Black screen on restart after update

Support System Updates
1

After traveling out of town for about a week, I returned home to boot up and find updates available. Applying them, unfortunately without much attention to logged messages, I restarted the system as instructed, only to boot into an entirely black screen. Since then, I’ve read everything I can find about the problem. I’m afraid I’ve tried so many troubleshooting and fix actions in a desperate attempt to get my system back that I’ve lost track, and I’ve almost certainly made the problem worse.

I have experience with technology dating back to the early 1980s, mostly IBM mainframe (DOS/VSE and VM/CMS), Windows, and Chrome OS, with only passing brushes with Unix- and Linux-based systems. Seeking to replace my desktop setup, I was persuaded to give Manjaro with KDE Plasma a try. I’m wondering now if I’ve made a horrible mistake.

Anyway, here’s my inxi output (hoping I’ve formatted correctly):

System:
  Kernel: 6.6.10-1-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 13.2.1
    clocksource: hpet available: acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-x86_64 lang=en_US keytable=us tz=UTC
    misobasedir=manjaro misolabel=MANJARO_KDEM_2313 quiet
    systemd.show_status=1 splash driver=nonfree nouveau.modeset=0
    i915.modeset=1 radeon.modeset=1
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.10 tk: Qt v: 5.15.12 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 2
    dm: SDDM Distro: Manjaro Linux base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: BESSTAR TECH product: UM350 v: N/A
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: BESSTAR TECH model: UM350 serial: <superuser required>
    UEFI: American Megatrends v: 5.14 date: 03/24/2022
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard K540/K545
    serial: <filter> charge: 100% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes
    status: discharging
  Device-2: hidpp_battery_1 model: Logitech Wireless Mouse M510
    serial: <filter> charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes
    status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Ryzen 5 3550H with Radeon Vega Mobile Gfx bits: 64
    type: MT MCP arch: Zen/Zen+ note: check gen: 1 level: v3 note: check
    built: 2019 process: GF 12nm family: 0x17 (23) model-id: 0x18 (24)
    stepping: 1 microcode: 0x8108109
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 4 tpc: 2 threads: 8 smt: enabled cache:
    L1: 384 KiB desc: d-4x32 KiB; i-4x64 KiB L2: 2 MiB desc: 4x512 KiB L3: 4 MiB
    desc: 1x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1449 high: 2100 min/max: 1400/2100 boost: enabled
    scaling: driver: acpi-cpufreq governor: schedutil cores: 1: 1364 2: 1356
    3: 1400 4: 1400 5: 2100 6: 1224 7: 1351 8: 1400 bogomips: 33553
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 sse4a ssse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed mitigation: untrained return thunk; SMT vulnerable
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow mitigation: Safe RET
  Type: spec_store_bypass mitigation: Speculative Store Bypass disabled via
    prctl
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer
    sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines, IBPB: conditional, STIBP:
    disabled, RSB filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: AMD Picasso/Raven 2 [Radeon Vega Series / Radeon Mobile Series]
    driver: amdgpu v: kernel arch: GCN-5 code: Vega process: GF 14nm
    built: 2017-20 pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 ports: active: HDMI-A-1
    empty: DP-1,DP-2,DP-3 bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:15d8 class-ID: 0300
    temp: 43.0 C
  Device-2: Microdia USB Live camera driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-3:3 chip-ID: 0c45:636b
    class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 21.1.10 with: Xwayland v: 23.2.3
    compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: amdgpu unloaded: modesetting
    alternate: fbdev,vesa dri: radeonsi gpu: amdgpu display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1920x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 508x285mm (20.00x11.22")
    s-diag: 582mm (22.93")
  Monitor-1: HDMI-A-1 mapped: HDMI-A-0 model: Sceptre E24 serial: <filter>
    built: 2019 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 94 gamma: 1.2
    size: 521x293mm (20.51x11.54") diag: 604mm (23.8") ratio: 16:9 modes:
    max: 1920x1080 min: 720x400
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: amd radeonsi platforms: device: 0 drv: radeonsi
    device: 1 drv: swrast surfaceless: drv: radeonsi x11: drv: radeonsi
    inactive: gbm,wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: amd mesa v: 23.3.3-manjaro1.1
    glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics (radeonsi
    raven LLVM 16.0.6 DRM 3.54 6.6.10-1-MANJARO) device-ID: 1002:15d8
    memory: 1.95 GiB unified: no
  API: Vulkan v: 1.3.274 layers: N/A device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: AMD
    Radeon Vega 8 Graphics (RADV RAVEN) driver: mesa radv v: 23.3.3-manjaro1.1
    device-ID: 1002:15d8 surfaces: xcb,xlib
Audio:
  Device-1: AMD Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 04:00.1
    chip-ID: 1002:15de class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: AMD ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor driver: snd_pci_acp3x
    v: kernel alternate: snd_rn_pci_acp3x, snd_pci_acp5x, snd_pci_acp6x,
    snd_acp_pci, snd_rpl_pci_acp6x, snd_pci_ps, snd_sof_amd_renoir,
    snd_sof_amd_rembrandt, snd_sof_amd_vangogh pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s
    lanes: 16 bus-ID: 04:00.5 chip-ID: 1022:15e2 class-ID: 0480
  Device-3: AMD Family 17h/19h HD Audio vendor: Realtek driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel pcie: gen: 3 speed: 8 GT/s lanes: 16 bus-ID: 04:00.6
    chip-ID: 1022:15e3 class-ID: 0403
  Device-4: Microdia USB Live camera driver: snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-3:3 chip-ID: 0c45:636b
    class-ID: 0102 serial: <filter>
  Device-5: C-Media Audio Adapter (Unitek Y-247A)
    driver: cmedia_hs100b,snd-usb-audio,usbhid type: USB rev: 1.1 speed: 12 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 3-2.1:3 chip-ID: 0d8c:0014 class-ID: 0300
  API: ALSA v: k6.6.10-1-MANJARO status: kernel-api with: aoss
    type: oss-emulator tools: alsactl,alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: JACK v: 1.9.22 status: off tools: N/A
  Server-2: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Wireless 7265 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 02:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:095a class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp2s0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Ethernet I225-V driver: igc v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 link-max: gen: 2 speed: 5 GT/s port: N/A
    bus-ID: 03:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:15f3 class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp3s0 state: down mac: <filter>
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel Bluetooth wireless interface driver: btusb v: 0.8 type: USB
    rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 3-2.2:4 chip-ID: 8087:0a2a
    class-ID: e001
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 rfk-id: 0 state: up address: see --recommends
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 2.29 TiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: LITE-ON model: ESO512GYLCT-EP3-2L
    size: 476.94 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s
    lanes: 4 tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: EDFME0.1 temp: 27.9 C
    scheme: GPT
  ID-2: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: HP model: v165w size: 7.55 GiB
    block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: USB rev: 2.0 spd: 480 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 tech: N/A serial: <filter> fw-rev: 8192 scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
  ID-3: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: Western Digital
    model: WD20SDRW-11VUUS0 size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 512 B
    logical: 512 B type: USB rev: 3.1 spd: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1
    tech: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter> fw-rev: 1026 scheme: GPT
Partition:
  Message: No partition data found.
Swap:
  Alert: No swap data was found.
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 44.2 C mobo: N/A gpu: amdgpu temp: 44.0 C
  Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Info:
  Processes: 268 Uptime: 4m wakeups: 0 Memory: total: 16 GiB note: est.
  available: 13.6 GiB used: 1.78 GiB (13.1%) Init: systemd v: 255
  default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 13.2.1 clang: 16.0.6
  Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1138 libs: 308 tools: pamac Shell: Zsh v: 5.9
  default: Bash v: 5.2.21 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.31

On attempting to boot normally, I see the following error messages on the console before it stalls and turns black:

error: no server is specified.
error: no suitable video mode found.
error: no video mode activated.
error: symbol 'grub_efi_set_variable_to_string' not found.

Is my system beyond redemption at this point? I’m now entirely at a loss as to how to diagnose what’s wrong and what steps might help toward recovery. Any suggestions?

2

When was the last time you updated your OS?

Maybe Plymouth bug? usual steps…
Go in TTY and follow this commands:

sudo nano /etc/default/grub

Look for that line and only remove the word splash :

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=

With crtl+O and enter (you save the file) and exit with crtl+x

And after you done just this command:

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

After a restart you see the result.

You have probably more experienced then me… but did you maintained your pacnew files?
Any timeshift snapshots? check journal for errors before you updated, maintain pacnew and overview the update progress.

3

Thank you for the reply, Kobold—much appreciated.

I generally use the Manjaro desktop four or five times a week, and if an update alert appears, I apply the updates immediately.

I did read extensively about the Plymouth issue. But there was no splash parameter in my Grub configuration. I wish it were that easy to recover my system, but no such luck.

Clearly not, at least not with maintaining Linux systems. Responding to the pacnew question: I was completely unaware of that feature, so no, I’ve paid no attention to it. I’ll try to educate myself.

And responding to the timeshift snapshot question: I did think about backup and restore when I set up the Manjaro system, but decided (rightly or wrongly) to install Back in Time for that. In the circumstances, able to operate only from a live ISO on USB, I’m not sure how to use it for recovery.

I’ll keep reading, especially looking at the areas you suggest. Again, thanks!

1 Like
4

But the splash is right there… in your system info’s. :point_up_2:

Timeshift snapshot is super easy to create and restore with the GUI and Rsync on a ext4 filesystem.

You regret it if you didn’t use this well developed tool. You miss a easy way to have quickly a working system again, while at the same time you can figure out how to fix your bug… like in a situation where are you right now.

If you would creat a snapshot before the release update.

I recommend on a external usb drive with ext4 partition.

And when you want to restore it, you boot into manjaro life environment, you just open timeshift UI and open the snapshot and follow the steps in the super user friendly UI and the overview is so good and shows which partitions are overwritten.

You will see the possible option’s to replace /Root, /swap and /boot partition per default… but for sure it depends how you had installed Manjaro before.

5

Yeah…I did finally notice that. Embarrassing. Using chroot with a live USB, I’m confusing myself between what’s in the live environment and what’s installed on the hard drive. I’m just not as clear as I need to be about how to conceptualize all of this correctly—making my attempts to fix probably very dangerous.

I swear there was no splash parameter in the grub config file in the hard drive configuration. But…most likely either it’s confusion between the live USB environment and the environment installed on my hard drive, or it’s programmer’s illusion where you’re looking at something over and over and still you swear it’s not there.

Simple ignorance. I don’t know why I didn’t pick up on the value of timeshift during my initial reading and self-education but I’m certainly convinced of it now.

6

Well your system informations was from life boot then… then for sure it didnt showed the actually system information what you using now on the installation.

You must in this case go in tty and maybe make a screenshot with a camera from there, from your real system information.

Maybe your Kernel is outdated? Without system information there are only guesses possible.

7

Kobold, thanks for your latest reply. I’m not sure how to gather system information for my actual hard drive Manjaro installation from a live USB chroot. Following is a try at it, showing the following:

  • Command output: lsblk
  • menuentry definition from /boot/grub/grub.cfg
  • Command output: mhwd --list --detail
--
lsblk
--
NAME        MAJ:MIN RM   SIZE RO TYPE MOUNTPOINTS
loop0         7:0    0    82M  1 loop 
loop1         7:1    0 763.9M  1 loop 
loop2         7:2    0   1.4G  1 loop 
loop3         7:3    0 767.4M  1 loop 
sda           8:0    1   7.5G  0 disk 
|-sda1        8:1    1     3G  0 part 
`-sda2        8:2    1     4M  0 part 
sdb           8:16   0   1.8T  0 disk 
`-sdb1        8:17   0   1.8T  0 part 
nvme0n1     259:0    0 476.9G  0 disk 
|-nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   300M  0 part /boot/efi
`-nvme0n1p2 259:2    0 476.6G  0 part /

--
menuentry statement from grub.config
--
menuentry 'Manjaro Linux' --class manjaro --class gnu-linux --class gnu --class os $menuentry_id_option 'gnulinux-simple-a1019104-4b5f-4090-8c49-310bd352056f' {
        savedefault
        load_video
        set gfxpayload=keep
        insmod gzio
        insmod part_gpt
        insmod ext2
        search --no-floppy --fs-uuid --set=root a1019104-4b5f-4090-8c49-310bd352056f
        linux   /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64 root=UUID=a1019104-4b5f-4090-8c49-310bd352056f rw plymouth.enable=0 disablehooks=plymouth apparmor=1 security=apparmor udev.log_priority=3
        initrd  /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img
}


--
mhwd --list --detail
--
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> PCI Device: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.0 (0300:1002:15d8)
  Display controller ATI Technologies Inc Picasso
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  > AVAILABLE:

   NAME:        video-linux
   ATTACHED:    PCI
   VERSION:     2018.05.04
   INFO:        Standard open source drivers.
   PRIORITY:    2
   FREEDRIVER:  true
   DEPENDS:     -
   CONFLICTS:   -
   CLASSIDS:    0300 0380 0302 
   VENDORIDS:   1002 8086 10de 

   NAME:        video-modesetting
   ATTACHED:    PCI
   VERSION:     2020.01.13
   INFO:        X.org modesetting video driver.
   PRIORITY:    1
   FREEDRIVER:  true
   DEPENDS:     -
   CONFLICTS:   -
   CLASSIDS:    0300 
   VENDORIDS:   * 

   NAME:        video-vesa
   ATTACHED:    PCI
   VERSION:     2017.03.12
   INFO:        X.org vesa video driver.
   PRIORITY:    0
   FREEDRIVER:  true
   DEPENDS:     -
   CONFLICTS:   -
   CLASSIDS:    0300 
   VENDORIDS:   * 

Warning: no configs for USB devices found!

Is that at all helpful?

8

I have no experience how to gather system information from live boot, no idea if chroot and inxi working together. I used chroot command only once… i can’t lead you there from live boot.

For that reason i use always timeshift.

Are you able to access TTY, when you don’t use a live boot? crtl+alt+f2-f4 you can switch between Terminals. Switching back with crlt+alt+f1 could also restore your desktop in some rare situations… but don’t count on it.

Look for your installed Kernels… with mhwd-kernel -li

When your Kernel is Outdated, just install the latest LTS Kernel inside TTY:

sudo mhwd-kernel -i linux66

And tell me your output. Or do as i said above, make a screenshot from inxi and upload it here in the forum.

9

I’m completely convinced of the value of using timeshift! I simply failed to pick up on its importance when I started using my new Minisforum UM350 system with Manjaro preinstalled.

When I try to boot normally into the installed configuration, I get the four error messages mentioned above in my original post, then the black screen. From there, none of the ctrl-alt-Fn key combinations does anything.

I again tried using inxi and other system information utilities from chroot in the live USB environment, but resulting information appears to reflect that environment, not the permanently installed Manjaro environment.

The installed kernel version is 5.15.150-1. I tried installing a 6.6 kernel using “mhwd-kernel -i linux66” as suggested, but the install failed because 6.6 was already running in the live USB environment from which I was operating. The error message suggested using “pacman -Syu” to update instead, resulting in a full system upgrade. Here’s the pacman log:

[2024-03-15T12:06:32-0400] [PACMAN] Running 'pacman -Syu linux66'
[2024-03-15T12:06:32-0400] [PACMAN] synchronizing package lists
[2024-03-15T12:06:40-0400] [PACMAN] starting full system upgrade
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] running '00-timeshift-autosnap.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> skipping timeshift-autosnap due skipRsyncAutosnap in /etc/timeshift-autosnap.conf set to TRUE.
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] transaction started
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] upgraded hwdata (0.379-1 -> 0.380-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] installed linux66 (6.6.19-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] upgraded vulkan-icd-loader (1.3.276-1 -> 1.3.279-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] upgraded opus (1.4-1 -> 1.5.1-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] upgraded bluedevil (1:5.27.10-3 -> 1:5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:05-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kdecoration (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:06-0400] [ALPM] upgraded breeze (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:06-0400] [ALPM] upgraded breeze-gtk (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:06-0400] [ALPM] upgraded sdl2 (2.30.0-1 -> 2.30.1-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:06-0400] [ALPM] upgraded glslang (14.0.0-1 -> 14.0.0-2)
[2024-03-15T12:11:06-0400] [ALPM] upgraded python (3.11.7-1 -> 3.11.8-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded electron25 (25.9.8-4 -> 25.9.8-5)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded electron28 (28.2.5-1 -> 28.2.5-4)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded gtk-doc (1.33.2-3 -> 1.34.0-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded iniparser (4.1-4 -> 4.1-5)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kactivitymanagerd (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kde-cli-tools (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:07-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kde-gtk-config (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded libksysguard (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded ksystemstats (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded xorg-xmessage (1.0.6-1 -> 1.0.7-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded milou (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded layer-shell-qt (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded libkscreen (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kscreenlocker (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kwin (5.27.10-2 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-integration (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kpipewire (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:08-0400] [ALPM] upgraded oxygen-sounds (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-workspace (5.27.10-2 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kdeplasma-addons (5.27.10-2 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded systemsettings (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kgamma (5.27.10-2 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded khotkeys (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kinfocenter (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kmenuedit (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kscreen (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded ksshaskpass (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded socat (1.7.4.4-1 -> 1.8.0.0-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kwallet-pam (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kwayland-integration (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded kwrited (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded lib32-keyutils (1.6.3-1 -> 1.6.3-2)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded lib32-libdrm (2.4.119-1 -> 2.4.120-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded lib32-opus (1.4-1 -> 1.5.1-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:09-0400] [ALPM] upgraded lib32-vulkan-icd-loader (1.3.276-1 -> 1.3.279-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded liblouis (3.28.0-1 -> 3.29.0-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded libnice (0.1.21-2 -> 0.1.22-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded libsbsms (2.3.0-3 -> 2.3.0-5)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded libsodium (1.0.19-2 -> 1.0.19-3)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded libtar (1.2.20-6 -> 1.2.20-7)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded oxygen (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-browser-integration (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded polkit-kde-agent (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:10-0400] [ALPM] upgraded powerdevil (5.27.10-2 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-desktop (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-nm (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-pa (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-systemmonitor (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded plasma-workspace-wallpapers (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded protobuf (25.2-1 -> 25.3-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded python-beaker (1.12.0-3 -> 1.12.0-4)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded python-trove-classifiers (2024.2.22-1 -> 2024.2.23-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded python-xxhash (3.2.0-2 -> 3.4.1-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded rtmpdump (1:2.4.r99.f1b83c1-2 -> 1:2.4.r105.6f6bb13-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded sddm-kcm (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded sof-firmware (2023.12-1 -> 2023.12.1-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded tcl (8.6.13-1 -> 8.6.14-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:11-0400] [ALPM] upgraded vala (0.56.14-1 -> 0.56.15-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:12-0400] [ALPM] upgraded vivaldi (6.6.3271.48-1 -> 6.6.3271.50-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:12-0400] [ALPM] upgraded vulkan-headers (1:1.3.276-1 -> 1:1.3.279-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:12-0400] [ALPM] upgraded xdg-desktop-portal-kde (5.27.10-1 -> 5.27.11-1)
[2024-03-15T12:11:12-0400] [ALPM] transaction completed
[2024-03-15T12:11:13-0400] [ALPM] running '30-systemd-daemon-reload-user.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:13-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   Skipped: Running in chroot.
[2024-03-15T12:11:13-0400] [ALPM] running '30-systemd-update.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:13-0400] [ALPM] running '30-update-mime-database.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:13-0400] [ALPM] running '60-depmod.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:15-0400] [ALPM] running '70-dkms-install.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:15-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> dkms install --no-depmod v4l2loopback/0.12.7 -k 6.6.19-1-MANJARO
[2024-03-15T12:11:20-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> depmod 6.6.19-1-MANJARO
[2024-03-15T12:11:21-0400] [ALPM] running '90-mkinitcpio-install.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:11:21-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux515.preset: 'default'
[2024-03-15T12:11:21-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Using configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
[2024-03-15T12:11:21-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64 -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img
[2024-03-15T12:11:21-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: '5.15.150-1-MANJARO'
[2024-03-15T12:11:21-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [base]
[2024-03-15T12:11:22-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [udev]
[2024-03-15T12:11:22-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
[2024-03-15T12:11:22-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [modconf]
[2024-03-15T12:11:22-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [block]
[2024-03-15T12:11:23-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
[2024-03-15T12:11:23-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keymap]
[2024-03-15T12:11:24-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
[2024-03-15T12:11:24-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
[2024-03-15T12:11:24-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
[2024-03-15T12:11:24-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [fsck]
[2024-03-15T12:11:24-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2024-03-15T12:11:24-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img'
[2024-03-15T12:11:25-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Image generation successful
[2024-03-15T12:11:25-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux515.preset: 'fallback'
[2024-03-15T12:11:25-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Using configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
[2024-03-15T12:11:25-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64 -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64-fallback.img -S autodetect
[2024-03-15T12:11:25-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: '5.15.150-1-MANJARO'
[2024-03-15T12:11:25-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [base]
[2024-03-15T12:11:26-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [udev]
[2024-03-15T12:11:26-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [modconf]
[2024-03-15T12:11:26-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [block]
[2024-03-15T12:11:27-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla2xxx'
[2024-03-15T12:11:27-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla1280'
[2024-03-15T12:11:27-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qed'
[2024-03-15T12:11:28-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'bfa'
[2024-03-15T12:11:31-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
[2024-03-15T12:11:32-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keymap]
[2024-03-15T12:11:32-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
[2024-03-15T12:11:32-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
[2024-03-15T12:11:32-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
[2024-03-15T12:11:34-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [fsck]
[2024-03-15T12:11:39-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2024-03-15T12:11:39-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64-fallback.img'
[2024-03-15T12:11:48-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Image generation successful
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux66.preset: 'default'
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img --microcode /boot/amd-ucode.img
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: '6.6.19-1-MANJARO'
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [base]
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [udev]
[2024-03-15T12:11:49-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
[2024-03-15T12:11:50-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [modconf]
[2024-03-15T12:11:50-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [block]
[2024-03-15T12:11:50-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'xhci_pci'
[2024-03-15T12:11:50-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keymap]
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [fsck]
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2024-03-15T12:11:51-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img'
[2024-03-15T12:11:52-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Image generation successful
[2024-03-15T12:11:52-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux66.preset: 'fallback'
[2024-03-15T12:11:52-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
[2024-03-15T12:11:52-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img -S autodetect --microcode /boot/amd-ucode.img
[2024-03-15T12:11:52-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Starting build: '6.6.19-1-MANJARO'
[2024-03-15T12:11:52-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [base]
[2024-03-15T12:11:53-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [udev]
[2024-03-15T12:11:53-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [modconf]
[2024-03-15T12:11:53-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [block]
[2024-03-15T12:11:54-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla2xxx'
[2024-03-15T12:11:54-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qed'
[2024-03-15T12:11:54-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'bfa'
[2024-03-15T12:11:54-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla1280'
[2024-03-15T12:11:55-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'xhci_pci'
[2024-03-15T12:11:57-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
[2024-03-15T12:11:59-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [keymap]
[2024-03-15T12:11:59-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
[2024-03-15T12:11:59-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
[2024-03-15T12:11:59-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
[2024-03-15T12:12:01-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   -> Running build hook: [fsck]
[2024-03-15T12:12:03-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Generating module dependencies
[2024-03-15T12:12:03-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img'
[2024-03-15T12:12:13-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ==> Image generation successful
[2024-03-15T12:12:13-0400] [ALPM] running '90-packagekit-refresh.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:12:13-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Error connecting: Could not connect: No such file or directory
[2024-03-15T12:12:13-0400] [ALPM] running '99-update-grub.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Generating grub configuration file ...
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found background: /usr/share/grub/background.png
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64-fallback.img
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Warning: os-prober will be executed to detect other bootable partitions.
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Its output will be used to detect bootable binaries on them and create new boot entries.
[2024-03-15T12:12:14-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] ERROR: mkdir /var/lock/dmraid
[2024-03-15T12:12:15-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
[2024-03-15T12:12:15-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Root filesystem isn't btrfs
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] If you think an error has occurred, please file a bug report at "https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs"
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+/memtest.bin
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] /usr/bin/grub-probe: warning: unknown device type nvme0n1.
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET] done
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM] running 'dbus-reload.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM-SCRIPTLET]   Skipped: Running in chroot.
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM] running 'gtk-update-icon-cache.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM] running 'texinfo-install.hook'...
[2024-03-15T12:12:17-0400] [ALPM] running 'update-desktop-database.hook'...

At this point I have no coherent strategy for proceeding with recovery of my system. Seems like time to throw in the towel. I suspect the next step should be reinstalling Manjaro on top of the current installation using the ISO from the Minisforum website, reinstalling applications, and recustomizing the desktop environment.

Does that make sense?

10

@abuladeen
Usually, its easy to chroot into your system.
Use you live-usb again and only type at a console manjaro-chroot -a
which will automatically look for your installed system.

If that doesnt work, you either have to install manjaro-tools or manually chroot like
with the steps described here.

Then you will dropped into your enviroment, and can see, if plymouth is installed and if you can remove it, like it is described at this post
and then install another Kernel like 6.1 or 6.6.

An other may quicker way is to edit your grub during startup with e, when you are on the main screen from grub, where you pick a Kernel.
Mark it, press e, then just delete anything with plymouth at the line (since it seems you have no quiet or splash at the parameters, if you have, just simple remove that), then continue booting with F10.
This changes will only be temporary, means, you cant do anything wrong, when you delete there something, and it doesnt work, because your old predefined options will be loaded again at the next boot, if you dont change anything at the system.
I am not sure, what you have installed, because it shows 2 different Kernels, but its not that importend right now, because removing plymouth should work anyway.

One of this things should work, else, i found by one from your errors another page, that this error is a sign, that the grub installation is kinda faulty. But when it now works only by removing plymouth, it shall be ok.

If not, then there is at the lower part from the restore grub wiki above a description, how you can install grub again, in your case, it would be nvme0n1p1, since its already an efi partition.

11

Normally a life boot has write access i think. You may just had installed 5.15 LTS on your Bootstick and not on your installed linux.

12

Can you get to tty? A graphics driver reinstall might do the trick, also from a Manjaro live environment.

13

@Joe_Ge
Thanks for your reply!

I have no trouble starting up a live graphical Manjaro session from USB, then executing manjaro-chroot -a to move into the installed system.

As far as I can tell, plymouth is completely absent from the installed system: no splash parameter evident in grub, no plymouth module even installed.

I’ve executed the grub refresh and restore procedure repeatedly. Here’s typical console output:

[manjaro /]# grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found background: /usr/share/grub/background.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64-fallback.img
Warning: os-prober will be executed to detect other bootable partitions.
Its output will be used to detect bootable binaries on them and create new boot entries.
ERROR: mkdir /var/lock/dmraid
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
Root filesystem isn't btrfs
If you think an error has occurred, please file a bug report at "https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs"
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+/memtest.bin
/usr/bin/grub-probe: warning: unknown device type nvme0n1.
done

I’ve also updated grub-update and reinstalled grub before refreshing with grub-mkconfig.

None of this seems to have any effect at all: the system still displays the same four errors on startup, then goes to a black screen, no messages, no response to Ctrl-Alt-Fn attempts to get a TTY command line.

error: no server is specified.
error: no suitable video mode found.
error: no video mode activated.
error: symbol 'grub_efi_set_variable_to_string' not found.

The other avenue of recovery has been using mhwd to update video drivers. That, likewise, has produced no discernible change.

I’m entirely at a loss as to how to recover, except to wipe out the installed system and start over. I assume I should use the ISO posted at the Minisforum website since this is a Minisforum UM350 mini that came with Manjaro preinstalled.

14

@1efaf7d71a8637c6800a
After trying to boot up the installed system, I get four error messages, then a black screen. Ctrl-Alt-Fn to get a TTY command line has no effect.

I’ve tried using mhwd to reinstall video drivers, but that likewise has had no effect: still the same four error messages, then black screen from which I can do nothing.

15

@Kobold
All evidence from inspecting file timestamps indicates that operations performed from chroot in the live USB environment are updating the installed system on the hard drive, not the live system from the ISO on the USB drive. I do now have both 5.15 and 6.6 showing in grub when I try to boot up the installed Manjaro system.

16

@abuladeen

Can you chroot again into the system, then see if sudo pacman -R plymouth is really removed?
Then please try a sudo pacman -S install-grub then again a sudo pacman -S grub
It should run automatically then, since there was a topic about a installation script
It should find your installation, otherwise, you would need to make sure, your efi drive (nvme0n1p1) is mounted on /boot/efi and install grub with --efi-directory.
That simple reinstallation seems like a shortcut, if it works.

If not, you need to do from your live-usb after chroot sudo mount dev/sdb/nvme01p1 /mnt/boot/efi
and sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=manjaro --recheck
and update-grub and reboot.

You can also look with inxi -G if you got any video driver installed.
If there is nothing, you can autoinstall it with sudo mhwd -a pci free 0300 or nonfree, depends, what you prefer. It looks like, there is a problem with the video driver.

1 Like
17

@Joe_Ge
Thank you so much for your suggestions. I really appreciate your help.

Sure seems like plymouth is fully absent:

[manjaro /]# pacman -R plymouth
error: target not found: plymouth

The attempt to reinstall the install-grub script appears to fail on a PackageKit error:

[manjaro /]# pacman -S install-grub
warning: install-grub-2.12-3.10 is up to date -- reinstalling
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...

Packages (1) install-grub-2.12-3.10

Total Installed Size:  0.01 MiB
Net Upgrade Size:      0.00 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n] y
(1/1) checking keys in keyring                                     [####################################] 100%
(1/1) checking package integrity                                   [####################################] 100%
(1/1) loading package files                                        [####################################] 100%
(1/1) checking for file conflicts                                  [####################################] 100%
(1/1) checking available disk space                                [####################################] 100%
:: Running pre-transaction hooks...
(1/1) Creating Timeshift snapshot before upgrade...
==> skipping timeshift-autosnap due skipRsyncAutosnap in /etc/timeshift-autosnap.conf set to TRUE.
:: Processing package changes...
(1/1) reinstalling install-grub                                    [####################################] 100%
:: Running post-transaction hooks...
(1/2) Arming ConditionNeedsUpdate...
(2/2) Refreshing PackageKit...
Error connecting: Could not connect: No such file or directory
error: command failed to execute correctly

Proceeding to try to reinstall grub anyway, I get the following, with the PackageKit error again and an “EFI directory not found” error:

[manjaro /]# pacman -S grub
warning: grub-2.12-3 is up to date -- reinstalling
resolving dependencies...
looking for conflicting packages...

Packages (1) grub-2.12-3

Total Installed Size:  47.86 MiB
Net Upgrade Size:       0.00 MiB

:: Proceed with installation? [Y/n] y
(1/1) checking keys in keyring                                     [####################################] 100%
(1/1) checking package integrity                                   [####################################] 100%
(1/1) loading package files                                        [####################################] 100%
(1/1) checking for file conflicts                                  [####################################] 100%
(1/1) checking available disk space                                [####################################] 100%
:: Running pre-transaction hooks...
(1/1) Creating Timeshift snapshot before upgrade...
==> skipping timeshift-autosnap due skipRsyncAutosnap in /etc/timeshift-autosnap.conf set to TRUE.
:: Processing package changes...
(1/1) reinstalling grub                                            [####################################] 100%
:: Running post-transaction hooks...
(1/4) Arming ConditionNeedsUpdate...
(2/4) Refreshing PackageKit...
Error connecting: Could not connect: No such file or directory
error: command failed to execute correctly
(3/4) Installing Grub to MBR/EFI
WARNING: EFI directory not found! Grub couldn't be installed.
error: command failed to execute correctly
(4/4) Updating the info directory file...

It looks like the EFI directory is already mounted as a result of the manjaro-chroot -a invocation. Here’s the partial output from lsblk:

nvme0n1     259:0    0 476.9G  0 disk
|-nvme0n1p1 259:1    0   300M  0 part /boot/efi
`-nvme0n1p2 259:2    0 476.6G  0 part /

Proceeding to execute the grub-install script anyway, I get:

[manjaro /]# grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=manjaro --recheck
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
Installation finished. No error reported.

Then updating grub I have the following, with errors and warnings that may or may not be significant:

[manjaro /]# update-grub
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found background: /usr/share/grub/background.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64-fallback.img
Warning: os-prober will be executed to detect other bootable partitions.
Its output will be used to detect bootable binaries on them and create new boot entries.
ERROR: mkdir /var/lock/dmraid
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
Root filesystem isn't btrfs
If you think an error has occurred, please file a bug report at "https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs"
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+/memtest.bin
/usr/bin/grub-probe: warning: unknown device type nvme0n1.
done

Executing inxi -G to query installed graphics drivers, I get the following (about which I have two questions: (1) What’s with the “12” prefixing? (2) Do these results reflect the live USB environment or the installed environment on the hard drive?):

[manjaro /]# inxi -G
12Graphics:
  12Device-1 AMD Picasso/Raven 2 [Radeon Vega Series / Radeon Mobile Series] 12driver amdgpu 12v kernel
  12Device-2 Microdia USB Live camera 12driver snd-usb-audio,uvcvideo 12type USB
  12Display 12server X.org 12v 1.21.1.11 12driver 12X 12loaded modesetting 12dri radeonsi 12gpu amdgpu
    12resolution 1920x1080
  12API EGL 12v 1.5 12drivers radeonsi,swrast 12platforms surfaceless,device
  12API OpenGL 12v 4.6 12compat-v 4.5 12vendor mesa 12v 24.0.2-manjaro1.1 12note incomplete (EGL sourced)
    12renderer AMD Radeon Vega 8 Graphics (radeonsi raven LLVM 16.0.6 DRM 3.54 6.6.10-1-MANJARO),
    llvmpipe (LLVM 16.0.6 256 bits)
  12API Vulkan 12Message No Vulkan data available.

Finally, querying devices with mhwd I get (in part, showing results for the graphic display device):

[manjaro /]# mhwd -l -d
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> PCI Device: /devices/pci0000:00/0000:00:08.1/0000:04:00.0 (0300:1002:15d8)
  Display controller ATI Technologies Inc Picasso
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  > INSTALLED:

   NAME:        video-linux
   ATTACHED:    PCI
   VERSION:     2018.05.04
   INFO:        Standard open source drivers.
   PRIORITY:    2
   FREEDRIVER:  true
   DEPENDS:     -
   CONFLICTS:   -
   CLASSIDS:    0300 0380 0302
   VENDORIDS:   1002 8086 10de

I had already executed mhwd -a pci free 0300 to install the video driver at least once previously, with no errors.

Bottom line: when I reboot without interrupting the boot process, I get the four error messages, then a black screen with nothing happening, no Ctrl-Alt-Fn or anything. In other words, absolutely nothing has changed in terms of (bad) results.

error: no server is specified.
error: no suitable video mode found.
error: no video mode activated.
error: symbol 'grub_efi_set_variable_to_string' not found.

It’s entirely possible, maybe likely, that I’m making some fundamental stupid pervasive error that subverts the effectiveness of my attempts to recover my installed system. It seems unlikely that hours of trying to recover would result in no discernible change to the results of booting into the system. More likely, things should have gotten either worse or better.

18

Hm, did your internet not work?
Maybe you try a ping -c2 manjaro.org
And if it works, may do a pacman -Syyu
And well, the last updates did break more things.

Seems your video is working, it still looks for me like an error from grub.
May you can see an error at journalctl -b ?

Can you see if install-grub is now installed with pacman -Ql install-grub ?

I think i skipped a step at mounting the drives.
Can you try again at chroot,
sudo mount /dev/sdb/nvme0n1 /mnt/boot
then
sudo mount dev/sdb/nvme01p1 /mnt/boot/efi
then
sudo grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi --bootloader-id=manjaro --recheck
and update-grub and reboot.
Hopefully, then this error during update-grub is gone.

19

@Joe_Ge
Internet was connected and working reliably throughout this session. Is “Error connecting” associated with the “Refreshing PackageKit…” message? If so, might it just mean the script wasn’t able to find and connect to the PackageKit installation locally?

pacman -Syyu runs without incident, except for the “Refreshing PackageKit…” then “Error connecting…” sequence.

Running journalctl -b results in no error, but output is null.

Running pacman -Q install-grub results in:

install-grub 2.12-3.10

Running df to show what’s mounted results in:

Filesystem     1K-blocks     Used Available Use% Mounted on
/dev/nvme0n1p2 490825920 67956996 397862832  15% /
/dev/nvme0n1p1    306584      292    306292   1% /boot/efi
efivarfs             128       16       108  13% /sys/firmware/efi/efivars
udev             7099592        0   7099592   0% /dev
shm              7132184        0   7132184   0% /dev/shm
run              7132184        0   7132184   0% /run
tmp              7132184        0   7132184   0% /tmp
overlay         10698280   280136  10418144   3% /etc/resolv.conf

Running the suggested mount command results in:

[manjaro /]# mount /dev/sdb/nvme0n1 /mnt/boot
mount: /mnt/boot: mount point is not a directory.
       dmesg(1) may have more information after failed mount system call.

and creating the boot subfolder then rerunning the mount command fails similarly.

As before, grub-install runs with no errors:

[manjaro /]# grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot/efi bootloader-id=manjaro --recheck
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
Installation finished. No error reported.

And update-grub results in the same errors as before: (1) mkdir failure; (2) No grub drive for /dev/sda1; (3) unknown device type nvme0n1:

[manjaro /]# update-grub
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found background: /usr/share/grub/background.png
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-5.15-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-5.15-x86_64-fallback.img
Warning: os-prober will be executed to detect other bootable partitions.
Its output will be used to detect bootable binaries on them and create new boot entries.
ERROR: mkdir /var/lock/dmraid
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
grub-probe: error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1.  Check your device.map.
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
Root filesystem isn't btrfs
If you think an error has occurred, please file a bug report at "https://github.com/Antynea/grub-btrfs"
Found memtest86+ image: /boot/memtest86+/memtest.bin
/usr/bin/grub-probe: warning: unknown device type nvme0n1.
done

Thanks for your patience with this process. It seems to be going nowhere, very slowly. Time to abandon ship, maybe either work on acquiring better Manjaro understanding and skills, or just give up on the idea that Manjaro is any kind of good fit for me?

20

This one is only an error from the package Package kit, where someone suggest, to simple remove it with pacman -Rs Packagekit because it caused more problems at past and is not really needed.

That digit [12] at inxi was indeed, because you been in a chroot enviroment.

I think pretty all distros are the same, if something breaks, you are with all in trouble.
I wouldn’t say “This or that one is not for you” as far you look for solutions and got a little understanding.
For a reinstall, i did learn, that a easy way is to have /home on a separate partition, so if you install the system new, you can simple keep it, just mount it at the new installation as home and use the same user and password, and it will work again.

And well, Ok, my bad, mounting nvme0n1 is useless, you can’t mount a disk when it contains partitions. I did read that wrong.
That error about error: cannot find a GRUB drive for /dev/sda1 is probatly only because there is no grub installed, seems that is not a problem.

But i am still not out of Ideas.
You can look at your pacman log file, after you chroot, at /mnt/var/log/pacman.log
maybe with nano /var/log/pacman.log or from the live iso with an editor.
It can be some big, so you may have to scroll down far.
Maybe you can see there some errors during the update.

And may install another Kernel ie, 6.1, what is still LTS with pacman -S linux61 and see if you can boot that.
i would also try a mkinitcpio -P and install-grub this time.
The package should now work, since pacman showed, it is installed.

There is another error, ERROR: mkdir /var/lock/dmraid
what points with a problem with an raid system, but maybe better ignore it right now too, or do you have / had a raid installation?
There is a topic about it, but i dont wanna suggest now you should delete anything.