No load ramdisk at boot

pepramon · 2024-03-16 09:23:01

Hello.

I'm fghting with boot proces for a week, and I can't start my system.

I suspect about microcode, but I'm not sure and I don't know how to diagnose the problem. My solution to boot is return to 1/3/24 system via Pacman.

My config to start is via EFISTUB via efibootmgr. The command I put to configure de start is:

 efibootmgr --disk /dev/sda --part 1 --create --label "Arch Linux LTS" --loader /vmlinuz-linux-lts --unicode 'root=/dev/sda3 resume=/dev/sda2 rw initrd=\initramfs-linux-lts.img initrd=\intel-ucode.img' --verbose

Yes, I read that microcode would be loaded before initram-linux-lts, but, it works. This is the reason I suspect that somthing happens with microcode, because probably I never load and I was happy with this.

With the new update in mkinitcpio, seems that microcode was in main initramfs and don't need to load it, I change the line via efibootmgr to remove intel-ucode.img but in that case, the system completly freeze al startup and I obtain a black screen without any info about what happens.

I think that I never works with microcode (bad config when a move from debian to arch 2 years ago via efibootmgr), and the update of mkinitcpio put this problem in front of my face. Now I don't know how to be sure that microcode works in my computer and how can I solve it. To prove it, a add a dmsg opuput

dmesg | grep microcode
[    0.032808] [Firmware Bug]: TSC_DEADLINE disabled due to Errata; please update microcode to version: 0xb2 (or later)
[    0.105263] MDS: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode
[    0.105263] TAA: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode
[    0.105264] MMIO Stale Data: Vulnerable: Clear CPU buffers attempted, no microcode
[    0.105265] SRBDS: Vulnerable: No microcode
[    0.105265] GDS: Vulnerable: No microcode
[    1.355537] microcode: Microcode Update Driver: v2.2.

Any idea?

V1del · 2024-03-16 11:59:26

The mkinitcpio hook will only work if you actually list it in the HOOKS array. For that you'd have had to merge a pacnew file assuming you ever adjusted anything there. What are the contents of your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

pepramon · 2024-03-16 14:53:09

V1del wrote:

The mkinitcpio hook will only work if you actually list it in the HOOKS array. For that you'd have had to merge a pacnew file assuming you ever adjusted anything there. What are the contents of your /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

I kwnow it, I upgrade, I check that and comment the line in /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux-lts.preset.

I continue checking during this morning, and try to unistall intel microcode (as a desperate solution) and now the system works as usual but without microcode.

This is my mkinicpio.conf

# vim:set ft=sh
# MODULES
# The following modules are loaded before any boot hooks are
# run.  Advanced users may wish to specify all system modules
# in this array.  For instance:
#     MODULES=(usbhid xhci_hcd)
MODULES=()

# BINARIES
# This setting includes any additional binaries a given user may
# wish into the CPIO image.  This is run last, so it may be used to
# override the actual binaries included by a given hook
# BINARIES are dependency parsed, so you may safely ignore libraries
BINARIES=()

# FILES
# This setting is similar to BINARIES above, however, files are added
# as-is and are not parsed in any way.  This is useful for config files.
FILES=()

# HOOKS
# This is the most important setting in this file.  The HOOKS control the
# modules and scripts added to the image, and what happens at boot time.
# Order is important, and it is recommended that you do not change the
# order in which HOOKS are added.  Run 'mkinitcpio -H <hook name>' for
# help on a given hook.
# 'base' is _required_ unless you know precisely what you are doing.
# 'udev' is _required_ in order to automatically load modules
# 'filesystems' is _required_ unless you specify your fs modules in MODULES
# Examples:
##   This setup specifies all modules in the MODULES setting above.
##   No RAID, lvm2, or encrypted root is needed.
#    HOOKS=(base)
#
##   This setup will autodetect all modules for your system and should
##   work as a sane default
#    HOOKS=(base udev autodetect modconf block filesystems fsck)
#
##   This setup will generate a 'full' image which supports most systems.
##   No autodetection is done.
#    HOOKS=(base udev modconf block filesystems fsck)
#
##   This setup assembles a mdadm array with an encrypted root file system.
##   Note: See 'mkinitcpio -H mdadm_udev' for more information on RAID devices.
#    HOOKS=(base udev modconf keyboard keymap consolefont block mdadm_udev encrypt filesystems fsck)
#
##   This setup loads an lvm2 volume group.
#    HOOKS=(base udev modconf block lvm2 filesystems fsck)
#
##   This will create a systemd based initramfs which loads an encrypted root filesystem.
#    HOOKS=(base systemd autodetect modconf kms keyboard sd-vconsole sd-encrypt block filesystems fsck)
#
##   NOTE: If you have /usr on a separate partition, you MUST include the
#    usr and fsck hooks.
HOOKS=(base udev autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard keymap consolefont block filesystems fsck)

# COMPRESSION
# Use this to compress the initramfs image. By default, zstd compression
# is used. Use 'cat' to create an uncompressed image.
#COMPRESSION="zstd"
#COMPRESSION="gzip"
#COMPRESSION="bzip2"
#COMPRESSION="lzma"
#COMPRESSION="xz"
#COMPRESSION="lzop"
#COMPRESSION="lz4"

# COMPRESSION_OPTIONS
# Additional options for the compressor
#COMPRESSION_OPTIONS=()

# MODULES_DECOMPRESS
# Decompress kernel modules during initramfs creation.
# Enable to speedup boot process, disable to save RAM
# during early userspace. Switch (yes/no).
#MODULES_DECOMPRESS="yes"

seth · 2024-03-16 16:28:54

What if you remove the microcode hook and include the microcode the good old fashioned way *before* the initramfs?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/EFISTUB#efibootmgr

pepramon · 2024-03-16 16:38:28

seth wrote:

What if you remove the microcode hook and include the microcode the good old fashioned way *before* the initramfs?
https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/EFISTUB#efibootmgr

Hello.

I don't remove the microcode hook, I just remove the package intel-ucode and the system starts. But I prefer works with microcode. I don't know why, but the system don't start with that package.

I suspect that my mistake with EFISTUB (loading ucode after initramfs) solves de problem because never loads really and my system starts. Now with the change in mkinitcpio the problem appears because now the system try to load it and fails.

Regards.

seth · 2024-03-16 16:43:07

Yes, I know.
But the plan is to keep the microcode, remove the hook and add the microcode to the bootloader line *only*, not the initramfs.

If that allows you to boot and you're unsure whether the microcode is loaded (early), post a system journal.

pepramon · 2024-03-17 15:39:54

seth wrote:

Yes, I know.
But the plan is to keep the microcode, remove the hook and add the microcode to the bootloader line *only*, not the initramfs.
If that allows you to boot and you're unsure whether the microcode is loaded (early), post a system journal.

No boot, I need to return to install disk to put the system at original state (without microcode).

I think that something strange happens, I try to search more about it, test, and investigate the fails to try to find a solution.

I would start installing intel microcode directly (without a package), but i can't do anything before eastern (no time for unplanned personal and work reasons).

If I solve the problem or have questions about it, I put in this thread.

Arch Linux

#1 2024-03-16 09:23:01

No load ramdisk at boot

#2 2024-03-16 11:59:26

Re: No load ramdisk at boot

#3 2024-03-16 14:53:09

Re: No load ramdisk at boot

#4 2024-03-16 16:28:54

Re: No load ramdisk at boot

#5 2024-03-16 16:38:28

Re: No load ramdisk at boot

#6 2024-03-16 16:43:07

Re: No load ramdisk at boot

#7 2024-03-17 15:39:54

Re: No load ramdisk at boot

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