Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

EmigratePenguin · 2012-08-08 17:16:21

EDIT: I made this thread to ask if should use Syslinux or GRUB, but now i went with Syslinux and got another issue, i will be grateful if you can answer to it here after post #11.

How GRUB2 compares to Syslinux in terms of booting up latency?
I don't need fancy themes and icons or music with fireworks, just a bootloader that will boot into a btrfs root without menu timeouts.

I gave a try for Syslinux since it sounded more lightweight to me, but the installation was too complex and i got lost.
Installing on Btrfs root article on Archwiki shows a step to step guide for GRUB2, and im thinking to try it out.

Is there any performance loss by choosing GRUB2? should i pick it because it supports btrfs better or should i research more and keep trying until it will work with syslinux?

Thanks.

Last edited by EmigratePenguin (2012-08-09 18:48:16)

brebs · 2012-08-08 17:26:06

You should explain better, e.g. state what the error message is.

syslinux is simpler and easier than grub2.

flako · 2012-08-08 21:21:04

I'm running syslinux with btrfs root, however I have a separate boot partition, I summed up my migration to btrfs in this thread https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=146150 it has to be reworked into simple steps that can be implemented into the wiki. Overall i think the syslinux installscript handles everything quite well.

tomegun · 2012-08-08 21:54:16

My setup is extremely simple I believe, maybe it will also work for you:

/boot is on ext2 (could probably be on btrfs, but don't see the point)
/ is on btrfs
my bootloader is syslinux.

I don't know what you mean by syslinux being complicated to set up. It should be much simpler than GRUB2. Just install the package and run "syslinux-install_uptade -i -a -m" and edit /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg (here you can switch off the timeout/menu).

oniichan · 2012-08-08 21:56:28

I tried bot Syslinux and Grub2.
Syslinux is neat, like Unetbootin - style start, and GRUB is also nice.
Speed? I think Syslinux is a tad faster? But if its worth it I don't know. Grub was so much easier to set up..

hellomynameisphil · 2012-08-08 22:55:05

http://jasonwryan.com/blog/2012/07/09/syslinux/

This convinced me to go with syslinux vs. GRUB2, once I get around to it.

robstwd · 2012-08-09 01:55:42

hellomynameisphil wrote:

http://jasonwryan.com/blog/2012/07/09/syslinux/
This convinced me to go with syslinux vs. GRUB2, once I get around to it.

+1 to that

Courtesy of Jason Ryan, I have moved to syslinux and it was pretty simple

2ManyDogs · 2012-08-09 02:22:58

I just did another install to check the Beginners' Guide, and syslinux is much easier to install and configure.

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2012-08-09 02:43:03)

bgc1954 · 2012-08-09 04:31:26

I used grub legacy for years but when grub2 was introduced to replace the old grub I couldn't take it. Too complex for an old linux user. Syslinux was my answer as many others have attested. I run about ten other linux distros and winxp with syslinux and personally I find syslinux much less complicated than grub2. Blahhh to grub2

DSpider · 2012-08-09 06:51:41

Both of them are not that difficult to install and configure:

# pacman -S syslinux
# syslinux-install_update -iam
# nano /boot/syslinux/syslinux.cfg

# pacman -S grub-bios
# grub-install /dev/sda
# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

GRUB reads from /etc/default/grub and /etc/grub.d/*, while Syslinux reads from just one, main config file, which I can honestly say that I understand much better than GRUB's autogenerated crap. Plus, I very much like the single-line approach when I hit Tab and also: https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 8#p1109328

Unfortunately, Syslinux doesn't support UEFI, so if you have a relatively modern computer you'll probably want to go with grub-efi-x86_64.

oniichan wrote:

Syslinux is neat, like Unetbootin...

-__-

EmigratePenguin · 2012-08-09 08:24:31

So an actual description on my problem:
I followed the wiki guide on installing on Btrfs root, but instead mounting dev, proc, and sys, i pacstrap'd Base and it installed the needed directories automatically.
Now that i boot in, it blinks a little text that looks like "Missing OS" and immediately chain boots to windows.

EDIT: i have made some progress, and now there is a totally another issue on boot:

Waiting 10 seconds for (insert UUID here)

Error: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.
Bailing out, you are on your own. Good Luck

[root /]#

Something like that.
Looks like the problem is not with Syslinux anymore, any ideas on how to fix it?

Last edited by EmigratePenguin (2012-08-09 18:51:09)

EmigratePenguin · 2012-08-12 16:43:29

bump

anti-destin · 2012-08-12 16:53:13

add 'init=/bin/systemd' to your kernel line.

see this.

2ManyDogs · 2012-08-12 17:19:25

EmigratePenguin wrote:

bump

Please don't do that.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … te#Bumping

ewaller · 2012-08-12 17:20:59

EmigratePenguin wrote:

EDIT: I made this thread to ask if should use Syslinux or GRUB, but now i went with Syslinux and got another issue, i will be grateful if you can answer to it here after post #11.

Moderator,

I sincerely wish you had not done that. The primary purpose of these forums is to provide technical support for Archlinux. In an ideal world, members will search the forums for answers before starting a new thread. Now, consider the hapless, but diligent member who, sometime in the future, searches for help with a missing /sbin/init condition. They find this thread -- with anticipation they click the link, and encounter a thread about the merits of Syslinux versus GRUB2.

It would have been far better to mark this thread closed, create a new thread on the new topic, and (if appropriate) cross link them.
Be considerate of your reader. Food for thought

ithink2020 · 2012-10-11 14:59:22

If this is a fresh install of Arch and you are following the Beginner's Guide, make sure you configure syslinux.cfg to point to the root partition. By default syslinux.cfg looks at sda3. If you are following the example, you'll need need to change syslinux.cfg to point to sda1.

The step in question is under the Syslinux setup section.

I ran into this error and figured out that I skipped a step when I was following the install instructions.

Hope it helps someone in the future!

Matt

andre167 · 2012-12-18 19:27:10

It is not written anywhere, but for me it has works something like that.

Configure syslinux.cfg

andre167 wrote:

LABEL arch
MENU LABEL Arch Linux
APPEND boot=/dev/sda1 ro #this is the /boot Partition
APPEND root=/dev/sda2 ro #this is the / Partition
LINUX ../vmlinuz-linux
INITRD ../initramfs-linux.img

Excuse my bad english.

DSpider · 2012-12-19 11:22:59

andre167, you should remove the first APPEND line. Or leave it in, if you want; it's ignored anyway.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sy … sic_Config

andre167 · 2012-12-20 19:32:46

You're right.
As it has for me not only works, because at first the /boot partition and not the / stand partition.
I have just accidentally configuriert right.
Except for the boot = line that does nothing.
Thanks for the help

hunterthomson · 2012-12-26 07:15:58

EmigratePenguin wrote:

Waiting 10 seconds for (insert UUID here)

Error: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.
Bailing out, you are on your own. Good Luck

[root /]#
Something like that.
Looks like the problem is not with Syslinux anymore, any ideas on how to fix it?

Do you have a pure systemd install?
If you do you need to make sure you have this package installed.

pacman -S systemd-sysvcompat

If you do not have a pure systemd install, make sure you have these packages installed.

pacman -S initscripts sysvinit

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Sy … stallation

The only time I have seen that error is when I was moving to systemd and for some reason thought that I could un-install the systemd-sysvcompat package.

In other words. It looks like your problem is that you don't have /sbin/init

However,... it should be installed by defualt from installation media newer than 2012-10-13.

Last edited by hunterthomson (2012-12-26 07:18:06)

Alambre · 2013-02-06 14:30:00

after https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Archbootstrap and pacman -S linux os-prober and update grub (/boot for arch and debian fixing uuid)

i get

Error: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist

#13 works for me
Thanks

WorMzy · 2013-02-06 15:11:34

Looks like that script doesn't install systemd-sysvcompat, which provides the /sbin/init symlink to /usr/lib/systemd/systemd. You might want to file a bug report and/or use pacstrap in the future.

rdahlgren · 2015-08-02 02:03:21

Following the installation wiki entry (including use of pacstrap), syslinux still provides a booby trap. On a new system (which uses systemd of course), you'll wind up with an unbootable system. The only place mentioning the required kernel parameter is this forum thread. That should probably be in bold on the syslinux entry.

Scimmia · 2015-08-02 02:58:55

rdahlgren wrote:

Following the installation wiki entry (including use of pacstrap), syslinux still provides a booby trap. On a new system (which uses systemd of course), you'll wind up with an unbootable system. The only place mentioning the required kernel parameter is this forum thread. That should probably be in bold on the syslinux entry.

There is no "required kernel parameter" not already in the wiki unless you don't install the entire base group. If you do that, you're on your own anyway.

Let this thread die, and read up on the forum rules about necrobumping.

Last edited by Scimmia (2015-08-02 03:01:41)

jasonwryan · 2015-08-02 03:56:04

Scimmia wrote:

Let this thread die, and read up on the forum rules about necrobumping.

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fo … bumping.22

Closing

Arch Linux

#1 2012-08-08 17:16:21

Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#2 2012-08-08 17:26:06

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#3 2012-08-08 21:21:04

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#4 2012-08-08 21:54:16

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#5 2012-08-08 21:56:28

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#6 2012-08-08 22:55:05

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#7 2012-08-09 01:55:42

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#8 2012-08-09 02:22:58

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#9 2012-08-09 04:31:26

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#10 2012-08-09 06:51:41

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#11 2012-08-09 08:24:31

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#12 2012-08-12 16:43:29

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#13 2012-08-12 16:53:13

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#14 2012-08-12 17:19:25

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#15 2012-08-12 17:20:59

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#16 2012-10-11 14:59:22

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#17 2012-12-18 19:27:10

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#18 2012-12-19 11:22:59

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#19 2012-12-20 19:32:46

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#20 2012-12-26 07:15:58

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#21 2013-02-06 14:30:00

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#22 2013-02-06 15:11:34

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#23 2015-08-02 02:03:21

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#24 2015-08-02 02:58:55

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

#25 2015-08-02 03:56:04

Re: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.

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