[Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

pagwin · 2019-07-18 14:00:01

It goes on with another error of "Failed to mount /boot" seemingly due to the immediate missing dependency message/error message afterwards of "Dependency failed for Local File System"(didn't include that in the title due to character limit)

based on other threads(and based on the terminal suggesting I get journalctl -xb) I've gathered other seemingly relevant command outputs and file contents

Potentially relevant files:
fstab: https://pastebin.com/kTpw1PSk
grub.cfg: https://pastebin.com/2Dbv0CuT
pacman.log: https://pastebin.com/fDNQfzBb

Output from potentially relevant commands:
lsblk -f: https://pastebin.com/PEaU0skE
journalctl -xb: https://pastebin.com/0AUFu8Q2
pacman -Q: https://pastebin.com/fWXkykaz
uname -r: 5.1.15-arch1-1-ARCH

Also I'm pretty sure I'm using a UEFI system if that's relevant

any idea what's going on/how to fix this?

Last edited by pagwin (2020-01-12 17:04:40)

ewaller · 2019-07-18 14:38:09

pacman -Q reports

linux 5.2.1.arch1-1

uname -r reports

5.1.15-arch1-1-ARCH

There's your problem. The kernel you are running, which was loaded by the boot loader, cannot find its modules because a newer kernel is installed, and the older modules (the one for the kernel you are running) were removed.

Usually this happens when you update the kernel when the boot partition is not mounted on /boot. This has the effect of leaving the old kernel on the boot partition, while writing the new kernel to the directory /boot, where it is about as useful as snake mittens.

To fix this, mount the boot partition on /boot, then run pacman -S linux That will reinstall the kernel from the cache, this time writing the kernel to the boot partition.
Now, if you reboot, the new kernel should load and should find its modules.

Next, fix your /etc/fstab to mount the boot partition on /boot at start up so that this will not happen again. Verify that next time you reboot.

Finally, clean up your mess. Temporarily, unmount /boot. Now that the boot partition is not mounted, /boot becomes a regular directory rather than a mount point. Look in that directory and there are probably two files -- a kernel, and an initrd. They serve no purpose, and just consume disk space and increase confusion; remove them. Then, as a sanity check, remount the boot partition, and check the contents of /boot. As it is again a mount point, you should see the contents of the boot partition.

Edit: You may want to edit your first post and fix the typo in the title -- kernal s/b/ kernel

Last edited by ewaller (2019-07-18 14:42:53)

pagwin · 2019-07-18 17:43:12

so I fixed it kinda(read as it works but I'm pretty sure I fixed it in a stupid/backwards way that I shouldn't fix it through)

basically I tried to remount my boot partition on /boot and do pacman -S linux but that didn't seem to fix the problem(also the output of uname -r didn't change) so umounted it and skipped ahead and deleted the uneeded files from the directory /boot which broke stuff more(seemingly I setup my Fstab wrong or something idk) so I went back and installed linux again this time too the /boot directory(boot partition unmounted) and when I rebooted it worked for some reason even though it either shouldn't or I shouldn't be okay with it working that way

so I guess my question now is how did I screw up my Fstab(or something else?) to make it necessary for me to install linux to the boot directory

Last edited by pagwin (2019-07-18 17:43:45)

ewaller · 2019-07-18 17:56:35

Wait, my brain just exploded. Are you sure you are booting from the volume you think you are booting from?
Are grub and all of its files in /boot (the directory) when the boot partition is not mounted?

pagwin · 2019-07-18 18:01:02

1) What do you mean "Are you booting from the volume you think you are booting from"?

2) yes all those files are in /boot when the partition isn't mounted(there's a high chance I really screwed up the install)

Last edited by pagwin (2019-07-18 18:03:34)

loqs · 2019-07-18 18:43:43

The system is using EFI but the kernel grub is using is in the boot directory of the / filesystem rather than on the ESP.
Simplest change I would suggest is to change the fstab to mount the ESP at /efi or /boot/efi.

ewaller · 2019-07-18 18:45:41

What I mean is I believe you are booting straight from your root partition, not from the boot partition.

Is this a uEFI system with a GUID partition scheme?
or is this a BIOS system with a MBR ?
(or some combination such as uEFI in legacy mode booting an MBR)

Edit: loqs is on to something there.

Last edited by ewaller (2019-07-18 18:47:32)

pagwin · 2019-07-18 19:02:47

okay so I mounted the partition to /boot/efi but I have no way to check if that fixed the problem due to my previous fix via installing linux to /boot tbh idk whether or not to mark this as solved or not because the system works again and it should be fixed correctly now but idk if it is in fact fixed so idk I guess I'll leave it without marking as solved until someone directs me to do otherwise

Arch Linux

#1 2019-07-18 14:00:01

[Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#2 2019-07-18 14:38:09

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#3 2019-07-18 17:43:12

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#4 2019-07-18 17:56:35

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#5 2019-07-18 18:01:02

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#6 2019-07-18 18:43:43

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#7 2019-07-18 18:45:41

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

#8 2019-07-18 19:02:47

Re: [Solved]when attempting boot "Failed to start Load Kernel Modules"

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