[SOLVED] Can't find /dev/sda on boot with 3.8.4, works fine with 3.8.3

aphirst · 2013-03-22 20:39:48

EDIT: On my end at least, this problem seems to relate to a bug in TianoCore, the EFI library that rEFInd is compiled using by default. Thanks to information in THIS THREAD I've started using a rEFInd binary compiled using GNU-EFI instead, which for me does not exhibit the fail-to-boot problem.

I've installed linux and linux-headers version 3.8.4, and after running mkinitcpio (which gave the same seemingly-OK output as always) I also ran the appropriate command to copy the initramfs and vmlinuz to the EFI folder (since I'm using UEFI with rEFInd). However, if I try to boot this it doesn't progress past the screen where it displays your kernel load options. Booting a fallback image indicates that it can't find /dev/sda(2), and manually checking the /dev folder shows no disk drives at all.

If I chroot into my install from a LiveUSB, and use downgrade from the AUR to revert to 3.8.3 (and re-copy the EFI files) it works again.

I'm really not sure what's going on here. What detailed information would I need to post here if I were to ask for any input?

I'm using catalyst and xorg113 from vi0l0's repositories if that helps, though I suspect it doesn't.

Last edited by aphirst (2013-03-25 11:10:31)

cfr · 2013-03-22 22:38:12

How are you checking the contents of /dev if you don't get past that point in the boot sequence?

Please search before posting.

There is a long thread concerning a bug concerning booting in EFI mode with certain kernels and rEFInd (and maybe with other boot loaders) at https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=156670 which is right near your thread in the forum. If you think you are seeing a distinct problem, please explain why.

aphirst · 2013-03-22 23:04:49

cfr wrote:

How are you checking the contents of /dev if you don't get past that point in the boot sequence?

The fallback image gets right to the beginning of the actual boot process, but then fails and drops to a shell; where it says it can't find /dev/sda1 (and where I can ls /dev and see nothing related to sdX)

cfr wrote:

There is a long thread concerning a bug concerning booting in EFI mode with certain kernels and rEFInd (and maybe with other boot loaders) at https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=156670 which is right near your thread in the forum.

Ah, I'd dismissed that thread since the title references a problem with 3.7, which worked for me before I upgraded to 3.8. Since on my end the problem appeared between 3.8.3 and 3.8.4, I'd thought that it only related to that new version.

Thanks for letting me know the problem is more general, I'll give that thread a good read, then I'll see what there is to say, if anything.

Arch Linux

#1 2013-03-22 20:39:48

[SOLVED] Can't find /dev/sda on boot with 3.8.4, works fine with 3.8.3

#2 2013-03-22 22:38:12

Re: [SOLVED] Can't find /dev/sda on boot with 3.8.4, works fine with 3.8.3

#3 2013-03-22 23:04:49

Re: [SOLVED] Can't find /dev/sda on boot with 3.8.4, works fine with 3.8.3

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