[SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

Regulus0987 · 2025-03-11 12:16:48

Yesterday, during `pacman -Syu`, there was a sudden power outage. After chrooting and completing `pacman -Syu`, the system now gets stuck at "A start job is running for Journal Service" upon booting. I couldn't find any useful solutions online.
My computer is divided into three partitions: `/dev/sda1` is used as the boot partition, `/dev/sda2` is used as the swap partition, and `/dev/sda3` is a Btrfs filesystem with two subvolumes: `@` mounted at `/` and `@home` mounted at `/home`.
I have already formatted the boot partition, deleted and recreated the root subvolume, and reinstalled the entire system, but it still doesn't work.
I don't know if there are some information I need to post,I hope someone can tell me.

Last edited by Regulus0987 (2025-03-18 12:23:36)

seth · 2025-03-11 15:09:27

Boot the installation iso, mount the relevant partitions and see hwo bad the sitution is:

sudo LC_ALL=C pacman --root=/mnt -Qkk | grep -v ', 0 altered files' | grep -v backup > /tmp/howbadisit.txt
/tmp/howbadisit.txt | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st # to upload the file

Regulus0987 · 2025-03-12 12:25:35

seth wrote:

Boot the installation iso, mount the relevant partitions and see hwo bad the sitution is:
sudo LC_ALL=C pacman --root=/mnt -Qkk | grep -v ', 0 altered files' | grep -v backup > /tmp/howbadisit.txt
/tmp/howbadisit.txt | curl -F 'file=@-' 0x0.st # to upload the file

I have executed these commands, and this is the output in /tmp/howbadisit.txt:
amd-ucode: 16 total files, 1 altered file
intel-ucode: 157 total files, 1 altered file
shadow: 576 total files, 1 altered file
systemd:1568 total files,1 altered file
tzdata: 2503 total files, 5 alteres files

I can't upload file to 0x0.st, because my network is blocked(I don't know why).

This output "A start job is running for journal service" also occurs when I use the newest installation iso,the iso I can use is the 2024/05 one.Windows runs also well on my computer.

Sorry for reply so late.

Last edited by Regulus0987 (2025-03-12 12:33:01)

seth · 2025-03-12 13:45:09

You're then likely just bootind a dated kerenel, try to boot the multi-user.target (2nd link below) and compare

uname -a; pacman -Qs kernel

The cause is usually that you either forgot/failed to mount the /boot partition before the kernel update or did mount a spurious partition there but are indeed booting from the root partition

cat /proc/cmndline

BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz… means you're booting from some boot partition, BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz… means you're booting from the root partition.

Windows runs also well on my computer.

ceterum censeo: 3rd link below. Mandatory.
Disable it (it's NOT the BIOS setting!) and reboot windows and linux twice for voodo reasons.

Might be the reason for failing to mount an unclean boot partition, must be addressed no matter what.

Regulus0987 · 2025-03-15 00:47:26

seth wrote:

You're then likely just bootind a dated kerenel, try to boot the multi-user.target (2nd link below) and compare
uname -a; pacman -Qs kernel
The cause is usually that you either forgot/failed to mount the /boot partition before the kernel update or did mount a spurious partition there but are indeed booting from the root partition
cat /proc/cmndline
BOOT_IMAGE=/vmlinuz… means you're booting from some boot partition, BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz… means you're booting from the root partition.
Windows runs also well on my computer.
ceterum censeo: 3rd link below. Mandatory.
Disable it (it's NOT the BIOS setting!) and reboot windows and linux twice for voodo reasons.
Might be the reason for failing to mount an unclean boot partition, must be addressed no matter what.

Thanks for your help,I have solved this problem by downgrade my linux kernel to 6.9.1

seth · 2025-03-15 08:13:30

Please avoid bloating the thread with mindless full-quotes.

That's not a "fix", sort out your boot configuration and make sure to update the kernel into the proper location.
And look into the fast-start situation.

Then please always remember to mark resolved threads by editing your initial posts subject - so others will know that there's no task left, but maybe a solution to find.
Thanks.

Regulus0987 · 2025-03-18 12:22:52

OK,thanks for your helping,but I must use the system these days,I will upgrade my kernel some days later.
And I don't use linux and windows both,I just install windows for test,then I delete it and install archlinux,then when I downgrade the kernel,the system runs well.
I will edit the post to solved,thanks.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-03-11 12:16:48

[SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

#2 2025-03-11 15:09:27

Re: [SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

#3 2025-03-12 12:25:35

Re: [SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

#4 2025-03-12 13:45:09

Re: [SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

#5 2025-03-15 00:47:26

Re: [SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

#6 2025-03-15 08:13:30

Re: [SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

#7 2025-03-18 12:22:52

Re: [SOLVED]Boot stuck at "A start job is running for journal service"

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