SOLVED IncrediblePBX 2025 Install Fails on Oracle Cloud ARM (aarch64) with Ubuntu 24.04

[sandiegopbx]

Hi all,

I'm working on a fresh installation of Incredible PBX 2025 and have run into what appears to be a critical failure in the installation process on a specific, modern cloud platform. I'm hoping to confirm if this is a known issue or if there's a workaround.

My Goal: A clean installation of Incredible PBX 2025 on an "Always Free" Oracle Cloud ARM instance. Specs:

• Provider: Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI)
• Shape: VM.Standard.A1.Flex (Ampere / ARM-based processor)
• CPU / RAM: Configured for 1 OCPU and 6 GB RAM.
• Architecture: aarch64
• Operating System: Canonical Ubuntu 24.04 (Noble Numbat) - Official OCI image.

The process I'm following:

1. Launch a clean instance with the specs above.
2. SSH in as the ubuntu user, then elevate to root with sudo -i.
3. Run the standard Incredible PBX 2025 installation sequence:
   
   apt install wget -y
   wget http://incrediblepbx.com/IncrediblePBX2025.sh
   chmod +x IncrediblePBX2025.sh
   ./IncrediblePBX2025.sh

The problem:
The installer script runs for a long time and appears to complete, but the resulting system is not functional. The Apache web server works, but the FreePBX GUI is just an empty directory listing.

After deep troubleshooting, I've found the root cause: Asterisk and FreePBX core components are not being installed.

When I check the status of the Asterisk service, I see this:

# systemctl status asterisk
● asterisk.service - LSB: Asterisk PBX
Loaded: loaded (/etc/init.d/asterisk; generated)
Active: active (exited) since ...
Process: .... ExecStart=/etc/init.d/asterisk start (code=exited, status=0/SUCCESS)

... systemd[1]: Starting asterisk.service - LSB: Asterisk PBX...
... asterisk[...]: ERROR: /usr/sbin/asterisk not found
... systemd[1]: Started asterisk.service - LSB: Asterisk PBX.

Key errors from the installer log also show:

• /usr/sbin/safe_asterisk: No such file or directory
• fwconsole: command not found

This confirms that the Asterisk binary and the FreePBX framework console command are missing. It seems the installer is not successfully installing the ARM64 packages for Ubuntu 24.04.

My question for the Community:

Is the IncrediblePBX2025.sh installer script expected to work on an ARM (aarch64) platform running Ubuntu 24.04?

I've seen documentation referencing Debian 12 / Raspberry Pi OS for ARM, and other documentation for x86 machines. It seems this specific combination might be unsupported, causing the installation to fail silently.

Before I pivot to a manual installation on a different OS (like Debian 12 ARM), I wanted to confirm if anyone else has seen this or has a known fix or workaround for getting the installer to successfully place the Asterisk and FreePBX binaries on an Ubuntu 24.04 ARM server.

Any guidance would be hugely appreciated. Thanks in advance

 

[kenn10]

IncrediblePBX-2025 is not designed for ARM architecture. The installation script requires AMD64. It has not been modified for ARM technology at this time. Also FreePBX-17 is not supported on ARM processors.

The Oracle E1 instance will work with this but Debian-12 is recommended as Ubuntu has introduced some issues with the installation. See:

FreePBX 17 is not officially supported on ARM processors, as the official installation method requires x86-64 (amd64) architectures, though it can sometimes be compiled from source or installed via a specialized script. However, running on ARM has significant limitations, such as the inability to use commercial modules due to missing PHP "decoders" and potentially poor performance for typical workloads. [1, 2, 3]


Why FreePBX 17 is generally not recommended for ARM:

• No Official Support: The standard, supported method for installing FreePBX is for x86-64 processors, not ARM. [1, 2]
• Commercial Module Issues: A critical limitation is the lack of support for commercial modules, as their necessary PHP decoders are not ported for ARM. [3, 4]
• Workarounds are Limited: While it's possible to find community scripts or build from source to get it running, these are often intended for small, low-extension systems and may have further compatibility issues with newer versions like FreePBX 17. [3, 4]
• Hardware Performance: ARM processors were not originally designed for the type of workload a PBX system performs, making them less suitable than a traditional x86-64 PC for this purpose. [2]

If you are considering ARM:

• Build from Source: You may need to compile from source, which can be complex and is not a supported or guaranteed path. [2, 3]
• Use Free Modules Only: Be prepared to use only the free modules, as commercial options will not work. [4]
• Consider an x86 PC: A small x86 or x64 PC is generally considered a better and more reliable platform for FreePBX. [2, 3]

AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] https://www.reddit.com/r/freepbx/comments/1fv90vr/cant_get_freepbx_17_to_work_on_vm/
[2]

https://www.reddit.com/r/freepbx/comments/1ec7opr/why_is_putting_freepbx_on_a_rasppi_4_the_hardest

[3] https://community.freepbx.org/t/freepbx-17-on-arm/101558
[4] https://community.freepbx.org/t/freepbx-17-on-pi4-i/103351

 

[kenn10]

One other comment about the Oracle free instances: Oracle randomly shuts them down or deletes them if you don't log into them and show traffic regularly. You're better off choosing a nearly free VM platform from one of the recommendations found at these links:

A Cloud-Based Asterisk PBX: 0 to $5/Mo. – Nerd Vittles

nerdvittles.com

or

Incredible PBX Wiki | Services

Incredible PBX Wiki

wiki.incrediblepbx.com

 

[sandiegopbx]

Thank you so much for this incredibly detailed and definitive reply. This is exactly what I was looking for, and it has saved me from continuing down a dead-end path. I can't thank you enough for clarifying the situation with ARM and the Oracle platform.

My goal of running the latest FreePBX 17 on an ARM instance is not a viable strategy due to the official lack of support and, critically, the inability to use commercial modules. The warning about Oracle's resource reclamation is also a major eye-opener and a significant business risk I wasn't aware of.

Based on your expert guidance, I'm ready to pivot to a supported, stable, and reliable platform. Your advice is invaluable.

If I could ask for one final recommendation based on my specific business needs, it would be a huge help in making the right choice for the final build.

My Use Case:

• I am a single-operator small business, but I will be running multiple "micro-businesses" (up to 10) on this single PBX, each with its own DID from BulkVS.
• Usage is very light: a maximum of maybe 2-5 inbound calls a day. It will primarily be used to play different IVR menus, act as a spam filter, play informational announcements, and occasionally route a "live answer" call.
• Key Requirement: While usage is low, the call quality for those few live calls and for the IVR prompts needs to be rock-solid and professional (no jitter/stutter). And obviously, a stable, solid VM.

Given that ARM instances are not a viable option, what would be your top recommendation for a platform (VM provider and OS) to run the latest stable Incredible PBX (x86) on? I'm looking for the sweet spot between low cost (the nearly free options you linked look great) and the reliability needed to ensure perfect audio quality and stability for a very, very low-volume professional workload.

Thank you again for your time and for sharing your incredible expertise. This has been a massive help.

 

[sandiegopbx]

I am at the CrownCloud site and am signing up for their "$25/year Incredible PBX" plan that Ward Mundy recommends. My goal is the most stable version + not having to worry about operating system updates for many years. Is Incredible PBX 2025 + Ubuntu 24.04 64bit (good LT support) the #1 recommendation? Or is Debian 12 advised instead?

Note that Incredible PBX 2027 was released in 2023, so it seems that Incredible PBX 2025 (released this year) would be the latest.

 

[Samot]

If you want to run commercial modules you need Debian 12 and to not use IncrediblePBX since it is an open source only version of FreePBX and turns off things needed for commercial modules.

 

[sandiegopbx]

Thanks, I don't foresee myself purchasing and installing any of Sangoma's official commercial modules. Given my stated goals and very low call volume, I was thinking:

Incredible PBX 2025 + Ubuntu 24.04 + CrownCloud $25/yr. This gives FreePBX 17 and Asterisk 20.6 with LT (security patching until 2036).

Thoughts?

 

[kenn10]

Ubuntu keeps making changes that have affected some users when they install IncrediblePBX. I stand by my recommendation of Debian-12 for a solid system. Do not, however, let the instance upgrade your OS to Debian-13 as it is not certified for FreePBX-17 either. IncrediblePBX-2025 on Debian-12 is the Sangoma recommended solution and it has been adopted for IncrediblePBX.

The next big jump will be when Sangoma releases FreePBX-18 to run on Debian-13 or Debian-14 with PHP 8.3 or higher. Until then you are good on Debian-12 for a bit. Remember, Ubuntu is based on Debian.

Here's a breakdown of the support timeline:

• Release Date: June 10, 2023
• End of Full Security Support: June 10, 2026
• End of Long Term Support (LTS):June 30, 2028
  • End of Extended LTS (ELTS): June 30, 2033

After you create a Debian-12 VM on Crown Cloud, use these instructions to install IncrediblePBX-2025:

Introducing Incredible PBX 2025 with Asterisk 22 and FreePBX 17 – Nerd Vittles

nerdvittles.com

 

[sandiegopbx]

Thank you.

Extended Long Term Support for Debian is a paid service provided by third-party companies, not the Debian project itself. For practical purposes, I consider 2028 to be the free end-of-life date for Debian 12. Ubuntu 24.04 guarantees free security patches for a longer period of time, which directly serves my primary goal of longevity. The IncrediblePBX2025.sh script, which I have now used and installed on Ubuntu 24.04, was specifically designed for the Ubuntu/Debian family and so far, in my testing, is clearly functional on my chosen platform. I don't want to mess with my server for a long time, so the longer support window was really attractive.

That said, I will only apply updates that I know don’t touch PHP/Asterisk libraries. For IncrediblePBX/FreePBX on Ubuntu, I am assuming the safest approach is manual updates and testing.

I will lock key packages: sudo apt-mark hold asterisk php* apache2 mysql-server