GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

ValidName · 2026-10-17 10:59:01

Hello! So, my first time posting, 'cause I can't get my Arch to work. So, here's my intricate problem:
When I try to install Arch, and boot it with GRUB, it writes something about loading initial ramdisks, and freezes
But this only happens when I use --removable in grub-install command. Else, it doesn't work
When I use archinstall, PC instead freezes on Arch's logo
I struggle on this problem since maybe August, and I still couldn't solve it
I will let you know anything you need: hardware I have, all commands I used, etc. Hope you will help me!

Last edited by ValidName (2026-10-17 11:03:49)

seth · 2026-10-17 15:03:41

writes something about loading initial ramdisks, and freezes

So grub starts the kernel.
Can you boot the system when adding "systemd.unit=multi-user.target nomodeset" to the kernel parameters?
(You can press "e" in grub and edit the commandline)

ValidName · 2026-10-19 11:07:26

Sorry for not answering in awhile. I was tackling other problems. So, seth, adding your suggested arguments don't seem to do anything. Arch still freezes after printing:

  Booting a command list

Loading Linux linux-lts ...
Loading initial ramdisk ...

seth · 2026-10-19 12:02:08

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … l_messages
Also please post the journal from the install iso,

journalctl -b | nc termbin.com 9999

ValidName · 2026-10-20 01:27:58

So, seth. When do I get the journal? At start? After using grub-install and grub-mkconfig? Just before shutting down? Please, clarify, I don't know
EDIT: Also, how do I use termbin.com? I am new to it
EDIT2: Now I understood how to use termbin.com, but I'm still not sure when to check the journal

Last edited by ValidName (2026-10-20 03:41:30)

killertofus · 2026-10-20 03:22:14

@validName https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Systemd/Journal https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/List_o … n_services

ValidName · 2026-10-20 04:31:44

Since I don't know at what I need to execute journalctl -b, I decided to do it at some time. Here's the link:
https://termbin.com/qrck
(Hope I don't leak anything important)

seth · 2026-10-20 06:59:36

I decided to do it at some time

Perfect - if there had been preconditions I had mentioned them.

Oct 20 07:10:57 archiso kernel: smpboot: CPU0: AMD A4-7210 APU with AMD Radeon R3 Graphics (family: 0x16, model: 0x30, stepping: 0x1)
Oct 20 07:10:57 archiso kernel: radeon 0000:00:01.0: vgaarb: deactivate vga console
Oct 20 07:10:57 archiso kernel: nouveau 0000:01:00.0: NVIDIA GP107 (137000a1)
Oct 20 07:10:57 archiso kernel: nouveau 0000:01:00.0: [drm] Cannot find any crtc or sizes
Oct 20 07:12:08 archiso kernel: FAT-fs (sda1): Volume was not properly unmounted. Some data may be corrupt. Please run fsck.

So hybrid graphics, radeon and nouveau.
First fix the VFAT partition, re-install the kernel and make sure to properly umount the partition.

ls -lR /mnt/boot # archinstall tends to push UKIs, so iff you've used that the initramfs  should/would not be there

Then see https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Genera … l_messages again and pair it w/ "systemd.unit=multi-user.target nomodeset maxcpus=0", you can also try "nosmp" instead of "maxcpus=0"
nb. the quotes are just to isolate this here, don't add them to the kernel parameters.

ValidName · 2026-10-20 09:47:29

So, seth, I tried a bit of what you suggested, but this doesn't work for now. TBH, I didn't really understand what preconditions you were talking about, I ran command around before shutting down
I don't really understand what "fix the VFAT partition" means. I think I just don't umount them before shutting down, so now I do it with:

umount -a
swapoff /dev/sda2

I re-install kernel with:

sudo pacman -S linux-lts

Adding suggested arguments don't seem to work. Strangely, even after changing loglevel from 3 to 7, it doesn't print anything new. nosmp version also doesn't so anything

seth · 2026-10-20 09:56:33

You need to umount sda1 to run fsck, but /mnt/boot needs to be re-mounted before chrooting and re-installing the kernel there.
Installing the kernel (I assume even on the transitional squashfs) on the install iso does nothing and not having the boot partition mounted would install the kernel into the wrong location (the mount point on the root partition)

You are/have been reading/following https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Installation_guide and not some random youtuber?

ValidName · 2026-10-23 08:21:41

Seth, I am very sorry, but It didn't work
I boot ISO. I don't mount /dev/sda1, run:

fsck

(also tried only on /dev/sda1, same result)
Chroot, update GRUB with:

sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

Then I shutdown PC. Open OS, boot Arch, and it still freezes, still on the same point
Seth, I try to follow the installation guide, but I don't know. What to do now?

seth · 2026-10-23 08:23:46

I boot ISO. I don't mount /dev/sda1, run … Chroot, update GRUB with:

That list critically lacks mounting /dev/sda1 into /mnt/boot before the (arch-)chroot?
Edit: and exit the chroot and umount /mnt/boot before shutting down, just to be sure.

And you need to re-install the kernel, you don't have a grub problem to begin with.

Last edited by seth (2026-10-23 08:24:40)

ValidName · 2026-10-23 08:57:50

Seth, I'm sorry for worrying You, but I just forgot to include re-mounting step in message, I do it
I also tried umounting /dev/sda1 before shutting down, but it still results in same
I think that I maybe reinstall kernel wrong. It should be just:

sudo pacman -S linux-lts

Right?

seth · 2026-10-23 10:26:00

Right.
Do "ls -l /mnt/boot" after a reboot suggest the files are updated and of reasonable size?
Did you try the non-lts kernel?

ValidName · Today 03:44:27

Seth, I now try to use linux kernel, but something is wrong. I do:

sudo pacman -S linux
sudo grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

But when I open OS, GRUB still uses linux-lts

Also, I think I forgot to tell You something, Seth. When I do fsck on /dev/sda1, it prints:

fsck from util-linux 2.42.2
fsck.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
There are differences between boot sector and it's backup.
This is mostly harmless. Differences: (offset:original/backup)
  65:01/00
1) Copy original to backup
2) Copy backup to original
3) No action
[123q?]? 

Dirty bit is set. Fs was not properly unmounted and some data may be corrupt.
1) Remove dirty bit
2) No action
[12q?]? 
/dev/sda1: 427 files, 93153/261627 clusters

Previously, I was picking all "No action". But I umount everything before shutting down and I can't umount the boot after booting from USB, since it wasn't mounted

And " ls -l /mnt/boot" in ISO before chroot'ing outputs:

total 354848
drwxr-xr-x 5 root root      4096 Oct 19 10:47 EFI
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root    307200 Sep 17 03:21 amd-ucode.img
drwxr-xr-x 6 root root      4096 Oct 25 03:01 grub
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root      5021 Oct 20 09:35 grub.cfg
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 165768423 Oct 25 01:42 initramfs-linux.img
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 163513667 Oct 23 08:47 initramfs-linux-lts.img
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  17244672 Oct 25 01:41 vmlinuz-linux
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root  16503296 Oct 23 08:46 vmlinuz-linux-lts

I think that initramfs.img's are too big

Last edited by ValidName (Today 03:45:23)

seth · Today 06:31:18

Image size looks reasonable.
You need/should align the boot sectors and possibly re-install grub, but you'll have to run grub-mkconfig to pick up the new kernel.

Arch Linux

#1 2026-10-17 10:59:01

GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#2 2026-10-17 15:03:41

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#3 2026-10-19 11:07:26

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#4 2026-10-19 12:02:08

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#5 2026-10-20 01:27:58

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#6 2026-10-20 03:22:14

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#7 2026-10-20 04:31:44

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#8 2026-10-20 06:59:36

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#9 2026-10-20 09:47:29

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#10 2026-10-20 09:56:33

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#11 2026-10-23 08:21:41

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#12 2026-10-23 08:23:46

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#13 2026-10-23 08:57:50

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#14 2026-10-23 10:26:00

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#15 Today 03:44:27

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

#16 Today 06:31:18

Re: GRUB freezes on "Loading initial ramdisks"

Board footer