problem finding root on boot

o7 · 2025-12-27 17:53:24

Hello! I'm working on installing Arch on a Lenovo IdeaPad 3 15alc6 (not dual booting), and it drops me into the emergency shell every time I try to boot with the following error:

Error: device 'UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc' not found. Skipping fsck.
:: mounting 'UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc' on real root
mount: /new_root: can't find UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc.
ERROR: Failed to mount 'UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc' on real root
You are now being dropped into an emergency shell.
sh: can't access tty; job control turned off

I'm using ext4 for the root with grub. I've tried installing via the installation guide and via archinstall multiple times, ensuring the fstab matches my partitions and regenerating my initramfs.

/etc/mkinitcpio.conf

MODULES=()
BINARIES=()
FILES=()
HOOKS=(base udev autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard sd-vconsole block sd-encrypt lvm2 filesystems fsck)

/boot/grub/grub.cfg (I'm not using the default because it set my root to something else, so I've changed it to search for my root via UUID)

menuentry 'Arch Linux' -- class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc' {
  load_video
  set gfxpayload=keep
  insmod gzio
  insmod part_gpt
  insmod ext2
  search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc
  echo 'Loading Linux linux ...'
  linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc rw loglevel=3
  echo 'Loading initial ramdisk...'
  initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img
}

system72 · 2025-12-27 17:58:24

o7 wrote:

/boot/grub/grub.cfg (I'm not using the default because it set my root to something else, so I've changed it to search for my root via UUID)

elaborate

it looks like you are running disk encryption, you should be using the default generated grub config file and have the recommended kernel parameters set

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dm-cry … oot_loader

o7 · 2025-12-27 18:06:15

The default /boot/grub/grub.cfg sets hd1,gpt2 as my root and can't detect my root partition.

menuentry 'Arch Linux' -- class arch --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc' {
  load_video
  set gfxpayload=keep
  insmod gzio
  insmod part_gpt
  insmod ext2
  set root='hd1,gpt2'
  if [ x$feature_platform_search_hint = xy ]; then
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root --hint-bios=hd1,gpt2 --hint-efi=hd1,gpt2 --hint-baremetal=ahci1,gpt2 662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc
  else
    search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root 662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc
  fi
  echo 'Loading Linux linux ...'
  linux /boot/vmlinuz-linux root=UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc rw loglevel=3
  echo 'Loading initial ramdisk...'
  initrd /boot/initramfs-linux.img
}

I get this error instead:

[ TIME ] Timed out waiting for device /dev/disk/by-uuid/UUID
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for File System CHeck on /dev/disk/by-uuid/UUID
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for /sysroot.
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Initrd Root File System
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Mountpoints Configured in the Real Root
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Initrd Root Device

I'll take a look at the article.

system72 · 2025-12-27 18:07:58

thats because you are not setting the recommended kernel parameters in /etc/default/grub mentioned in the article above

Scimmia · 2025-12-27 18:10:41

Your mkinitcpio.conf makes no sense. Tell us how you set this system up, your partition layout, lvm, etc.

system72 · 2025-12-27 18:12:31

Scimmia wrote:

Your mkinitcpio.conf makes no sense

looks fine to me? my mkinitcpio.conf is also 1 line, and thats just hooks

oh wait nvm, you're right hes using systemd hooks with busybox initramfs

Last edited by system72 (2025-12-27 18:12:58)

o7 · 2025-12-27 22:34:51

I have one root partition with an ext4 file system and a efi system partition made using cfdisk. I haven't done anything with lvm yet. I've changed my initramfs to systemd:

HOOKS=(base systemd autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard sd-vconsole block sd-encrypt lvm2 filesystems fsck)

I changed the /etc/default/grub (I like verbosity):

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="splash loglevel=3"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX="rd.luks.name=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc=root root=/dev/mapper/root"

I'm still getting this error:

[ TIME ] Timed out waiting for device /dev/disk/by-uuid/UUID
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for File System CHeck on /dev/disk/by-uuid/UUID
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for /sysroot.
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Initrd Root File System
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Mountpoints Configured in the Real Root
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Initrd Root Device

Should I look into setting up lvm, or is there something I should change with my grub defaults?

system72 · 2025-12-27 22:40:25

did you remake the config and regenerate the initramfs images? e.g.:

mkinitcpio -P
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

the uuid needs to be the luks superblock not the unencrypted partition

Last edited by system72 (2025-12-27 22:42:49)

o7 · 2025-12-27 22:49:52

I regenerated both. Is the luks superblock another partition that needs to be created?

system72 · 2025-12-27 22:51:28

o7 wrote:

I regenerated both. Is the luks superblock another partition that needs to be created?

no... you can see the uuid outputs if you run

lsblk -f

just send that output here so we can compare

o7 · 2025-12-27 23:19:59

lsblk -f

NAME    FSTYPE    FSVER    LABEL          UUID                                      FSAVAIL    FSUSE%    MOUNTPOINTS
loop0   squashfs  4.0
sda
  sda1  vfat      FAT32    ARCH_202511    DED5-6FEA
sdb
  sdb1  vfat      FAT32                   340E-7244                                 1021.7M    0%        /boot/efi
  sdb2  ext4      1.0                     662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc      107.2G     2%        /

system72 · 2025-12-27 23:21:54

so the partition isnt even encrypted... well remove those encryption kernel parameters from ur grub config, and the systemd encryption hooks from ur initramfs config and regenerate the initramfs images and the grub config

o7 · 2025-12-27 23:32:25

yea, I decided to finish booting then deal with encryption. I removed the encryption from initrams config and regenerated initramfs and grub config, but I'm still getting the missing root error.

[ TIME ] Timed out waiting for device /dev/disk/by-uuid/662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for File System Check on /dev/disk/by-uuid/662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for /sysroot.
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Initrd Root File System
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Mountpoints Configured in the Real Root
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for Initrd Root Device

/etc/mkinitcpio.conf

HOOKS=(base systemd autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard sd-vconsole block lvm2 filesystems fsck)

/etc/default/grub

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="splash loglevel=3"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

system72 · 2025-12-27 23:36:42

try reinstalling the kernel, just a guess but it might work, make sure your boot partition is mounted and you're chrooted into the rootfs when reinstalling the kernel

o7 · 2025-12-27 23:50:00

didn't work. I'm still getting the error (I regenerated initramfs and grub config after updating as well)

pacman -Syy
pacman -S linux

system72 · 2025-12-27 23:52:21

can you show your fstab file?

p.s. partial upgrades are not supported by arch

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/System … nsupported

Scimmia · Yesterday 02:04:50

Try removing the autodetect hook and regenerating the initramfs.

Might as well get rid of the keyboard and lvm2 hooks while you're at it.

Last edited by Scimmia (Yesterday 02:06:36)

o7 · Yesterday 04:22:10

here's my fstab

# /dev/sdb2
UUID=662df5c2-2ca6-4c39-a21f-e395375cb9bc   /   ext4   rw,relatime   0 1

# /dev/sdb1
UUID=340E-7244   /boot/efi   vfat   rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=437,iocharset=ascii,shortname=mixed,utf8,errors=remount-ro   0 2

I removed the autodetect, keyboard, and lvm2, regenerated the initramfs, and I'm still getting the time out error... (also reinstalled linux using the full upgrade)

system72 · Yesterday 14:48:43

since nothing is working, i assume you're doing something wrong on your end while following our instructions.. and if not, maybe seth can help you

Scimmia · Yesterday 14:54:43

I would suggest installing linux-lts and regenerating the grub config. Let's see if that will boot. If not, see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Mkinit … _is_locked to get to a recovery console and see what's actually in /dev/disk/by-uuid/.

o7 · Yesterday 22:21:45

I switched to busybox initramfs and installed linux-lts (regenerated initramfs and grub config). I checked the recovery console, and /dev doesn't even contain a /disk directory....

Scimmia · Today 11:19:33

Adding autodetect back, are there any errors or warnings creating the initramfs? Warnings about possibly missing firmware are expected without the autodetect hook, but they can be a problem if they're there with it.

Arch Linux

#1 2025-12-27 17:53:24

problem finding root on boot

#2 2025-12-27 17:58:24

Re: problem finding root on boot

#3 2025-12-27 18:06:15

Re: problem finding root on boot

#4 2025-12-27 18:07:58

Re: problem finding root on boot

#5 2025-12-27 18:10:41

Re: problem finding root on boot

#6 2025-12-27 18:12:31

Re: problem finding root on boot

#7 2025-12-27 22:34:51

Re: problem finding root on boot

#8 2025-12-27 22:40:25

Re: problem finding root on boot

#9 2025-12-27 22:49:52

Re: problem finding root on boot

#10 2025-12-27 22:51:28

Re: problem finding root on boot

#11 2025-12-27 23:19:59

Re: problem finding root on boot

#12 2025-12-27 23:21:54

Re: problem finding root on boot

#13 2025-12-27 23:32:25

Re: problem finding root on boot

#14 2025-12-27 23:36:42

Re: problem finding root on boot

#15 2025-12-27 23:50:00

Re: problem finding root on boot

#16 2025-12-27 23:52:21

Re: problem finding root on boot

#17 Yesterday 02:04:50

Re: problem finding root on boot

#18 Yesterday 04:22:10

Re: problem finding root on boot

#19 Yesterday 14:48:43

Re: problem finding root on boot

#20 Yesterday 14:54:43

Re: problem finding root on boot

#21 Yesterday 22:21:45

Re: problem finding root on boot

#22 Today 11:19:33

Re: problem finding root on boot

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