efibootmgr: No such bootvar BootFFFFFFF4

[HSarham]

I get the following error when I try to install project trident on my laptop:

[rkitover]

I just got this too, here is some more context from the log:

Running: mkdir -p /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT
Running: kldload efirt
kldload: can't load efirt: module already loaded or in kernel
Running: cp /mnt/boot/loader.efi /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64-TRUEOS.EFI
Running: efibootmgr -a -c -l /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64-TRUEOS.EFI -L TrueOS
efibootmgr: No such bootvar BootFFFFFFF4
: No such file or directory
EXITERROR: Error 1: efibootmgr -a -c -l /mnt/boot/efi/EFI/BOOT/BOOTX64-TRUEOS.EFI -L TrueOS
ZFS Unmount: doobie/var/tmp

is this an issue with the latest image perhaps?

[SnowCrestGuy]

This is caused by trying to activate a bootvar prior to that var being created. The "-a" is the error. Also could the UEFI partition directory structure be change from the default location to "/EFI/True0s/BOOTX64-TRUEOS.EFI? The /EFI/BOOT/xxxxxxx.efi structure is only required for removable media. Linux and Win10 already use their own directory. The update programs will need to be fixed to look for the correct location of the UEFI partition data. Doing the directory change will alleviate other program installs from trashing the UEFI data.

[HSarham]

I think the problem is that no BootVarNum is specified after the “-a” option. According to the manual page of efibootmgr it is required:

-a --activate BootVarNum Activate the given BootVarNum.

[rkitover]

I tried installing in legacy mode with CSM, but then the scfb xorg driver does not work and there is no way to start the installer. The vesa driver does not work, says something about an error opening vbios. Why is the intel driver not on the installer image?

[rkitover]

So as I found out from the telegram group, this efibootmgr command is the last in the install process, and you can complete it by running it without the -a option, like so:

• click "GO TO TERMINAL" or reboot to the installer and click "GO TO TERMINAL" if you have already installed and have the install disk
• mount the ESP created by the installer, e.g.:

mount_msdosfs /dev/nvd1p1 /mnt

replace nvd1p1 with the device of the created ESP (EFI partition)

• go to the location of the .efi file

cd /mnt/EFI/BOOT

• run the efibootmgr command without the -a option:

efibootmgr -c -l BOOTX64-TRUEOS.EFI -L "Project Trident"

• reboot to your bios, go to "HARD DRIVE BBS PRIORITIES", and choose "Project Trident" as the first option
• boot to your shiny new project trident install

Hope this helps anyone who comes across this.

[HSarham]

Very nice, thanks for the solution, however it would be better if the issue gets fixed in the next update.

[kmoore134]

Updated pc-sysinstall upstream, the -a has been removed.

[rkitover]

Thank you!

[beanpole135]

I have updated the trident installer to pull in the newer version of pc-sysinstall from ports and use that (instead of the one in the base system).
Waiting to see the updated port become available before I start the next build, so this can be included in the 18.12-U9 update.

Marking issue as fixed.