If a step of the SignLogger 7.2.0 ISO installation cannot be completed, the screen shows an error code starting with the letter K (e.g. K10, K20) followed by a short technical description. This document explains which installation stage each code refers to, its most likely causes and what to check first.
For the complete installation steps, see the SignLogger ISO Installation Guide.
Note: The error code shows at which stage the problem occurred; the exact cause is given by the description below the code. When opening a support request, always share a photo of the entire screen together with the code. This list covers only the K codes of the 7.2.0 installer; behaviour may differ on older ISO versions.
Error code summary table
| Code | Stage / meaning | First check |
|---|---|---|
K01 | The installer was not started in the expected installation environment. | Verify that the system booted directly from the SignLogger ISO. |
K02 | Installation media not found. | Check that the ISO is attached to the virtual DVD drive or USB and that it is the correct ISO file. |
K03 | Installation media could not be read. | Check for DVD/USB read errors; download the ISO again and re-attach it. |
K10 | Hardware eligibility check or installation settings validation failed. | Check x86-64-v3 CPU support, memory and disk capacity according to the on-screen description. |
K11 | The installation confirmation could not be read. | Check the console and keyboard connection and restart the installation. |
K15 | Installation media integrity check failed. | Download the ISO again; if you use USB, rewrite it. |
K20 | The target disk could not be prepared for installation. | Check the selected disk, the disk controller and, on VMware, the VM compatibility version. |
K30 | Disk partitions could not be created. | Check that the disk is accessible and that there is no controller error. |
K40 | Disk partitions could not be formatted. | Check the storage for read/write errors. |
K50 | System files could not be copied to the disk. | Check the installation media, the target disk and disk capacity. |
K55 | The target disk could not be closed after copying. | Record the on-screen description and send it to the support team. |
K60 | System configuration could not be completed. | Record the sub-step stated in the on-screen description and send it to the support team. |
K70 | Boot components could not be installed. | Check the BIOS or UEFI boot mode of the virtual machine/server. |
K80 | Post-installation boot verification failed. | Do not consider the installation successful; contact the support team with the on-screen description. |
K99 | Unclassified or unexpected error. | Contact the support team with a photo of the entire screen. |
Installation media errors (K01, K02, K03, K15)
These codes indicate that the installer could not find or read the ISO, or that the file is corrupted. Nothing has been written to the disks at this stage.
K01 – Installation environment could not be verified
The installer detected that it is not running in the expected installation environment. Boot the system directly from the SignLogger ISO and make sure the ISO is first in the boot order.
K02 – Installation media not found
- Check that the ISO is attached to the virtual machine's DVD drive and in the connected state.
- Verify that you are using the correct SignLogger ISO file.
- If installing from USB, rewrite the ISO to the USB stick and try a different USB port.
K03 – Installation media could not be read
The ISO was found but its contents could not be read. Physical DVD or USB read errors and connection drops with ISOs attached over the network are the most common causes. Copy the ISO file to a local datastore and re-attach it, or download it again.
K15 – Installation media integrity check failed
The ISO file was downloaded or written incompletely or is corrupted. Download the ISO again; if possible, compare the file's SHA256 checksum with the value provided by the support team. If you use USB, rewrite the stick. Do not try to bypass this check; an installation from corrupted media is not reliable.
Hardware eligibility error (K10)
K10 indicates that one of the eligibility checks performed before installation was not met. Nothing is written to the disks at this stage. K10 is not only a CPU error; the on-screen description states which condition was not met. The most common causes:
- The CPU does not support x86-64-v3: SignLogger 7.2.0 requires x86-64-v3 processors with AVX2 (Intel 4th-generation Core / Haswell, Xeon E5/E7 v3 and later; AMD Excavator, Ryzen and EPYC).
- The virtual machine does not pass CPU features through: Even if the physical CPU is suitable, a hypervisor setting can hide these features:
- Proxmox: Set the CPU type to
hostorx86-64-v3. - VMware ESXi: If EVC mode is enabled, set it to at least Intel Haswell or AMD Zen.
- Hyper-V: Disable processor compatibility mode (migrate to a physical computer with a different processor).
- Proxmox: Set the CPU type to
- Insufficient disk capacity: At least 250 GB is required for the data area.
- Insufficient memory or CPU cores: Increase the resources assigned to the virtual machine according to the on-screen description.
After correcting the setting, power off the virtual machine completely, start it again and run the installation from the beginning.
Installation confirmation error (K11)
K11 indicates that the confirmation answer on the summary screen could not be read. It appears when the console or keyboard connection is lost or a remote console session drops. Answering "no" to the confirmation question is not an error; the installation is simply cancelled. Refresh the console connection and restart the installation.
Disk preparation and write errors (K20, K30, K40, K50, K55)
Caution: These codes occur after operations on the disk have started. At the time of the error, old information on the selected disks may have been partially erased. If the disk holds data that must be preserved, do not retry the installation and do not perform any operations on the disk yourself; contact the support team first. Only reinstall on disks whose erasure has been approved.
K20 – The target disk could not be prepared for installation
The installer encountered an error while clearing old records on the selected disk or preparing the disk for installation. Possible causes:
- The disk is read-only or in use by another process.
- There is a problem with the disk controller or storage connection.
- There is a read/write (I/O) error on the disk.
- On VMware, the virtual machine's virtual hardware compatibility version is outdated.
If the screen states whether writing to the disk had started, note it down. K20 is not a CPU or core count error.
K20 on VMware: virtual machine compatibility version
When K20 occurs on VMware, check not only the ESXi host version but also the virtual machine's compatibility (virtual hardware) version. In a case reported from the field, K20 occurred on a new virtual machine with an old compatibility version (VM version 9); changing the disk controller from LSI Logic Parallel to LSI Logic SAS did not help. After the VM compatibility was upgraded to ESXi 6.0 and later, the installation started.
- Power off the virtual machine.
- In vSphere, right-click the virtual machine and open Compatibility › Upgrade VM Compatibility.
- Select a current compatibility level supported by your ESXi version (at least ESXi 6.0 and later).
- Power on the virtual machine and restart the installation.
This step may not resolve every K20 case; if the problem persists, continue with the disk and controller checks. Take a backup before upgrading compatibility on an existing virtual machine that contains data.
K30 – Disk partitions could not be created
The disk was prepared but the partition layout could not be written, or the partitions did not become available within the expected time. Check disk and controller access; on a virtual machine, you can try a different virtual disk controller.
K40 – Disk partitions could not be formatted
The partitions were created but formatting could not be completed. This is usually caused by read/write errors on the storage side. Check that the storage system (datastore, RAID, SAN) is healthy.
K50 – System files could not be copied
An error occurred while copying files from the installation media to the target disk. Check that the installation media is intact (see K15), that the target disk is accessible and that there is sufficient capacity.
K55 – The target disk could not be closed
Copying finished but the target disk could not be closed properly. This usually points to a pending read/write problem on the disk. Record the on-screen description and send it to the support team; do not try to use the system in this state.
Configuration and boot errors (K60, K70, K80)
K60 – System configuration could not be completed
One of the configuration steps after file copying failed. The on-screen description states which sub-step failed; contact the support team with this information.
K70 – Boot components could not be installed
The boot components required for the system to start from the disk could not be installed. Check the boot mode (BIOS or UEFI) of the virtual machine or server; do not change the boot mode during installation. If the problem persists, contact the support team with the on-screen description.
K80 – Boot verification failed
The final check performed after installation could not verify that the system can boot correctly from the disk. In this case the installation is not considered successful. Record the on-screen description and contact the support team.
Unexpected error (K99)
K99 indicates an error that is not mapped to a specific code or is unexpected, and it does not point to a single hardware cause. Send a photo of the entire screen and details of the installation environment to the support team.
Information to collect for a support request
To help the support team resolve the issue quickly, include the following in your request:
- A photo of the entire screen, including the error code and the description below it.
- The name of the ISO file used.
- Whether the installation was on a physical server or a virtual machine; hypervisor type and version.
- On VMware, the ESXi version and the virtual machine compatibility version (separately).
- The CPU model or the virtual machine's CPU type setting.
- Disk model, disk controller type and the disks selected during installation.
- The step at which the error occurred and any on-screen message about whether writing to the disk had started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a K10 error mean during SignLogger installation?
K10 indicates that the hardware eligibility check performed before installation failed. The most common cause is that the CPU or virtual machine does not provide x86-64-v3 (AVX2) features. The on-screen description states which condition was not met; nothing is written to the disks at this stage.
How do I fix a K20 error on VMware?
First check the virtual machine's compatibility version; on VMs with an old version (e.g. VM version 9), upgrading compatibility to at least "ESXi 6.0 and later" may resolve the issue. If the problem persists, check that the disk is not read-only or in use and that there are no read/write errors on the storage side.
Why does the installation stop at the CPU eligibility check on Proxmox?
Proxmox's default virtual CPU types do not pass the AVX2 feature through to the virtual machine. Change the VM's CPU type to "host" or "x86-64-v3" and restart the virtual machine.
Is the data on my disks erased when the installation fails?
Nothing is written to the disks for codes K01–K15. Codes K20 and later occur after operations on the disk have started; old information on the selected disks may have been partially erased. If there is data that must be preserved, contact the support team before retrying.
Can I retry the installation after an error?
Yes. After resolving the cause, restart the virtual machine or server and run the installation from the beginning. For disk errors (K20 and later), only retry on disks whose data erasure has been approved.