[3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

Ypnose · 2013-03-18 11:47:31

Hi Archers,

I upgraded my machine and now I'm using 3.8.3 kernel. It's working fine with default initramfs, but using the following mkinitcpio-custom.conf, I can't boot on my system. It says "Unable to find root device":

#
# /etc/mkinitcpio-custom.conf by Ypnose
#
MODULES="ahci sd_mod ext4"
BINARIES="fsck fsck.ext4 fsck.ext2"
FILES=""
HOOKS="base modconf keyboard"

I generated the initramfs with:

sudo mkinitcpio -c /etc/mkinitcpio-custom.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux-minimal.img

As you can see, I added ahci because my it's enabled in my BIOS. It was working fine with 3.x series. I'm using UUID with syslinux:

LABEL archmini
	MENU LABEL Arch Linux Minimal
	LINUX ../vmlinuz-linux
	APPEND root=UUID=413f313a-ef11-43c9-b9f9-e75ae0a4c17e ro ipv6.disable=1
	INITRD ../initramfs-linux-minimal.img

LABEL arch
	MENU LABEL Arch Linux
	LINUX ../vmlinuz-linux
	APPEND root=UUID=413f313a-ef11-43c9-b9f9-e75ae0a4c17e ro ipv6.disable=1
	INITRD ../initramfs-linux.img

LABEL archfallback
	MENU LABEL Arch Linux Fallback
	LINUX ../vmlinuz-linux
	APPEND root=/dev/sda5 ro ipv6.disable=1
	INITRD ../initramfs-linux-fallback.img

The related LABEL is "archmini". So I'm pretty sure the problem isn't UUID, because as I said before it's working fine with 3.7.x and above. The LABEL "arch" works.
I had same issue when I tried 3.8.2 from [testing] one week ago.
Don't know what's the problem...

Ypnose · 2013-03-19 10:52:04

Any ideas?

sunckell · 2013-03-19 11:14:22

If it makes you feel any better, I had the same thing happen last night. Haven't had a chance to investigate, going to do that tonight when I get home.

rgorrell · 2013-03-19 15:22:55

I'm seeing the same problem with upgrade to the 3.8.3 kernel, but with the default initramfs. I get the "Waiting 10 seconds for device..." error and the boot process stops. My system then boots successfully if I type "exit" and press enter. The problem is not fixed by re-running mkinitcpio.

Last edited by rgorrell (2013-03-20 01:57:00)

med1972 · 2013-03-19 16:11:18

Same problem here. Running on a Dell E6320, UEFI boot with rEFInd. Ran my updates, copied vmlinuz and the initramfs files from /boot to /boot/efi/EFI/arch. Rebooted and I get the same error. I am pulling down a copy of the systemrescuecd now.

::running early hook [udev]
::running hook [udev]
::Triggering uevents...
Waiting 10 seconds for device /dev/sda3

ERROR: device '/dev/sda3' not found. Skipping fsck.
ERROR: Unable to find root device '/dev/sda3'.

and then it drops me into the recovery shell. There are no /dev/sd* devices. I am guessing I need to refer to the partitions by UUID instead but /dev/sda3 was working before. Actually, I don't see any disk devices under /dev at all (no /dev/disk).

- Mark

Last edited by med1972 (2013-03-19 16:27:57)

WonderWoofy · 2013-03-19 16:37:07

med1972 wrote:

Same problem here. Running on a Dell E6320, UEFI boot with rEFInd. Ran my updates, copied vmlinuz and the initramfs files from /boot to /boot/efi/EFI/arch. Rebooted and I get the same error. I am pulling down a copy of the systemrescuecd now.
::running early hook [udev]
::running hook [udev]
::Triggering uevents...
Waiting 10 seconds for device /dev/sda3

ERROR: device '/dev/sda3' not found. Skipping fsck.
ERROR: Unable to find root device '/dev/sda3'.
and then it drops me into the recovery shell. There are no /dev/sd* devices. I am guessing I need to refer to the partitions by UUID instead but /dev/sda3 was working before. Actually, I don't see any disk devices under /dev at all (no /dev/disk).
- Mark

Looking through the threads, I would venture to guess that this might actually be an issue that has been discussed where recent kernels (efistub) in various combinations with rEFInd/UEFI Shell v1/UEFI Shell v2 are sometimes unbootable. Search the threads for these issues... maybe you can participate in debugging, and find a workaround along the way.

alphaniner · 2013-03-19 16:41:42

@OP: Have you examined the custom one and compared it to the default to make sure it contains all the necessary modules?

WonderWoofy · 2013-03-19 16:44:50

lsinitcpio is a great tool!

med1972 · 2013-03-19 16:52:56

I solved the problem in my case. I knew that after updating the kernel I would need to copy vmlinuz and the initramfs images from /boot to /boot/efi/EFI/arch (I haven't automated this). I went digging in the docs to make sure I was doing the right thing. I copied the files over according to the Beginner's Guide (long time casual Arch user but first time installing a while and first time doing UEFI stuff) here:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Be … therboards

which instructs you to copy the files to *-arch* (e.g., /boot/vmlinuz-linux to /boot/efi/EFI/arch/vmlinuz-arch). But when I did my initial install a week or two ago, I copied these files to *-linux*. Not sure if the documentation was changed since then. I don't know why I would have used -linux when the install doc has -arch but anyway...

I booted from the systemrescuecd, renamed the -arch files to -linux, rebooted and I am back up and running. Well, mostly. Now my networking is not working.

Ypnose · 2013-03-19 17:14:41

In my case, I'm not using UEFI, so it can't be related.

rgorrell · 2013-03-20 02:08:22

My problem appears to be related to UUIDs as my computer boots normally if I uncomment the line "GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true" in /etc/default/grub and then regenerate the grub.cfg file. The original UUID appeared to be correct, but I experienced the error nonetheless. I can reproduce the error by re-commenting the "GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true" line and regenerating grub.cfg.

Ypnose · 2013-03-20 11:09:22

Yes, that's right. My UUIDs are correct too because I didn't change syslinux.cfg recently (used same configs on 3.5, 3.6 & 3.7 without any problems) but it still complains.

progandy · 2013-03-20 11:40:18

Maybe you are missing a driver for your sata controller or something like that? (try to list the modules with mkinitcpio -M)
It could be that a builtin module is now dynamic and not loaded anymore.

Last edited by progandy (2013-03-20 11:42:30)

Ypnose · 2013-03-22 13:00:00

No changes with 3.8.4. Even tried to add block hook but it was the same.

rgorrell · 2013-03-22 20:36:46

Have you tried using dev/sd... rather than the UUID in the APPEND line? It worked for me in grub, but I still don't know why.

I experienced this issue on only one of my 3 computers with Arch. My 10 year old computer halted on boot with this issue, but my newer computers booted fine after the upgrade.

Ypnose · 2013-03-22 21:04:41

Yes, I also tried this by editing line with 3.8.3 (I'm using syslinux). No changes.

Last edited by Ypnose (2013-03-22 21:04:59)

Arch Linux

#1 2013-03-18 11:47:31

[3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#2 2013-03-19 10:52:04

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#3 2013-03-19 11:14:22

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#4 2013-03-19 15:22:55

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#5 2013-03-19 16:11:18

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#6 2013-03-19 16:37:07

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#7 2013-03-19 16:41:42

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#8 2013-03-19 16:44:50

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#9 2013-03-19 16:52:56

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#10 2013-03-19 17:14:41

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#11 2013-03-20 02:08:22

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#12 2013-03-20 11:09:22

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#13 2013-03-20 11:40:18

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#14 2013-03-22 13:00:00

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#15 2013-03-22 20:36:46

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

#16 2013-03-22 21:04:41

Re: [3.8.x]Unable to boot with 3.8.3 and custom initramfs

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