Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

jumperfox · 2025-01-25 14:16:41

It seems like initramfs hangs, but it genuinely takes about 3-4 minutes to load to my login manager.

I don't remember what I did last, i think i did a Syu update, or something wrong happened with a pci usb adapter i tried to pass through and the system was very glitchy after that, but i cannot seem to restore it to the state it was before, where initramfs would load very quickly to my login screen.

How do i begin to debug this?

Last edited by jumperfox (2025-01-25 14:16:57)

seth · 2025-01-25 14:48:35

systemd-analyze critical-chain
sudo journalctl -b

If you want to post it for review

sudo journalctl -b | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st

Removing the quiet parameter might also help to see what's going on during the boot.

jumperfox · 2025-01-26 03:35:12

Hi, here is what was asked for:

critical-chain: https://pastebin.com/raw/vNz3b0AM

graphical.target @1min 34.003s
└─multi-user.target @1min 34.003s
  └─libvirtd.service @1min 33.889s +112ms
    └─remote-fs.target @1min 33.885s
      └─smb-gamedrive.mount @1min 33.140s +742ms
        └─network-online.target @1min 33.135s
          └─NetworkManager-wait-online.service @1min 27.311s +5.823s
            └─NetworkManager.service @1min 26.524s +781ms
              └─basic.target @1min 26.522s
                └─dbus-broker.service @1min 26.462s +53ms
                  └─dbus.socket @1min 26.453s
                    └─sysinit.target @1min 26.450s
                      └─systemd-update-utmp.service @1min 26.408s +40ms
                        └─systemd-tmpfiles-setup.service @1min 26.239s +163ms
                          └─systemd-journal-flush.service @1min 26.016s +220ms
                            └─systemd-journald.service @425ms +1min 25.566s
                              └─systemd-journald.socket @404ms
                                └─-.mount @351ms
                                  └─-.slice @351ms

journalctl: https://pastebin.com/raw/LHWBsByT

Last edited by jumperfox (2025-01-26 16:05:12)

seth · 2025-01-26 10:11:05

Please use [code][/code] tags. Edit your post in this regard.
Stalls on IO, there're massive issues w/ the USB - detach (or in case of keyboard and mouse and if you can: replace) all external devices

This here is constantly resetting

Jan 25 13:01:52 archone kernel: usb 4-6.1.1: new full-speed USB device number 42 using xhci_hcd
Jan 25 13:01:53 archone kernel: usb 4-6.1.1: New USB device found, idVendor=0853, idProduct=0311, bcdDevice= 0.01
Jan 25 13:01:53 archone kernel: usb 4-6.1.1: New USB device strings: Mfr=1, Product=2, SerialNumber=0
Jan 25 13:01:53 archone kernel: usb 4-6.1.1: Product: REALFORCE R3S US FULL
Jan 25 13:01:53 archone kernel: usb 4-6.1.1: Manufacturer: Topre

but this also looks like it's an external hub?
Make sure to remove that.

If that helps, monitor "dmesg -W" and attach devices until you're hitting errors again.
In the lucky most case it's a cable.

jumperfox · 2025-01-26 16:08:39

So thats my keyboard, and i dont recall seeing this issue before while using this keyboard. It might actually be my usb pci card i installed. I will remove that and check.

Though I do recall if i press the keyboard a few times initramfs seems to come up quicker. This was not an issue before.

Is there a way to see what initramfs is doing in real time while booting? I dont want to see a blank screen, i want to see all logs scrolling on boot.

seth · 2025-01-26 16:28:49

Remove the quiet parameter and see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … l_messages but there's typically no output for the initramfs being loaded into memory (though I don't think this is where you're stalling from your journal)

jumperfox · 2025-01-27 01:04:08

I removed the quiet tag and saw some kind of job running. Initramfs runs quickly, like you suspected. not the problem.

But I see this 1 minute 30 sec job run, and im not sure what it is. It reminds me of ubuntu's dhcp service thing that hangs boot if youre not connected to a network.

Any ideas?

https://imgur.com/a/ZXt8OP6

seth · 2025-01-27 08:22:38

journald - it tries to flush into /var/log - the problem is recorded in the journal you posted, the question is what causes the stall and since it's mostly IO-dependent, the usb stuff is YELLLING at you.
Did you already try to remove the new usb hub?

jumperfox · 2025-01-29 00:46:01

I did not, I will test this on the weekend. Sorry, three exams coming up soon.

secretknowledge · 2025-01-29 01:12:17

I have the same issue! For me it seems to stem from the various USB and overvolt errors I get from a broken usb port on my computer on boot, but I've been unable to find a fix.

secretknowledge · 2025-01-29 01:17:49

Update: It is definitely the port. I shorted out to port (which is a bad idea, I just wanted to test) and it gave up trying to initialise it on boot, simply giving another over volt warning and booting just as fast as it used to. I checked dmesg and in specific it keeps repeating about every 4 seconds the same "Cannot enable. Maybe the USB cable is bad?" error over and over. Does anybody know if there is a way to blacklist the kernel from attempting to enable this port? Otherwise I can just take my computer apart and cut the wires going to the port, as it is irreparably broken anyway.

:3

Last edited by secretknowledge (2025-01-29 01:22:52)

seth · 2025-01-29 08:13:12

The OP doesn't have any kind of overvolt warnings.

You can hide a hub using pci-stub, but idk whether its possible at all to ignore a specific post.
There's currently nothing attached to it?
Have you tried just plugging a usb key?
But w/ "it is irreparably broken anyway" and "overvolt warnings" I'd try to fix the HW indeed to prevent the issue from spreading out (eg. by short circuits…)

Arch Linux

#1 2025-01-25 14:16:41

Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#2 2025-01-25 14:48:35

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#3 2025-01-26 03:35:12

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#4 2025-01-26 10:11:05

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#5 2025-01-26 16:08:39

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#6 2025-01-26 16:28:49

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#7 2025-01-27 01:04:08

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#8 2025-01-27 08:22:38

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#9 2025-01-29 00:46:01

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#10 2025-01-29 01:12:17

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#11 2025-01-29 01:17:49

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

#12 2025-01-29 08:13:12

Re: Initramfs takes forever to load arch (it seems to hang)

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