Arch Linux

mgstuk

Member

Registered: 2026-01-18

Posts: 2

[SOLVED] System hangs at "loading initial ramdisk" after upgrade

Edit: Removing systemd and sd-vconsole from my mkinitcpio.conf to use a busybox-based initramfs solved the problem.

I recently performed a system upgrade on both of my machines running Arch (an AMD desktop and an Intel Thinkpad T14), and both machines hang at the "loading initial ramdisk" step on boot. Both machines have nearly identical configuration and package lists, were last updated on the exact same day, and display the same message during the hanging boot, so I am only providing information for one of the machines.

When I temporarily edit the GRUB configuration to remove the "quiet" parameter, the message during the boot hang reads:

A start job is running for /dev/disk/by-uuid/21a3502e-790c-45da-b9a4-81921ec0446c (1min 15s / no limit)

I get the same behavior regardless of whether I boot into the stock Linux kernal or the LTS kernal.

The UUID displayed in the message is the UUID for the unlocked LUKS partition, as you can see from the mount layout:

NAME        FSTYPE      FSVER LABEL UUID                                 FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINTS
nvme0n1                                                                                 
├─nvme0n1p1 vfat        FAT32       6A4C-7AF2                             382.5M    25% /boot
└─nvme0n1p2 crypto_LUKS 2           b33fa826-7574-4f84-89a9-5454b2bf12d2                
  └─root    btrfs                   21a3502e-790c-45da-b9a4-81921ec0446c  260.1G    70% /home
                                                                                        /var/cache/pacman/pkg
                                                                                        /.snapshots
                                                                                        /var/log
                                                                                        /swap
                                                                                        /

(The same is true for my other affected machine)

My /etc/mkinitcpio.conf, /etc/default/grub, and list of upgraded packages from /var/log/pacman.log are pasted here.

Restoring to a btrfs snapshot from before the upgrade allows both machines to boot normally, but attempting to update either system results in the boot getting stuck again. I don't know how to diagnose this and need assistance.

Last edited by mgstuk (2026-01-18 19:22:55)

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,578

Re: [SOLVED] System hangs at "loading initial ramdisk" after upgrade

Failed mkinitcpio.conf merge. You switched to a systemd based initramfs without the new encryption hook and the new kernel parameters.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dm-cry … mkinitcpio

0xj0n

Member

Registered: 2026-01-18

Posts: 8

Re: [SOLVED] System hangs at "loading initial ramdisk" after upgrade

I recently performed a system upgrade on both of my machines running Arch (an AMD desktop and an Intel Thinkpad T14), and both machines hang at the "loading initial ramdisk" step on boot. Both machines have nearly identical configuration and package lists, were last updated on the exact same day, and display the same message during the hanging boot, so I am only providing information for one of the machines.

When I temporarily edit the GRUB configuration to remove the "quiet" parameter, the message during the boot hang reads:

A start job is running for /dev/disk/by-uuid/21a3502e-790c-45da-b9a4-81921ec0446c (1min 15s / no limit)

I get the same behavior regardless of whether I boot into the stock Linux kernal or the LTS kernal.

Having the exact same issue after system update right now.

Failed mkinitcpio.conf merge. You switched to a systemd based initramfs without the new encryption hook and the new kernel parameters.

No disk encryption here, so not sure issue is related to that, thanks for the hint nonetheless

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,578

Re: [SOLVED] System hangs at "loading initial ramdisk" after upgrade

Yours might not be, but theirs is. Start your own thread.

mgstuk

Member

Registered: 2026-01-18

Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] System hangs at "loading initial ramdisk" after upgrade

Failed mkinitcpio.conf merge. You switched to a systemd based initramfs without the new encryption hook and the new kernel parameters.
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dm-cry … mkinitcpio

Thank you! Looking at your archwiki link, the separate lists of hooks and kernal parameters for systemd vs busybox-based initramfs is new to me compared to when I set up my system. It looks like mkinitcpio changed behavior without me noticing. Removing systemd and sd-vconsole from my mkinitcpio.conf to use a busybox-based initramfs solved the problem.

Editing the topic title and first post to indicate the issue is solved.