivarfs_set_variable: writing to fd 8 failed: Input/output error.
grub-install: warning: efivarfs_set_variable: failed to unlink /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/Boot0000-8be4df61-93ca-11d2-aa0d-00e098032b8c: Invalid argument.
grub-install: warning: _efi_set_variable_mode: ops->set_variable() failed: Input/output error.
grub-install: error: failed to register the EFI boot entry: Input/output error.

{‘current’: ‘’, ‘timeout’: ‘’, ‘order’: ‘’}
{‘current’: ‘’, ‘timeout’: ‘’, ‘order’: ‘’}

Stderr: ‘’
executing curtin install curthooks step
installing system
]:
curtin command install

jack · March 25, 2025, 2:20am

Hi, @Siorus

Which WiFi card are you using and which power adapter are you using?

Siorus · March 25, 2025, 6:39am

The wifi card is the Radxa Wireless Module A8.

The power supply is a 750w Seasonic ATX unit that was removed from a working, stable 12700k system with very low hours (less than 50).

Siorus · April 13, 2025, 9:10am

Nothing on this at all huh?

I tried the Fedora 42 beta just now, it hangs loading the installer as well. Screenshot (literally!) attached.

tritbool · April 13, 2025, 11:44am

Hello,
The RADXA community seems mostly composed of linux conoisseurs, which you and I might not be part of. Don’t mislead on that, it is very difficult for many experts to explain clearly what they did to achieve certain things because it demands an important endeavour to imagine what a noob / middle tier person would need to understand and evolve in this domain. And not everyone is willing or able to do so. I also find it difficult to get good information when your linux and uefi / bios knowledge is borderline. Regarding your issue, I faced weird issues with my board too from not starting at all and not being able to boot bredOS iso for example when others seem to do a lot of stuff with their boards but not really linking to actual content or taking time to explain, which I can totally understand but it make it feel messy for non-experts like us. If you are a “mere” user, maybe the step up to learn and mess with it is very high, but I am sure it is worth it. I truly hope some users will try to accompany others in this journey.

Siorus · April 13, 2025, 10:57am

Yeah, the major reason I picked up this board was to improve my Linux troubleshooting skills.

I was hoping to get two things out of this thread:
One, rule a serious hardware issue in or out. Generally I’m comfortable doing that on my own; I was a Windows sysadmin for a decade, I used to do extreme overclocking, etc. But a lot of the behavior this board exhibits is equally attributable to buggy EFI or a bad CPU in my experience. The fact that you had similar issues implies it’s probably the former.

And two, I was hoping someone would at least point me in the right direction to start debugging it. Right now I have an intel wifi card in it, and it completed a Debian net install (although it appears to have hung during boot at starting the sddm service)

This is a workable solution (assuming I can get it to stop hanging during boot) but it does not address the sudden-onset fan control issue, nor does it address why the Radxa-branded Realtek wifi is flaky even on Radxa’s supplied images, which is an issue I haven’t really seen anyone else complain about.

I suppose I’ll re-flash the firmware (even though as far as I can tell there’s only the one version) and go from there.

YankGrimes · April 13, 2025, 11:41am

Have you used the latest BIOS build, 9.9.0? Maybe flashing that might help. https://dl.radxa.com/orion/o6/images/bios/

Bill_Fleming · April 13, 2025, 4:10pm

Make sure to use an ATX power supply for BIOS flash and to follow the directions to fully power the board down. I switched off my atx PSU for 10+ seconds before turning it back on. Already someone here managed to do a bad flash using usb power and not fully powering it down afterwards. They had to flash a second time to be able to recover, but maybe that doesn’t always work.

Po_Wo · April 13, 2025, 6:35pm

the same issue.
bios 0.2.2, ACPI mode, only success when tried install official debian
and no any driver intergated (cannot find anywhere)
lspci only exposed 2 network devices

volyrique · April 13, 2025, 10:29pm

Hello, I have only tried the official beta desktop image of Ubuntu 25.04 and I have experienced the same issue with firmware version 0.2.2-1 in ACPI mode. However, it turned out that the installation had almost finished and the remaining steps could be completed by chroot-ing into /target and:

Creating an initial user account and adding it to the sudo group
Setting the hostname
Removing the USB flash drive as an APT data source from /etc/apt/sources.list

Alternatively, I think that the server image installation would work fine, and then you can just follow with sudo apt-get install ubuntu-desktop.