initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

haroldjclements · 2015-01-30 12:43:22

Hello forum,

I have been following the guide on the Arch Wiki for setting up Arch Linux on a USB key.

However, when I come to boot a machine from the USB key, I get the following error:

initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error 
Failed to execute /init (error -2)
Kernel panic - not syncing: No working init found.

I have tried boot from an install disc, mounting the USB key, chroot into the key and running the classic mkinitcpio -p linux

Any suggestions would be gratefully received.

Kind Regards,
Harold Clements

Last edited by haroldjclements (2015-01-30 12:48:11)

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-01-30 14:10:09

What is the content of your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf?

Did you add the "block" hook right after the "udev" hook?

(I should note, however, that I'm typing this from an Arch installation on a USB stick and I didn't bother doing that...)

haroldjclements · 2015-01-30 21:03:13

Thank you for reply, my mkinitcpio.conf is as follows. As you can see the block hook right after the udev hook. This is the standard config (with all the comments removed) that is generated when creating the file-system. However, if you see anything that is a miss, please let me know...

MODULES=""
BINARIES=""
FILES=""
HOOKS="base udev block autodetect modconf filesystems keyboard fsck"

Kind Regards,
Harold Clements

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-01-30 21:12:22

It looks the same as mine.

You could try using:

COMPRESSION="cat"

To create an uncompressed image, but I can't see why gzip compression would be a problem (I think the kernel image uses that as well).

EDIT: Which boot loader/manager are you using and what is the content of the relevant configuration file?

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2015-01-30 21:13:59)

haroldjclements · 2015-01-30 22:27:00

Once again, thank you for helping me with this issue.

I tried adding compression="cat"; when I ran mkinticpio -p linux, one of the messages confirmed that it was creating an uncompressed ramdisk (if that is what it is called?). Unfortunately, it has not helped much. I now have the following error:

initramfs unpacking failed: junk in compression archive

To answer your second question; I am using grub2 and my config is as follows (sorry for the long config, I don't know grub2 that well) :

#
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE
#
# It is automatically generated by grub-mkconfig using templates
# from /etc/grub.d and settings from /etc/default/grub
#

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/00_header ###
insmod part_gpt
insmod part_msdos
if [ -s $prefix/grubenv ]; then
  load_env
fi
if [ "${next_entry}" ] ; then
   set default="${next_entry}"
   set next_entry=
   save_env next_entry
   set boot_once=true
else
   set default="0"
fi

if [ x"${feature_menuentry_id}" = xy ]; then
  menuentry_id_option="--id"
else
  menuentry_id_option=""
fi

export menuentry_id_option

if [ "${prev_saved_entry}" ]; then
  set saved_entry="${prev_saved_entry}"
  save_env saved_entry
  set prev_saved_entry=
  save_env prev_saved_entry
  set boot_once=true
fi

function savedefault {
  if [ -z "${boot_once}" ]; then
    saved_entry="${chosen}"
    save_env saved_entry
  fi
}

function load_video {
  if [ x$feature_all_video_module = xy ]; then
    insmod all_video
  else
    insmod efi_gop
    insmod efi_uga
    insmod ieee1275_fb
    insmod vbe
    insmod vga
    insmod video_bochs
    insmod video_cirrus
  fi
}

if [ x$feature_default_font_path = xy ] ; then
   font=unicode
else
insmod part_msdos 
insmod ext2
set root='hd1,msdos2'
if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos2 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos2 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos2  d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d
else
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d
fi
    font="/usr/share/grub/unicode.pf2"
fi

if loadfont $font ; then
  set gfxmode=auto
  load_video
  insmod gfxterm
  set locale_dir=$prefix/locale
  set lang=en_US
  insmod gettext
fi
terminal_input console
terminal_output gfxterm
if [ x$feature_timeout_style = xy ] ; then
  set timeout_style=menu
  set timeout=5
# Fallback normal timeout code in case the timeout_style feature is
# unavailable.
else
  set timeout=5
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/00_header ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###
menuentry 'Arch Linux' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d' {
	load_video
	set gfxpayload=keep
	insmod gzio
	insmod part_msdos 
	insmod exfat
	set root='hd1,msdos1'
	if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos1  6783-1927
	else
	  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 6783-1927
	fi
	echo	'Loading Linux linux ...'
	linux	/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d rw  quiet
	echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
	initrd	 /initramfs-linux.img
}
submenu 'Advanced options for Arch Linux' $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-advanced-d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d' {
	menuentry 'Arch Linux, with Linux linux' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-linux-advanced-d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d' {
		load_video
		set gfxpayload=keep
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos 
		insmod exfat
		set root='hd1,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos1  6783-1927
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 6783-1927
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux linux ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d rw  quiet
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	 /initramfs-linux.img
	}
	menuentry 'Arch Linux, with Linux linux (fallback initramfs)' --class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-linux-fallback-d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d' {
		load_video
		set gfxpayload=keep
		insmod gzio
		insmod part_msdos 
		insmod exfat
		set root='hd1,msdos1'
		if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,msdos1 --hint-efi=hd1,msdos1 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,msdos1  6783-1927
		else
		  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 6783-1927
		fi
		echo	'Loading Linux linux ...'
		linux	/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=d0165b1a-f4f9-45bb-97cc-28a2c0ef1b5d rw  quiet
		echo	'Loading initial ramdisk ...'
		initrd	 /initramfs-linux-fallback.img
	}
}

### END /etc/grub.d/10_linux ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###
### END /etc/grub.d/20_linux_xen ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###
### END /etc/grub.d/30_os-prober ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###
# This file provides an easy way to add custom menu entries.  Simply type the
# menu entries you want to add after this comment.  Be careful not to change
# the 'exec tail' line above.
### END /etc/grub.d/40_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###
if [ -f  ${config_directory}/custom.cfg ]; then
  source ${config_directory}/custom.cfg
elif [ -z "${config_directory}" -a -f  $prefix/custom.cfg ]; then
  source $prefix/custom.cfg;
fi
### END /etc/grub.d/41_custom ###

### BEGIN /etc/grub.d/60_memtest86+ ###
### END /etc/grub.d/60_memtest86+ ###

Again, thanking you very much for your time.
Harold Clements

Head_on_a_Stick · 2015-01-30 22:41:20

Is the USB stick old?

What type of stick is it?

What is the output of:

lsblk -f

haroldjclements · 2015-01-31 21:24:20

Thank you again for your time.

I have sorted it. I think my problem was that (or some unknown reason) I made the boot partition exfat. I just recreated the partitions as ext4 and hay presto, it's all working.

Thanking you once more...
Harold Clements

Arch Linux

#1 2015-01-30 12:43:22

initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

#2 2015-01-30 14:10:09

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

#3 2015-01-30 21:03:13

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

#4 2015-01-30 21:12:22

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

#5 2015-01-30 22:27:00

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

#6 2015-01-30 22:41:20

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

#7 2015-01-31 21:24:20

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: uncompression error on USB Key

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