Black screen after updates - error: file 'initramfs-6.5-x86_64.img' not found - BIOS complication?

[Woods_Walker]

In the middle of running the latest updates yesterday my system ran out of memory, I guess, and kicked me out to the login screen. It was as if I had pressed ctrl+alt+backspace. I logged back in to close down some persistent things and then went for a reboot. It was then that I was confronted by this scary message, with no access to the login screen.

Reading through some threads it seems like the solution is not too difficult, using “chroot”.

[Fix] Can’t login - black screen & chroot guide

Original author on old forum @AlManja If you are stuck and you can’t log into your system, use one of these steps below. They are sorted from easiest at the top. Start with the first step and if it doesn’t work, try with the next one and so on… Once you get access to the system, then proceed with updating the system or installing/removing packages, checking log files… Steps (you only need one) are: log to tty terminal boot without X chroot auto (with manjaro-chroot) chroot (with manjaro-chro…

Of note, I have a LUKS encypted installation, and I’m not sure if I have a swap partition or not. When I looked in GParted there didn’t seem to be one. There was sda2 and no sda3. Also my system is a non-UEFI system, from 10+ years ago, it has a BIOS. I don’t know if this effects the process or not.

If I don’t have a swap do I just leave out the line about the swap?

Thanks for the help.

[Mirdarthos]

Hi @Woods_Walker, and welcome!

That error is because the selected kernel isn’t found. It was likely removed because it became EOL and thus is no longer supported.

While I have absolutely NO experience with any disc encryption, I can point you here, it should help:

[HowTo] Resolve an unbootable Manjaro (black screen, login failed, cant boot, etc)

When we have problems gaining access to our systems it is difficult to gather information, let alone fix any problems. Here we will cover common causes and solutions to ‘manjaro wont boot’. TTY If your desktop does not load properly then you might still be able to use most, if not all, functionality by dropping to a non-graphical TTY. By default your system will have multiple TTYs, with each corresponding to an Fx key. Your desktop is assigned to one as well - most often F1. You can chang…

…and

[HowTo] Recovering from an interrupted update/upgrade

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ So you couldn’t wait until the update process had completed and you went for the reset/power button, didn’t you? And now you’re getting the message that you don’t have a kernel installed. Well, you’re not the only one — we’re seeing it happen all the time. So, here’s how to fix it, you impatient n00b. If you don’t happen to have a recent Manjaro installer USB/DVD/CD handy, direct your browser to this wonderful page, download t…

[Woods_Walker]

Thank you for the links, I will read through them.

I have updated my title to include the accurate message about the missing kernel -

error: file ‘initramfs-6.5-x86_64.img’ not found. Press any key to continue …

[Keruskerfuerst]

Then the kernel must be reinstalled.
Boot from Manjaro USb stick and chroot into the system.

Manjaro Kernels

[Mirdarthos]

@Woods_Walker

I have updated my title to include the accurate message about the missing kernel -

error: file ‘initramfs-6.5-x86_64.img’ not found. Press any key to continue …

Exactly as I said. You’ll need to chroot into your system and reinstall your kernel…

Considering it want:

@Woods_Walker

initramfs-6.5-x86_64.img

…And version 6.5 is not EOL yet - I use it myself, so I know - it seems the update was interrupted somehow, somewhy. So I’m thinking especially my second link:

[HowTo] Recovering from an interrupted update/upgrade

Difficulty: ★★☆☆☆ So you couldn’t wait until the update process had completed and you went for the reset/power button, didn’t you? And now you’re getting the message that you don’t have a kernel installed. Well, you’re not the only one — we’re seeing it happen all the time. So, here’s how to fix it, you impatient n00b. If you don’t happen to have a recent Manjaro installer USB/DVD/CD handy, direct your browser to this wonderful page, download t…

…would be applicable in this case.

[Woods_Walker]

Alright, I’m back from being elbow deep, and here’s what happened when I ran option No. 5:

sudo su -
cryptsetup luksOpen /dev/sda2 ssd
mount /dev/mapper/ssd /mnt
mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/boot/efi
manjaro-chroot /mnt

pacman -Syyu

pacman -Sy manjaro-keyring
pacman -Sy manjaro-system
pacman -Syyu

No Dice!

I get the same hang after typing the crypt password. There is a message about irq interrupts, but that has pretty much always been there. The system is unresponsive at this point.

The errors say something along the lines of:

0.000000___common_interrupt: 2.55 No irq handler for vector

with numbers afterwards being 4.55, 1.55, 3.55, and 5.55.

[cscs]

You didnt (re)install a kernel.
(ex: sudo pacman -Syu linux65)

[Woods_Walker]

Installing the kernel did finally work!
And it doesn’t seem like there has been any destruction!

Many thanks!