Arch Linux

TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

[solved] Unable to boot to installation

I have a laptop with 2 ssds, one with arch and the other with windows 11. I've suddenly lost the ability to boot into my arch installation. The entry is missing from the bios boot menu. I installed arch with help of arch-install and set it up to boot with EFISTUB, so no grub. furhtermore I am using btrfs

I've booted from a live usb, mounted my btrfs volumes, and successfully chroot to my installation. I suspect that I have somehow bungled the efistub setup as that might explain the issue, the output of efibootmgr only shows my windows installation and my live usb. I'm not exactly sure where to go from here. My next thought is to redo the efistub using efibootmgr but am not sure what the correct command looks like for my setup.

Commands run:
https://ibb.co/42zqNVM

sudo fdisk -l:
https://ibb.co/3mz3m4d

lsblk:
https://ibb.co/pw4LbPK

contents of /boot:
https://ibb.co/yhR6YXx

Last edited by TheFoolishPupil (2024-02-04 00:04:05)

Scimmia

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Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,727

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

You didn't install a kernel? Or did you not mount /boot until after pacstrap?

TheFoolishPupil

Member

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

I mounted /boot last, after mounting my btrfs subvolumes. I haven't touched pacstrap

TheFoolishPupil

Member

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

I should have the kernel installed, as I can execute system upgrades just fine when chrooted. I've tried generating a new efistub with efibootmgr, though the entry disappears after reboot

Scimmia

Fellow

Registered: 2012-09-01

Posts: 13,727

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

OK, so where's the kernel at? System upgrades in chroot have nothing at all to do with the kernel.

As for pacstrap, you're aware of how Arch installation works, right? https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide Just because you take a shortcut with archinstall doesn't mean that's not what's happening, and you should be familiar with the procedure.

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 76,034

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

unmount nvme1np1, check the /boot mountpoint - is your kernel there?
mount nvme0n1p1 - is your kernel there?

pacman -Qs linux

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TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

The kernel is located at /boot/vmlinuz-linux. My understanding is that pacstrap installs an entirely new system, whereas I have an existing installation of I am attempting to boot to. Perhaps I am misunderstanding?

seth

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Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 76,034

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

Not in the screenshot you posted?
https://ibb.co/yhR6YXx

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TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

The kernel is in nvme0n1p1

TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

Not in the screenshot you posted?
https://ibb.co/yhR6YXx

Oh... it is now, alongside initramfs-linux.img. I have run pacman -S linux which might have added them?

seth

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From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 76,034

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

You'll have to figure where you're actually booting from and put kernel and initramfs there.
In doubt create a new entry, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/EFISTU … ng_EFISTUB

Chances are that this went wrong because you were using device names (nvme*) instead of the UUID in /etc/fstab ?

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TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

I've been attempting to create new entries:

❯ sudo efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/nvme1n1 --part 1 --label "Arch Linux" --loader /boot/vmlinuz-linux --unicode 'root=f9b0b80b-fde9-4a64-8bcd-9baa93997a48 rw initrd=/boot/initramfs-linux.img'
[sudo] password for shot: 
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0002,0001,0000
Boot0000* GRUB	HD(1,GPT,b92e69a9-b851-472e-a1c7-414f84b6e77d,0x800,0x100000)/\EFI\GRUB\grubx64.efi
Boot0001* Windows Boot Manager	HD(1,GPT,0049da4b-0da2-4686-a8cd-13a40c62e23b,0x800,0x82000)/\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi䥗䑎坏S
Boot0002* Arch Linux	HD(1,GPT,0049da4b-0da2-4686-a8cd-13a40c62e23b,0x800,0x82000)/\boot\vmlinuz-linuxroot=f9b0b80b-fde9-4a64-8bcd-9baa93997a48 rw initrd=/boot/initramfs-linux.img

The good news is that I am successfully able to boot into my installation again via grub. though with this solution I am unable to set it as my default boot option in the firmware setting for some reason. I also have the additional menu (grub menu) I need to go through; so I would still like to fix the efistub.

The result of the generation indicates that is was successful, but its not present in the firmware boot menu, and the entry is gone when i run `efibootmgr` upon logging in again. I've also attempted with the following with different paths:

sudo efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/nvme1n1 --part 1 --label "Arch Linux" --loader /vmlinuz-linux --unicode 'root=f9b0b80b-fde9-4a64-8bcd-9baa93997a48 rw initrd=/initramfs-linux.img'

*Edit: I am using the UUID found in /etc/fstab

Last edited by TheFoolishPupil (2024-02-03 22:42:46)

seth

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From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 76,034

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

1. why is there a grub?
2. BootOrder is 0002, rest - 0002 is "Arch Linux"
3. Why did you specify kernel and initramfs relative to the root partition when you're using a boot partition?
4. There seem to be two ESPs (what's wrong enough), you configured the "Arch Linux" entry for the one that has \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi - is that even correct?
5. Why is there a chinese comment about something being bad? copy-paste issue in the forum?
6. What kind of laptop? Did you see the note about having to use an UKI on some systems (nb. I'm pretty sure that the added entry is bogus and that lead to its disappearance)

Edit: I am using the UUID found in /etc/fstab

I'd rather use the UUID found in "lsblk -f"…

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TheFoolishPupil

Member

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

ah, i was missing `root=UUID=<my-uuid`. the efistub is not succesfully created and I can see it in my bios boot menu. however, when booting I see:

ERROR: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.
Bailing out, you are on your own. Good luck.

sh: can't access tty; job control turned off

TheFoolishPupil

Member

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

1. why is there a grub?
2. BootOrder is 0002, rest - 0002 is "Arch Linux"
3. Why did you specify kernel and initramfs relative to the root partition when you're using a boot partition?
4. There seem to be two ESPs (what's wrong enough), you configured the "Arch Linux" entry for the one that has \EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi - is that even correct?
5. Why is there a chinese comment about something being bad? copy-paste issue in the forum?
6. What kind of laptop? Did you see the note about having to use an UKI on some systems (nb. I'm pretty sure that the added entry is bogus and that lead to its disappearance)

Edit: I am using the UUID found in /etc/fstab

I'd rather use the UUID found in "lsblk -f"…

1. I installed grub to see if I could get my system booting again.
3. This is my understanding from the note in the wiki:

Linux Kernel EFISTUB initramfs path should be relative to the EFI system partition's root and use backslashes (in accordance with EFI standards...
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/EFISTUB

3. I hadn't noticed that, no thats not correct. however, this is now pointing at the correct one. the entry is no longer disappearing but I get the error I provide in my previous comment
5. yes, must be a copy paste issue.
6. Tuxedo Infinitybook pro g8. where is the not about UKI? I didn't notice it.

TheFoolishPupil

Member

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

Just to sum up where I am at:

I have created the efistub entry with:

sudo efibootmgr --create --disk /dev/nvme1n1 --part 1 --label "Arch Linux" --loader \vmlinuz-linux --unicode 'root=UUID=f9b0b80b-fde9-4a64-8bcd-9baa93997a48 rw initrd=\initramfs-linux.img'

output of lsbk -f:

❯ lsblk -f
NAME        FSTYPE FSVER LABEL    UUID                                 FSAVAIL FSUSE% MOUNTPOINTS
zram0                                                                                 [SWAP]
nvme0n1                                                                               
├─nvme0n1p1 vfat   FAT32          9A99-00F0                             417.7M    18% /boot
└─nvme0n1p2 btrfs                 f9b0b80b-fde9-4a64-8bcd-9baa93997a48    1.5T    18% /home
                                                                                      /var/log
                                                                                      /.snapshots
                                                                                      /var/cache/pacman/pkg
                                                                                      /
nvme1n1                                                                               
├─nvme1n1p1 vfat   FAT32 SYSTEM   48FB-DB87                                           
├─nvme1n1p2                                                                           
├─nvme1n1p3 ntfs         Windows  3E2CFDFE2CFDB14F                                    
└─nvme1n1p4 ntfs         Recovery F2CEFA8FCEFA4AFD     

output of efibootmgr:

❯ efibootmgr
BootCurrent: 0000
Timeout: 0 seconds
BootOrder: 0001,0000,0002
Boot0000* GRUB	HD(1,GPT,b92e69a9-b851-472e-a1c7-414f84b6e77d,0x800,0x100000)/\EFI\GRUB\grubx64.efi
Boot0001* Windows Boot Manager	HD(1,GPT,0049da4b-0da2-4686-a8cd-13a40c62e23b,0x800,0x82000)/\EFI\Microsoft\Boot\bootmgfw.efi57494e444f5753000100000088000000780000004200430044004f0042004a004500430054003d007b00390064006500610038003600320063002d0035006300640064002d0034006500370030002d0061006300630031002d006600330032006200330034003400640034003700390035007d00000034000100000010000000040000007fff0400
Boot0002* Arch Linux	HD(1,GPT,b92e69a9-b851-472e-a1c7-414f84b6e77d,0x800,0x100000)/vmlinuz-linux72006f006f0074003d0055005500490044003d00660039006200300062003800300062002d0066006400650039002d0034006100360034002d0038006200630064002d00390062006100610039003300390039003700610034003800200072007700200069006e0069007400720064003d005c0069006e0069007400720061006d00660073002d006c0069006e00750078002e0069006d006700

The boot option is there, but I get the following error when booting

ERROR: Root device mounted successfully, but /sbin/init does not exist.
Bailing out, you are on your own. Good luck.

sh: can't access tty; job control turned off

seth

Member

From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 76,034

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

Does the initramfs exist or do you have to run mkinitcpio w/ the proper partition mounted into /boot?

Edit: and w/ that command the proper /boot partition is nvme1n1p1 (48FB-DB87)
Edit #2:
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/EFISTU … I_directly

Some firmwares (notably Lenovo and Dell laptops) do not pass command line parameters from the boot entries in NVRAM to the EFI binaries.[1] In that case, the kernel and parameters can be combined into a unified kernel image, then create a boot entry with the resulting .efi file.

Last edited by seth (2024-02-03 23:29:01)

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TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

initramf exists in /boot, I didn't have to run mkinitcpio

❯ ls -la boot
total 69020
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root     4096 Jan  1  1970  .
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root      142 Jan 27 23:39  ..
drwxr-xr-x 3 root root     4096 Feb  3 19:32  EFI
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root     4096 Feb  2 20:18  FOUND.000
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root     4096 Feb  3 23:14  grub
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 39462549 Feb  3 22:36  initramfs-linux-fallback.img
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 10809471 Feb  3 22:36  initramfs-linux.img
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  7368704 Nov 14 17:33  intel-ucode.img
drwxr-xr-x 2 root root     4096 Oct 24 13:56 'System Volume Information'
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 13005312 Feb  3 22:36  vmlinuz-linux

seth

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From: Won't reply 2 private help req

Registered: 2012-09-03

Posts: 76,034

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

Did you see my first edit? That's the wrong partition or you've to use "--disk /dev/nvme0n1 --part 1"

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TheFoolishPupil

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Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

oh, no I didn't notice that. I have tried again with the correct nvme0n1 but still see the same error

TheFoolishPupil

Member

Registered: 2020-03-08

Posts: 17

Re: [solved] Unable to boot to installation

And thanks to your second edit; the addition of rootflags to the efistub creation has me successfully booting from efistab into my installation again. Thanks so much for your help.