Arch Linux

train_wreck

Member

Registered: 2011-10-22

Posts: 97

[SOLVED] Latest kernel upgrade fails on PC Engines ALIX

I have had Arch installed on a PC Engines for many years now with no issues. Upon performing the latest -Syu update, kernel 4.6.4-1 failed with the following error:

>>> Updating module dependencies. Please wait ...
>>> Generating initial ramdisk, using mkinitcpio. Please wait...
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'default'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux.img
==> ERROR: kernel version extraction from image not supported for `i586' architecture
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'fallback'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img -S autodetect
==> ERROR: kernel version extraction from image not supported for `i586' architecture

And the system is now unbootable, even from a rescue environment, erroring out:

SYSLINUX 6.03 EDD 6.03* Copyright (C) 1994-2014 H. Peter Anvin et al
Probing EDD (edd=off to disable)... ok
[    0.181258] dmi: Firmware registration failed.
[    1.454583] Failed to find cpu0 device node
[    1.470147] mce: Unable to init device /dev/mcelog (rc: -5)
:: running early hook [udev]
Warning: /lib/modules/4.6.4-1-ARCH/modules.devname not found - ignoring
starting version 230
:: running hook [udev]
:: Triggering uevents...
Waiting 10 seconds for device /dev/disk/by-uuid/fedccae5-ad5c-4c60-81b9-fe40b70e5f00 ...
ERROR: device 'UUID=fedccae5-ad5c-4c60-81b9-fe40b70e5f00' not found. Skipping fsck.
ERROR: Unable to find root device 'UUID=fedccae5-ad5c-4c60-81b9-fe40b70e5f00'.
You are being dropped to a recovery shell
    Type 'exit' to try and continue booting
sh: can't access tty; job control turned off
[rootfs ]#

The system is unable to find the root disk (it is the CompactFlash card in the device). Interestingly, if I boot into the rescue environment, I can mount the flash card & browse the files fine. I am just unable to boot....

So is Arch dropping support for this platform? The PC Engines board has an "AMD Geode" processor that, as far as I've read, contains the full i686 instruction set minus the NOPL feature, and I have always been able to run the 686 versions of all packages with no issues.....

If support is gone, is there at least a way I can downgrade back to the previous kernel without being able to boot into the system? Just so I can have a functional system until I figure out what to do next....

EDIT found this

https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=214860

But I would still need to be able to enter the system in order to re-do the mkinitcpio?

Last edited by train_wreck (2016-07-21 00:34:53)

2ManyDogs

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2012-01-15

Posts: 4,645

Re: [SOLVED] Latest kernel upgrade fails on PC Engines ALIX

Can you chroot into the install and then install the LTS kernel?

Or downgrade if you haven't cleared the pacman cache?

(edit) you should also be able to rebuild the initramfs from a chroot.

Last edited by 2ManyDogs (2016-07-21 00:16:08)

train_wreck

Member

Registered: 2011-10-22

Posts: 97

Re: [SOLVED] Latest kernel upgrade fails on PC Engines ALIX

yep, chrooting worked. I changed /bin/mkinitcpio line 101 to

if [[ $arch != @(i586|i686|x86_64) ]]; then

and was able to mkinitcpio fine, no downgrade necessary.

Thanks

resdac

Member

Registered: 2017-01-10

Posts: 1

Re: [SOLVED] Latest kernel upgrade fails on PC Engines ALIX

hello,
I am currently experiencing the same problems,
can you explain how you solved the problem in a little more detail.

Tnx in advance