syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

WeeXnes · 2025-11-30 18:30:31

Hey,

So I was installing HyDE Desktop on my Nvidia system, and I ran into an issue where mkinitcpio (or mkinitramfs) fails to generate the initramfs image. After digging around, I discovered that there's a random o" at the end of my /etc/mkinitcpio.conf file, and that’s what’s causing the failure.

What’s weird is that I checked all my other systems and VMs, and this stray o" is in every single one of them, but it never caused any issues until now. The only reason I ran into the problem is because my Nvidia PC is the only one running mkinitramfs due to the nvidia-dkms drivers.

I couldn’t find anything about this issue online, so I just wanted to check if I’m missing something or if anyone else has run into this.

Thanks in advance!

seth · 2025-11-30 18:40:39

This will most likely cause some "bash: o: command not found" error, if the script runs "set -e" (terminate on error) it will quit immediately.

WeeXnes · 2025-11-30 18:49:00

seth wrote:

This will most likely cause some "bash: o: command not found" error, if the script runs "set -e" (terminate on error) it will quit immediately.

the thing im wondering is how did noone notice that yet? i mean just look at my case for exmple, when trying to install nvidia-dkms, i cant be the only one on this planet that uses arch with a nvidia gpu and encountered this, let alone every other usecase where someone needs to do mkinitramfs. some of my VMs i checked on which just have vanilla arch are like 2 months old, and they have that syntax error.

this small syntax error fully prevents the command from executing.

Last edited by WeeXnes (2025-11-30 18:49:27)

system72 · 2025-11-30 18:53:55

https://github.com/archlinux/archinstall/pull/3902

WeeXnes wrote:

What’s weird is that I checked all my other systems and VMs, and this stray o" is in every single one of them, but it never caused any issues until now. The only reason I ran into the problem is because my Nvidia PC is the only one running mkinitramfs due to the nvidia-dkms drivers.

mkinitcpio regenerates the initramfs images after every kernel upgrade/install meaning on every device you've installed arch, mkinitcpio has been ran regardless if ur using nvidia gpu or not

see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Instal … #Initramfs

seth · 2025-11-30 18:54:46

the thing im wondering is how did noone notice that yet?

Most people won't have stray nonsense in their mkinitcpio.conf?
[Edit: most people not using the archinstall script, that is…]

Which mkinitcpio version is running on the systems that ignore this?
Also, what error do you actually get?

Last edited by seth (2025-11-30 18:56:00)

system72 · 2025-11-30 18:56:32

WeeXnes wrote:

the thing im wondering is how did noone notice that yet? i mean just look at my case for exmple, when trying to install nvidia-dkms, i cant be the only one on this planet that uses arch with a nvidia gpu and encountered this

many people dont use archinstall, users of archinstall that encounter issues should report it on the issues page

WeeXnes · 2025-11-30 19:03:00

seth wrote:

the thing im wondering is how did noone notice that yet?
Most people won't have stray nonsense in their mkinitcpio.conf?

yeah no shit, i wouldnt have some here to ask why theres a stray o" in my mkinitcpio.conf if i put it there. simple "ITS CAUSED BY ARCHINSTALL" would have been enogh like the other guy in this thread just pointed out.

WeeXnes · 2025-11-30 19:04:17

system72 wrote:

WeeXnes wrote:
the thing im wondering is how did noone notice that yet? i mean just look at my case for exmple, when trying to install nvidia-dkms, i cant be the only one on this planet that uses arch with a nvidia gpu and encountered this
many people dont use archinstall, users of archinstall that encounter issues should report it on the issues page

thanks, yeah i didnt find that github issue when i researched my issue earlier, thats why i came here into the forum to ask, because thats what a forum is for no?

seth · 2025-11-30 19:07:36

You didn't ask why there's a stray o (I had no idea about the archinstall bug and understood you to have put it there in maybe some vim-accident) but why mkinitcpio would fail when it would not on other systems that likewise had this artifact.

WeeXnes · 2025-11-30 19:14:24

seth wrote:

You didn't ask why there's a stray o (I had no idea about the archinstall bug and understood you to have put it there in maybe some vim-accident) but why mkinitcpio would fail when it would not on other systems that likewise had this artifact.

maybe because the corrupted mkinitcpio.conf only appears in the installed arch system after archinstall ran, and the initial run during installation doesnt fail? fact is that this stray o" appears on all my Arch VMs and Systems, independent of the Environment. like i said the only reason i noticed it because it threw an error when i tried installing nvidia-dkms and it tried to rebuild. this error to be specific.

/etc/mkinitcpio.conf: Zeile 82: Dateiende beim Suchen nach »"« erreicht.
==> ERROR: Failed to read configuration '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'

and i probably didnt encounter it on any of my other systems because i didnt have to run mkinitcpio on any of my other systems after the initial installation.

Like i said i wouldnt have come here if it was me who somehow put it in there on all my Systems and VMs by accident. and also on a fresh installation without me even doing anything to the System.

Lone_Wolf · 2025-12-01 10:59:10

Next time you start a thread please make clear you installed the system using archinstall.

Moderator Note
Moving to Arch Linux Guided Installer subboard

Arch Linux

#1 2025-11-30 18:30:31

syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#2 2025-11-30 18:40:39

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#3 2025-11-30 18:49:00

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#4 2025-11-30 18:53:55

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#5 2025-11-30 18:54:46

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#6 2025-11-30 18:56:32

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#7 2025-11-30 19:03:00

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#8 2025-11-30 19:04:17

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#9 2025-11-30 19:07:36

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#10 2025-11-30 19:14:24

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

#11 2025-12-01 10:59:10

Re: syntax error in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf

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