LUKS-related boot issue following [Stable Update] 2026-02-23

Support System Updates
1

After a seemingly smooth upgrade on 2026-02-26 (9 days ago), my laptop does not boot any longer.

Initially, it had been installed in 2024 with LUKS-encrypted root partition. Now, after I type the password into Grub’s prompt, decryption seems to succeed but then, after some 90-second timeout expires, the screen shows:

[ Time ] Timed out waiting for device /dev/◼c44d5b-d53d-40fe-9177-97e260a7bf3f.
[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.
[DEPEND] Dependency failed for File System Check on /dev/mapper/luks-6fc44d5b-d53d-40fe-9177-97e260a7bf3f.
You are in emergency mode. After logging in, type "journalctl -xb" to view
system logs, "systemctl reboot" to reboot, or "exit"
to continue bootup.

Cannot open access to console, the root account is locked.
See sulogin(8) man page for more details.

Press Enter to continue.

Any press on Enter takes another 90 seconds to only reproduce the last few lines again.
I noted in the first line, the root partition’s path is truncated in the middle, replaced by that square Unicode character; though I cannot tell if this is significant in any way.

I could chroot from a boot stick and run grub-install and update-grub. Alas, this did not change much, aside from changing that Unicode square character (mentioned above) to a fullstop.
Unfortunately, I did not find much time since to tackle this problem.

In the thread above, I read some vague hints about busybox vs. systemd, but found no further details. I tried changing the HOOKS in mkinitcpio.conf from

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

to

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

but the boot failure remains the same.

BTW: The laptop is a 2014 ThinkPad Yoga S1 (Intel CPU & iGPU, Core i4000 series (Haswell)).

[Stable Update] 2026-02-23 - Kernels, Mesa, Wine, COSMIC, GNOME, KDE Frameworks
2

I’m not sure whether switching your mkinitcpio hooks to systemd would fix your issue, but if you want to make that switch on a system with full disk encryption, it requires additional steps.

As a reference for anyone who wants to know how to do so, this post by @Telcoced describes the whole process in detail:

I followed these steps myself, and was able to make the switch without issue.

3

Hi @bearman I moved your post and the reply to a dedicated topic; hopefully this will help to allow better focus on this issue. :wink:

2 Likes
4

I share @campfire 's doubts if the mkinitcpio hooks really are the cause of trouble. Thanks for the informational link, I’ll dig into that.
Still, if the systemd hooks are not mandatory yet, the system ought to boot with the previous mkinitcpio hooks that worked for years.

Now, I am unsure what I am looking at. Which part of the boot process is causing the error messages (posted above)? Is this from some Grub stage, or already from the upstarting kernel in search of its environment?

I don’t think this is hardware-related; but just in case here’s the output from sudo inxi -zv8xxxxx (run from a boot stick):

System:
  Kernel: 6.12.48-1-MANJARO arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.2.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: acpi_pm parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-x86_64
    lang=en_US keytable=us tz=UTC misobasedir=manjaro
    misolabel=MANJARO_KDE_25010 quiet systemd.show_status=1 splash
    driver=free nouveau.modeset=1 i915.modeset=1 radeon.modeset=1
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.3.6 tk: Qt v: N/A wm: kwin_x11 dm: SDDM
    Distro: Manjaro base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20CD0001GE v: ThinkPad S1 Yoga
    serial: <filter> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <filter>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 20CD0001GE v: SDK0E50512 Std serial: <filter>
    part-nu: LENOVO_MT_20CD_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad S1 Yoga
    uuid: 26f41301-5375-11cb-a954-f11bbac33892 UEFI: LENOVO
    v: GQET61WW (1.41 ) date: 05/16/2019
Battery:
  ID-1: BAT0 charge: 31.9 Wh (78.3%) condition: 40.8/47.1 Wh (86.7%)
    volts: 15.8 min: 14.8 model: SONY 45N1705 type: Li-poly serial: <filter>
    charging: status: not charging control: start: 0% end: 100% cycles: N/A
Memory:
  System RAM: total: 8 GiB available: 7.67 GiB used: 1.74 GiB (22.7%)
    igpu: 32 MiB
  Array-1: capacity: 16 GiB slots: 2 modules: 2 EC: None
    max-module-size: 8 GiB note: est.
  Device-1: ChannelA type: DDR3 detail: synchronous size: 4 GiB
    speed: 1600 MT/s volts: N/A width (bits): data: 64 total: 64
    manufacturer: Hynix/Hyundai part-no: HMT851S6AMR6R-PB serial: N/A
  Device-2: ChannelB type: DDR3 detail: synchronous size: 4 GiB
    speed: 1600 MT/s volts: N/A width (bits): data: 64 total: 64
    manufacturer: Hynix/Hyundai part-no: HMT851S6AMR6R-PB serial: N/A
PCI Slots:
  Slot: 0 type: PCIe status: available length: long volts: 3.3 bus-ID: 00:00.0
  Slot: 1 type: PCIe gen: 1 status: available length: short volts: 3.3
    bus-ID: 00:00.0
  Slot: 2 type: PCIe gen: 2 status: available length: short volts: 3.3
    bus-ID: 00:00.0
  Slot: 3 type: PCIe gen: 3 status: available length: short volts: 3.3
    bus-ID: 00:00.0
  Slot: 4 type: PCIe gen: 4 status: available length: short volts: 3.3
    bus-ID: 00:00.0
  Slot: 5 type: PCIe gen: 5 status: available length: short volts: 3.3
    bus-ID: 00:00.0
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-4500U socket: rPGA988B (U3E1) note: check
    bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Haswell gen: core 4 level: v3 note: check
    built: 2013-15 process: Intel 22nm family: 6 model-id: 0x45 (69)
    stepping: 1 microcode: 0x26
  Topology: cpus: 1x dies: 1 clusters: 2 cores: 2 threads: 4 tpc: 2
    smt: enabled cache: L1: 128 KiB desc: d-2x32 KiB; i-2x32 KiB L2: 512 KiB
    desc: 2x256 KiB L3: 4 MiB desc: 1x4 MiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 800 min/max: 800/3000 base/boost: 1800/1800 scaling:
    driver: intel_cpufreq governor: schedutil volts: 0.7 V ext-clock: 100 MHz
    cores: 1: 800 2: 800 3: 800 4: 800 bogomips: 19161
  Flags: abm acpi aes aperfmperf apic arat arch_perfmon avx avx2 bmi1 bmi2
    bts clflush cmov constant_tsc cpuid cpuid_fault cx16 cx8 de ds_cpl dtes64
    dtherm dts epb ept ept_ad erms est f16c flexpriority flush_l1d fma fpu
    fsgsbase fxsr ht ibpb ibrs ida invpcid lahf_lm lm mca mce md_clear mmx
    monitor movbe msr mtrr nonstop_tsc nopl nx pae pat pbe pcid pclmulqdq
    pdcm pdpe1gb pebs pge pln pni popcnt pse pse36 pti pts rdrand rdtscp
    rep_good sdbg sep smep ss ssbd sse sse2 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 stibp syscall
    tm tm2 tpr_shadow tsc tsc_adjust tsc_deadline_timer vme vmx vnmi vpid
    xsave xsaveopt xtopology xtpr
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: gather_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: indirect_target_selection status: Not affected
  Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: Split huge pages
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: conditional cache flushes, SMT
    vulnerable
  Type: mds mitigation: Clear CPU buffers; SMT vulnerable
  Type: meltdown mitigation: PTI
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Unknown: No mitigations
  Type: reg_file_data_sampling status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_rstack_overflow status: Not affected
  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; IBRS_FW;
    STIBP: conditional; RSB filling; PBRSB-eIBRS: Not affected; BHI: Not
    affected
  Type: srbds mitigation: Microcode
  Type: tsa status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
  Type: vmscape mitigation: IBPB before exit to userspace
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Haswell-ULT Integrated Graphics vendor: Lenovo driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-7.5 process: Intel 22nm built: 2013 ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1,HDMI-A-1,HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:0a16
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Realtek Integrated Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 2-6:9 chip-ID: 0bda:5720
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: unspecified server: X.Org v: 21.1.18 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
    compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X: loaded: modesetting alternate: fbdev,vesa
    dri: crocus gpu: i915 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: eDP-1 model: LG Display 0x0414 built: 2013 res: mode: 1920x1080
    hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 177 gamma: 1.2 chroma: red: x: 0.600 y: 0.349
    green: x: 0.341 y: 0.569 blue: x: 0.153 y: 0.122 white: x: 0.314 y: 0.329
    size: 276x156mm (10.87x6.14") diag: 317mm (12.5") ratio: 16:9
    modes: 1920x1080
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel crocus platforms: device: 0 drv: crocus
    device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: crocus surfaceless: drv: crocus x11:
    drv: crocus inactive: wayland
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.2.3-arch1.2
    glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 4400 (HSW
    GT2) device-ID: 8086:0a16 memory: 1.46 GiB unified: yes
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.321 layers: 1 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: Intel
    HD Graphics 4400 (HSW GT2) driver: mesa intel v: 25.2.3-arch1.2
    device-ID: 8086:0a16 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor wl: wayland-info
    x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Haswell-ULT HD Audio vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:03.0 chip-ID: 8086:0a0c class-ID: 0403
  Device-2: Intel 8 Series HD Audio vendor: Lenovo driver: snd_hda_intel
    v: kernel bus-ID: 00:1b.0 chip-ID: 8086:9c20 class-ID: 0403
  Device-3: Lenovo ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock Audio
    driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid type: USB rev: 1.1 speed: 12 Mb/s
    lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 bus-ID: 2-3.1.4:8 chip-ID: 17ef:304e class-ID: 0300
  API: ALSA v: k6.12.48-1-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: 1.4.8 status: n/a (root, process) 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 7260 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:08b2 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp4s0 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Lenovo RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet [ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock]
    driver: r8152 type: USB rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1
    bus-ID: 3-3.1.3:5 chip-ID: 17ef:304f class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
  IF: enp0s20u3u1u3 state: up speed: 1000 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
  IP v4: <filter> type: dynamic noprefixroute scope: global
    broadcast: <filter>
  IP v6: <filter> type: dynamic noprefixroute scope: global
  IP v6: <filter> type: dynamic noprefixroute scope: global
  IP v6: <filter> type: noprefixroute scope: link
  Info: services: NetworkManager, systemd-timesyncd, wpa_supplicant
  WAN IP: <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: 2-4:4 chip-ID: 8087:07dc
    class-ID: e001
  Report: rfkill ID: hci0 rfk-id: 1 state: up address: see --recommends
Logical:
  Message: No logical block device data found.
  Device-1: rootcry maj-min: 254:0 type: LUKS dm: dm-0 size: 300 GiB
  Components:
  p-1: sda4 maj-min: 8:4 size: 300 GiB
RAID:
  Message: No RAID data found.
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.88 TiB used: 105.79 GiB (5.5%)
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Crucial model: CT2000MX500SSD1
    family: Micron Client SSDs size: 1.82 TiB block-size: physical: 4096 B
    logical: 512 B sata: 3.3 speed: 6.0 Gb/s tech: SSD serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: 023 temp: 44 C scheme: GPT
  SMART: yes state: enabled health: PASSED on: 58d 5h cycles: 1821
    written: 2.79 TiB
  ID-2: /dev/sdb maj-min: 8:16 vendor: SanDisk model: Ultra Fit
    size: 57.28 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B type: USB
    rev: 3.0 spd: 5 Gb/s lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 tech: N/A serial: <filter>
    fw-rev: 1.00 scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
  ID-3: /dev/sdc maj-min: 8:32 model: QIMONDA size: 1.92 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: PMAP scheme: MBR
  SMART Message: Unknown USB bridge. Flash drive/Unsupported enclosure?
  Message: No optical or floppy data found.
Partition:
  ID-1: /mnt raw-size: 300 GiB size: 294.23 GiB (98.08%)
    used: 104.67 GiB (35.6%) fs: ext4 block-size: 4096 B dev: /dev/dm-0
    maj-min: 254:0 mapped: rootcry label: N/A uuid: N/A
  ID-2: /mnt/boot/efi raw-size: 599 MiB size: 597.8 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 368.8 MiB (61.7%) fs: vfat block-size: 512 B dev: /dev/sda1
    maj-min: 8:1 label: N/A uuid: AB48-5CF2
  ID-3: /run/media/manjaro/QIMONDA raw-size: 1.92 GiB
    size: 1.92 GiB (99.99%) used: 778.6 MiB (39.6%) fs: vfat block-size: 512 B
    dev: /dev/sdc1 maj-min: 8:33 label: QIMONDA uuid: D249-7842
Swap:
  Alert: No swap data was found.
Unmounted:
  ID-1: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2 size: 500 MiB fs: N/A label: N/A uuid: N/A
  ID-2: /dev/sda3 maj-min: 8:3 size: 299.51 GiB fs: N/A label: N/A uuid: N/A
  ID-3: /dev/sda6 maj-min: 8:6 size: 1.07 TiB fs: ext4 label: N/A
    uuid: e906d85d-aadd-403a-b227-a493530c7c58
  ID-4: /dev/sdb1 maj-min: 8:17 size: 5.1 GiB fs: iso9660
  ID-5: /dev/sdb2 maj-min: 8:18 size: 4 MiB fs: vfat label: MISO_EFI
    uuid: CA66-EF73
USB:
  Hub-1: 1-0:1 info: full speed or root hub ports: 3 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 1d6b:0002
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-2: 1-1:2 info: Intel Integrated Rate Matching Hub ports: 8 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 8087:8000
    class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 1-1.7:3 info: STMicro Sensor Hub type: HID
    driver: hid-sensor-hub,usbhid interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0
    speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 power: 100mA
    chip-ID: 0483:91d1 class-ID: 0300 serial: <filter>
  Device-2: 1-1.8:4 info: Wacom TPCEC type: mouse driver: usbhid,wacom
    interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 1.1
    chip-ID: 056a:00ec class-ID: 0301
  Hub-3: 2-0:1 info: hi-speed hub with single TT ports: 9 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 1d6b:0002
    class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 2-1:10 info: Phison Kingston DataTraveler / Patriot Xporter
    type: mass storage driver: usb-storage interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 power: 200mA
    chip-ID: 13fe:1f00 class-ID: 0806 serial: <filter>
  Hub-4: 2-3:3 info: VIA Labs VL812 Hub ports: 4 rev: 2.1
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 2109:2812
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-5: 2-3.1:5 info: VIA Labs VL812 Hub ports: 4 rev: 2.1
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 chip-ID: 2109:2812
    class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 2-3.1.4:8 info: Lenovo ThinkPad OneLink Pro Dock Audio
    type: audio,HID driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid interfaces: 4
    rev: 1.1 speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 power: 100mA
    chip-ID: 17ef:304e class-ID: 0300
  Hub-6: 2-3.2:7 info: Terminus Hub ports: 4 rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 power: 100mA
    chip-ID: 1a40:0101 class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 2-4:4 info: Intel Bluetooth wireless interface type: bluetooth
    driver: btusb interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1
    mode: 1.1 power: 100mA chip-ID: 8087:07dc class-ID: e001
  Device-2: 2-5:6 info: Elan Micro Touchscreen type: HID
    driver: hid-multitouch,usbhid interfaces: 1 rev: 2.0
    speed: 12 Mb/s (1.4 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 1.1 power: 100mA
    chip-ID: 04f3:0254 class-ID: 0300
  Device-3: 2-6:9 info: Realtek Integrated Camera type: video
    driver: uvcvideo interfaces: 2 rev: 2.0 speed: 480 Mb/s (57.2 MiB/s)
    lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 power: 500mA chip-ID: 0bda:5720 class-ID: 0e02
    serial: <filter>
  Hub-7: 3-0:1 info: super-speed hub ports: 4 rev: 3.0
    speed: 5 Gb/s (596.0 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 chip-ID: 1d6b:0003
    class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 3-2:3 info: SanDisk Ultra Fit type: mass storage
    driver: usb-storage interfaces: 1 rev: 3.0 speed: 5 Gb/s (596.0 MiB/s)
    lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 power: 896mA chip-ID: 0781:5583 class-ID: 0806
    serial: <filter>
  Hub-8: 3-3:2 info: VIA Labs VL812 Hub ports: 4 rev: 3.0
    speed: 5 Gb/s (596.0 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 chip-ID: 2109:0812
    class-ID: 0900
  Hub-9: 3-3.1:4 info: VIA Labs VL812 Hub ports: 4 rev: 3.0
    speed: 5 Gb/s (596.0 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 chip-ID: 2109:0812
    class-ID: 0900
  Device-1: 3-3.1.3:5 info: Lenovo RTL8153 Gigabit Ethernet [ThinkPad
    OneLink Pro Dock] type: Network driver: r8152 interfaces: 1 rev: 3.0
    speed: 5 Gb/s (596.0 MiB/s) lanes: 1 mode: 3.2 gen-1x1 power: 144mA
    chip-ID: 17ef:304f class-ID: 0000 serial: <filter>
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 58.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (rpm): N/A
Repos:
  Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1282 libs: 329 tools: pamac pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  Active pacman repo servers in: /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist
    1: https://manjaro.mirror.wearetriple.com/stable/$repo/$arch
    2: https://manjaro.mirrors.uk2.net/stable/$repo/$arch
    3: https://volico.mm.fcix.net/manjaro/stable/$repo/$arch
    4: https://mirror1.sox.rs/manjaro/stable/$repo/$arch
    5: https://mirrors.atlas.net.co/manjaro/stable/$repo/$arch
Processes:
  CPU top: 5 of 204
  1: cpu: 0.7% command: zsh pid: 84087 mem: 9.04 MiB (0.1%)
  2: cpu: 0.3% command: konsole pid: 1998 mem: 128.6 MiB (1.6%)
  3: cpu: 0.2% command: QIMONDA started-by: dolphin pid: 83793
    mem: 131.5 MiB (1.6%)
  4: cpu: 0.1% command: Xorg pid: 1316 mem: 107.4 MiB (1.3%)
  5: cpu: 0.1% command: org_kde_powerdevil pid: 1579 mem: 50.1 MiB (0.6%)
  Memory top: 5 of 204
  1: mem: 336.0 MiB (4.2%) command: plasmashell pid: 1521 cpu: 0.0%
  2: mem: 193.7 MiB (2.4%) command: kwin_x11 pid: 1476 cpu: 0.0%
  3: mem: 131.5 MiB (1.6%) command: QIMONDA started-by: dolphin pid: 83793
    cpu: 0.2%
  4: mem: 128.6 MiB (1.6%) command: konsole pid: 1998 cpu: 0.3%
  5: mem: 117.6 MiB (1.4%) command: yakuake pid: 1731 cpu: 0.0%
Info:
  Processes: 204 Power: uptime: 17h 39m states: freeze,standby,mem,disk
    suspend: deep avail: s2idle,shallow wakeups: 0 hibernate: platform
    avail: shutdown, reboot, suspend, test_resume image: 3.02 GiB
    services: org_kde_powerdevil, power-profiles-daemon, upowerd Init: systemd
    v: 257 default: graphical tool: systemctl
  Compilers: N/A Shell: Sudo (sudo) v: 1.9.17p1 default: Bash v: 5.3.3
    running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.39
5

Possibly longer wait time for disk mounting could help.

try add x-systemd.mount-timeout=300 in fstab for your file system

or x-systemd.device-timeout=0

example

UUID=0a3407de-014b-458b-b5c1-848e92a327a3 /data ext4 defaults,nofail,x-systemd.device-timeout=0 0 2

1 Like
6

I tried this but am not sure if it had any effect (neither after only changing fstab, nor after running mkinitfcpio again to create fresh initramfs), as each boot attempt ran into the same timeout after 90 seconds. Still thanks @Metam0rph0sis for trying to help. Also, while doing this, I noticed a weird thing in my mkinitcpio.conf:

The HOOKS line was missing the encrypt keyword (cf. my initial post above), which meant the initramfs was not provided with the decryption stuff. This must have gone lost in the recent update. Looking back, I cannot tell if encrypt had been automatically removed (or replaced by sd-encrypt), or had been suggested in a .pacnew file that I had naively merged in.

Never before had I cause to dig into the belly of the boot process. I had not been aware how sensitive /etc/mkinitcpio.conf is, and that errors can break the boot process. This can come quite surprising as it shows only later with the next boot, particularly for users that use suspend/hibernate a lot and do not shut down the machine every day. I wonder if users could better be warned about modifying this file?

1 Like
7

Now, in /etc/mkinitcpio.conf I reverted the HOOKS line back to the (presumably) previous state without systemd hooks, but adding the busybox hooks encrypt and resume (which was also missing for unknown reason):

HOOKS=(base autodetect microcode modconf kms keyboard keymap block encrypt filesystems resume fsck)

And tadaa! :fireworks:, after running mkinitcpio -P; update-grub my laptop boots again! :smiley:
Thank you to all that contributed your thoughts and ideas!

That said,
this solution is only the first step.

  1. I still wish to learn the systemd-hooks approach, and convert my machine. I need to finish reading @campfire’s links above.
  2. In the mean time I have a second laptop with similar issue in my hands. A geek’s widow brought his non-booting laptop with crucial family data to our monthly Linux meetup. The issue is slightly different as my above approach did not help. (But this is is a different story, worth a separate thread.)
8

@bearman :point_down:

You will find useful information in this Arch Linux Wiki link, including a table describing the purpose of each hook:

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Thank you. Actually, exactly that page had helped me understand the busybox hooks and had led me to above solution.

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