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#1 2026-06-30 01:02:08

80HD_82
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Registered: 2026-02-20
Posts: 6

Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

Hello,

I have been running an instance of Arch server on Proxmox for several months without any issues, but after rebooting today it no longer starts properly.  Limine 12.3.3 loads normally, but once I select Arch it hangs on the Arch splash screen. I am using a UKI but so far, I have tried:

Booting the linux-fallback entry
Booting from a live ISO and rebuilding the UKI with several different kernel options suggested by ChatGPT.
Disabling Secure Boot

None of those attempts have helped. The VM either remains stuck on the Arch splash screen or switches to a completely black screen, with no useful output in the Proxmox console.

At this point, I am at a loss on what to do.


Limine boot paramenters:

protocol: efi
path: boot():/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi
cmdline: cryptdevice=PARTUUID=b5b442bd-c031-4d30-b713-3c26a4f6c985:root root=/dev/mapper/root zswap.enabled=0 rw rootfstype=ext4

Last edited by 80HD_82 (2026-06-30 01:02:28)

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#2 2026-06-30 05:05:24

seth
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From: Won't reply 2 private help req
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 76,886

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

Remove plymouth, add https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … l_messages instead, maybe add "nomodeset"
Does the LTS kernel still boot?

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#3 2026-06-30 10:35:02

80HD_82
Member
Registered: 2026-02-20
Posts: 6

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

seth wrote:

Remove plymouth, add https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … l_messages instead, maybe add "nomodeset"
Does the LTS kernel still boot?

I booted into the live Arch iso, installed the LTS kernel and generated an initramfs file, set my Limine boot entry and it's back up, thank you!

I also booted into the mainline kernel (non UKI) but it never prompted me to enter my LUKS passphrase and I get this:

Starting systemd-udevd version 261.1-1-arch
:: running hook [udev]
:: Triggering uevents...
:: running hook [keymap]
:: Loading keymap...done.
:: running hook [encrypt]
Waiting 10 seconds for device /dev/disk/by-partuuid/b5b442bd-c031-4d30-b713-3c26a4fbc985 ...
Waiting 10 seconds for device /dev/mapper/root ...
Waiting 10 seconds for device /dev/mapper/root ...
ERROR: device '/dev/mapper/root' not found. Skipping fsck.
:: mounting '/dev/mapper/root' on real root
mount: /new_root: fsconfig() failed: /dev/mapper/root: Can't lookup blockdev.
dmesg(1) may have more information after failed mount system call.
ERROR: Failed to mount '/dev/mapper/root' on real root.
You are now being dropped into an emergency shell.
sh: can't access tty; job control turned off

Last edited by 80HD_82 (2026-06-30 13:31:28)

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#4 2026-06-30 15:07:10

seth
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From: Won't reply 2 private help req
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 76,886

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

Check the journal for the last successful boot and which kernel that was, check whether that kernel still works (ie. is this a kernel regression - and between which versions - or is the system misconfigured)

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#5 2026-06-30 19:48:52

80HD_82
Member
Registered: 2026-02-20
Posts: 6

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

seth wrote:

Check the journal for the last successful boot and which kernel that was, check whether that kernel still works (ie. is this a kernel regression - and between which versions - or is the system misconfigured)

Here are some new findings.  My last known successful boot was on June 22, 2026 using a UKI of kernel 7.0.12-arch1-1.  Also, the latest non-UKI kernel 7.0.14-arch1-1 boots just fine so it's definitely not a kernel issue.  However, the following still occurs even with Secure Boot still disabled:

UKI of linux-lts 6.18.37-1 (signed)  --> console screen flickers and does nothing when attempting to Boot From File in Proxmox's UEFI. (arch-linux-lts.efi)

UKI of linux-lts 6.18.37-1 (unsigned)  --> Booting From File in Proxmox's UEFI I get a frozen Arch splash screen. (arch-linux-lts-unsigned-test.efi)

UKI of linux-lts 6.18.37-1 (unsigned & nosplash) --> Booting From File in Proxmox's UEFI I get a frozen black screen. (arch-linux-lts-nosplash-test.efi)

Unless I'm missing something it would appear mkinitcpio is not building UKI EFI image files correctly?

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#6 2026-06-30 20:08:18

seth
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From: Won't reply 2 private help req
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 76,886

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

The last mkinitcpio update was May 28th, 7.0.12 entered the repos June 10th, 7.0.13  June 23rd - so it's not very likely that anything reg. mkinitcpio has changed.
Do you have/use https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86 … emd-ukify/ ?

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#7 2026-06-30 20:33:53

80HD_82
Member
Registered: 2026-02-20
Posts: 6

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

seth wrote:

The last mkinitcpio update was May 28th, 7.0.12 entered the repos June 10th, 7.0.13  June 23rd - so it's not very likely that anything reg. mkinitcpio has changed.
Do you have/use https://archlinux.org/packages/core/x86 … emd-ukify/ ?

No, I do not have systemd-ukify installed.  I did not previously need this but is it needed now?

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#8 2026-06-30 20:48:21

seth
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From: Won't reply 2 private help req
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 76,886

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

No, just trying to figure what changed and broke the UKI generation.
Are there any errors/warnings when building the UKI?

Do the systemd hoks still work, https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Mkinitcpio#Hook_list ?
NB! https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=310004
The syntax to open the vault changes - https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Dm-cry … d.luks.key

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#9 2026-07-01 17:49:05

80HD_82
Member
Registered: 2026-02-20
Posts: 6

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

seth wrote:

No, just trying to figure what changed and broke the UKI generation.
Are there any errors/warnings when building the UKI?

There are some warnings regarding missing firmware modules.  However, am I correct in thinking that if my hooks, firmware modules, defaults parameters, etc... allow me to successfully boot from the mainline and LTS kernel initramfs builds, then they should also allow me to successfully boot from the mainline and LTS kernel UKI builds?

LTS Kernel UKI and initramfs build:

==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux-lts.preset: 'default'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts -U /boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts.efi --splash /usr/share/systemd/bootctl/splash-arch.bmp
==> Starting build: '6.18.37-1-lts'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [microcode]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [block]
  -> Running build hook: [encrypt]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qat_6xxx'
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Creating unified kernel image: '/boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts.efi'
==> Unified kernel image generation successful
==> Running post hooks
  -> Running post hook: [sbctl]
Signing /boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts.efi
✓ Signed /boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts.efi
==> Post processing done
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux-lts.preset: 'fallback'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts -g /boot/initramfs-linux-lts-fallback.img
==> Starting build: '6.18.37-1-lts'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [microcode]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [block]
  -> Running build hook: [encrypt]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qat_6xxx'
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-linux-lts-fallback.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Running post hooks
  -> Running post hook: [sbctl]
Signing /boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts
File has already been signed /boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts
==> Post processing done

Mainline Kernel UKI and initramfs build:

==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'default'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -U /boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi --splash /usr/share/systemd/bootctl/splash-arch.bmp
==> Starting build: '7.0.14-arch1-1'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [microcode]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [block]
  -> Running build hook: [encrypt]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qat_6xxx'
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Creating unified kernel image: '/boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi'
==> Unified kernel image generation successful
==> Running post hooks
  -> Running post hook: [sbctl]
Signing /boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi
✓ Signed /boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi
==> Post processing done
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'fallback'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -g /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img
==> Starting build: '7.0.14-arch1-1'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [microcode]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [block]
  -> Running build hook: [encrypt]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qat_6xxx'
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Running post hooks
  -> Running post hook: [sbctl]
Signing /boot/vmlinuz-linux
File has already been signed /boot/vmlinuz-linux
==> Post processing done

/etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux-lts.preset

# mkinitcpio preset file for the 'linux-lts' package

#ALL_config="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
ALL_kver="/boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts"
#ALL_kerneldest="/boot/vmlinuz-linux-lts"

#PRESETS=('default')
PRESETS=('default' 'fallback')

#default_config="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
#default_image="/boot/initramfs-linux-lts.img"
default_uki="/boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts.efi"
default_options="--splash /usr/share/systemd/bootctl/splash-arch.bmp"

#fallback_config="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
fallback_image="/boot/initramfs-linux-lts-fallback.img"
#fallback_uki="/boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts-fallback.efi"
#fallback_options="-S autodetect"

/etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset

# mkinitcpio preset file for the 'linux' package

#ALL_config="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
ALL_kver="/boot/vmlinuz-linux"
#ALL_kerneldest="/boot/vmlinuz-linux"

#PRESETS=('default')
PRESETS=('default' 'fallback')

#default_config="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
#default_image="/boot/initramfs-linux.img"
default_uki="/boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi"
default_options="--splash /usr/share/systemd/bootctl/splash-arch.bmp"

#fallback_config="/etc/mkinitcpio.conf"
fallback_image="/boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img"
#fallback_uki="/boot/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-fallback.efi"
#fallback_options="-S autodetect"

/boot/EFI/limine/limine.conf

timeout: 5

/Arch Linux Mainline UKI
    protocol: efi
    path: boot():/EFI/Linux/arch-linux.efi
    cmdline: cryptdevice=PARTUUID=b5b442bd-c031-4d30-b713-3c26a4f6c985:root root=/dev/mapper/root zswap.enabled=0 rw rootfstype=ext4

/Arch Linux Mainline Non-UKI Fallback
    protocol: linux
    path: boot():/vmlinuz-linux
    cmdline: cryptdevice=PARTUUID=b5b442bd-c031-4d30-b713-3c26a4f6c985:root root=/dev/mapper/root zswap.enabled=0 rw rootfstype=ext4
    module_path: boot():/initramfs-linux-fallback.img

/Arch Linux LTS UKI
    protocol: efi
    path: boot():/EFI/Linux/arch-linux-lts.efi
    cmdline: cryptdevice=PARTUUID=b5b442bd-c031-4d30-b713-3c26a4f6c985:root root=/dev/mapper/root zswap.enabled=0 rw rootfstype=ext4

/Arch Linux LTS Non-UKI Fallback
    protocol: linux
    path: boot():/vmlinuz-linux-lts
    cmdline: cryptdevice=PARTUUID=b5b442bd-c031-4d30-b713-3c26a4f6c985:root root=/dev/mapper/root zswap.enabled=0 rw rootfstype=ext4
    module_path: boot():/initramfs-linux-lts-fallback.img

Last edited by 80HD_82 (2026-07-01 18:34:45)

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#10 2026-07-01 19:01:21

seth
Member
From: Won't reply 2 private help req
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 76,886

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

then they should also allow me to successfully boot from the mainline and LTS kernel UKI builds?

Yes "should" …

Going by the part where this is a regression and apparently not linked to the kernel, mkinitcpio hadn't been udpated recently and ukify isn't involved: systemd was updated and becomes the most likely trigger then.
If you revert to the porevious version (check your pacman.log, likely some 260.2 one), do the UKIs ask you for a password again?

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#11 2026-07-20 16:35:51

80HD_82
Member
Registered: 2026-02-20
Posts: 6

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

seth wrote:

LOL!  I appreciate all your help!

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#12 2026-07-20 19:39:47

seth
Member
From: Won't reply 2 private help req
Registered: 2012-09-03
Posts: 76,886

Re: Stuck at Arch Splash Screen

seth wrote:

If you revert to the porevious version (check your pacman.log, likely some 260.2 one), do the UKIs ask you for a password again?

iow: what's the status quo on the situation?

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