First boot hangs up after GRUB

davidjosepha · 2013-02-22 02:25:32

I'm trying to install Arch on my Macbook Pro, but after installing, when I boot up, go to GRUB and select Arch, I get the following error

[1.709648] i8042: No controller found
/dev/sda5: clean, 36219/983040 files, 327241/3932160 blocks
[7.912370] b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43/ucode16_mimo.fw" not found
[7.912434] b43-phy0 ERROR: Firmware file "b43-open/ucode16_mimo.fw" not found
[7.912494] b43-phy0 ERROR: You must go to http://wireless.kernel.org/en/users/Drivers/b43#devicefirmware and download the correct firmware for this driver version. Please carefully read all instructions on this website.

Sometimes, I only get the first 2 lines (which is why I don't think the wireless card firmware is the issue)

After that, something especially odd happens. The blinking _ on the next line stops blinking, and I get two parallel yellow lines that look almost like a pause symbol on the screen, like here

http://i.imgur.com/T58QsVY.jpg

Those last two things make me think it's something related to the graphics card but I'm not sure. I tried installing the drivers for my card but that failed.

What should I try next?

-- mod edit: read the Forum Etiquette and only post thumbnails http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/For … s_and_Code [jwr] --

radopi · 2013-02-22 06:12:44

Have you had a look at this Page in the Wiki? this

davidjosepha · 2013-02-22 22:28:06

Yep, I followed that page and the beginner's guide as well as I know how and still couldn't get it to boot. I was able to install Elementary OS on the computer though, so it should theoretically be possible to get Arch to work, I just don't know how...

WonderWoofy · 2013-02-22 23:11:15

Did you install the necessary firmware for your wireless card? Namely the b43-cutter package?

BTW, I don't know why this would prohibit you from booting... or if the message you are getting is unrelated. But it is regarding your Broadcom phy card (wifi), not your graphics. Are you booting with the "quiet" parameter? If so, you shoudl take that off and see what the output of the boot tells you.

Last edited by WonderWoofy (2013-02-22 23:12:57)

davidjosepha · 2013-02-23 00:23:06

I don't think I've got the quiet parameter set, I didn't add it and I don't see it anywhere. I haven't installed the b43-cutter package yet, no. I kinda think it's not that though, because sometimes, the boot fails before it even gets to that error. Also, I have no idea what the yellow parallel lines are from...any ideas on that?

anthillsocial · 2013-02-23 02:27:06

Have you tried adding nomodeset as a kernal parameter?
I wasn't (initially) able to boot Arch on my macbook until I had added that.

davidjosepha · 2013-02-23 02:33:54

anthillsocial wrote:

Have you tried adding nomodeset as a kernal parameter?
I wasn't (initially) able to boot Arch on my macbook until I had added that.

Where do I set that parameter? I set that when I went to install Arch off the disc, but I'm not sure how to set it for a regular boot. Do I add that in the fstab file?

Also: since you got Arch running on your macbook, could you give me a few more details? Did you encounter any other problems during installation (and if so, how did you fix them?)? Are you using BIOS mode or EFI mode? any more details would be great

Edit: Oh! I figured out how to add nomodeset as a boot parameter. For whatever reason, that allowed the whole thing to not fail right there, even though it says it doesn't recognize the parameter nomodeset. Anyway, I got to have it show a log, and I think the problem is that it can't mount /mnt/boot/efi. I'm not sure why. It might not be running in EFI mode, but I don't understand why it isn't, given that I'm using rEFIt...is there a way to force it to use EFI mode?

Last edited by davidjosepha (2013-02-23 02:53:47)

anthillsocial · 2013-02-23 02:46:01

I've been writing instructions here:
www.theanthillsocial.co.uk/sketch/196

You simply add nomodeset, or any other parameters you might need to the end of a line which starts:
linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=

I add nomodeset to my grub file which is in:
/boot/grub/grub.cfg

You can also add the parameter while you are in the grub boot menu, so rather that selecting a system to boot up, simply type 'e' and this allows you to edit boot parameters.

Be warned though, each macbook is different. I'm on a 2007 3,1, im also new to Arch so I'm not totally confident that I know what I'm doing!

davidjosepha · 2013-02-23 02:54:31

In case you missed this since you posted while I was editing:

Oh! I figured out how to add nomodeset as a boot parameter. For whatever reason, that allowed the whole thing to not fail right there, even though it says it doesn't recognize the parameter nomodeset. Anyway, I got to have it show a log, and I think the problem is that it can't mount /mnt/boot/efi. I'm not sure why. It might not be running in EFI mode, but I don't understand why it isn't, given that I'm using rEFIt...is there a way to force it to use EFI mode?

And that guide looks awesome! I've been using rEFIt, is there any reason to use rEFInd instead?

Last edited by davidjosepha (2013-02-23 02:59:28)

anthillsocial · 2013-02-23 03:12:42

Cheers:)

As far as I know rEFInd is more up to date and flexible in its approach.

davidjosepha · 2013-02-23 03:30:22

Thanks for the info. I'm following your guide now, but when I get to the "grub-install" part, it says "grub-install: command not found". Am I supposed to run "pacman -S grub-efi-x86_64" first? It's after "grub-install" on the list though...

cfr · 2013-02-23 03:30:46

Post your fstab. It shouldn't be trying to mount /mnt/boot/efi if you've installed to disk.

davidjosepha · 2013-02-23 05:12:22

Okay, I got it to boot! This is awesome! But unfortunately, I haven't gotten the internet to work, even though it's connected via ethernet and worked just fine during install. I followed the instructions in the beginner's guide, copied ethernet-static, and changed what I thought needed changing, rebooted, and still no internet. Any ideas?

s1ln7m4s7r · 2013-02-23 17:42:31

check this out: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Br … roadcom-wl

srs5694 · 2013-02-23 18:48:43

davidjosepha wrote:

I've been using rEFIt, is there any reason to use rEFInd instead?

See the rEFInd features page, which summarizes both features that rEFInd shares with rEFIt and changes I've made in the program since I forked it. To summarize, rEFInd adds many features that improve its flexibility, particularly when it comes to booting Linux on an EFI-based computer.

cfr · 2013-02-23 22:57:03

davidjosepha wrote:

Okay, I got it to boot! This is awesome! But unfortunately, I haven't gotten the internet to work, even though it's connected via ethernet and worked just fine during install. I followed the instructions in the beginner's guide, copied ethernet-static, and changed what I thought needed changing, rebooted, and still no internet. Any ideas?

Ideas? Sure. Useful ideas? Not unless you say what you "thought needed changing". We aren't mind readers!

Arch Linux

#1 2013-02-22 02:25:32

First boot hangs up after GRUB

#2 2013-02-22 06:12:44

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#3 2013-02-22 22:28:06

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#4 2013-02-22 23:11:15

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#5 2013-02-23 00:23:06

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#6 2013-02-23 02:27:06

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#7 2013-02-23 02:33:54

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#8 2013-02-23 02:46:01

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#9 2013-02-23 02:54:31

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#10 2013-02-23 03:12:42

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#11 2013-02-23 03:30:22

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#12 2013-02-23 03:30:46

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#13 2013-02-23 05:12:22

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#14 2013-02-23 17:42:31

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#15 2013-02-23 18:48:43

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

#16 2013-02-23 22:57:03

Re: First boot hangs up after GRUB

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