Arch Linux

Heikete

Member

Registered: 2007-04-28

Posts: 41

initrd.switch-root.service failed

After upgrade the system no longer starts. I downgraded the kernel, but it wasnt the case. So I downgraded systemd.
Everything boots normally until

initrd.switch-root.service

fails.
Of course I cannot see the status as suggested because I have no console.
Where are the systemctl logs in text form so I can see them with cat/less?

I have downgraded systemd to 218-1 and I have the same error as on 220.

Configuration:
Dell 6520
Boot: lilo
Kernel >4 (latest)

On disk there are 3 partitions all in ext4 /, /home, and separate mounted on /mnt/nz

What can be possible cause of the boot failure?

mauritiusdadd

Member

From: Benevento, Italy

Registered: 2013-10-27

Posts: 776

Re: initrd.switch-root.service failed

have you tried to rebuild the initramfs?

Where are the systemctl logs in text form so I can see them with cat/less?

There are no plain text logs: you have to chroot into the non functional system and invoke journalctl inside the chroot.

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Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 8,999

Website

Re: initrd.switch-root.service failed

Where are the systemctl logs in text form so I can see them with cat/less?

There are no plain text logs: you have to chroot into the non functional system and invoke journalctl inside the chroot.

The logs are stored in binary form so can be read using the strings command.

See the "Tip" in this section of the systemd ArchWiki page:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Jo … ing_output

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