"You need to load the kernel first" after system update

Support System Updates
1

I did a system update today (around 500 files) and let it do it’s thing. Once it finished it asked me to restart the system. I did that and I am now stuck with this message

I tried using the options here

The first two options give the same error screen. The third choice spins my PC fans to max speed and stalls on a screen that says “@^” …if I remember correctly. The fourth option stalls on the manjaro loading screen.

I’ve looked up some fixes but I’m too scared to mess things up further. I have the latest iso on a usb stick flashed with balenaetcher. The “system recovery” on the manjaro welcome screen does nothing for any option. I don’t know what else to do.

Mod Edit:- Screenshots removed. In future please do not post screenshots or photos in place of text content.

I read that the forum supports drag and dropping pictures. My apologies.

First screenshot
error: file ‘/boot/vmlinuz-6.10-x86_64’ not found.
error: you need to load the kernel first.

Press any key to continue…

Second screenshot is the advanced options for manjaro linux.

Option #1 Manjaro (Kernel: Linux 6.10.11-2-MANJARO x64)
Option #2 Manjaro (Kernel: Linux 6.10.11-2-MANJARO x64) - fallback initramfs)
Option #3 Manjaro Linux (Kernel 4.19.322-1-MANJARO x64)
Option #4 Manjaro Linux (Kernel 4.19.322-1-MANJARO x64) - fallback initramfs

To reiterate, option one and two give the same error message as the normal boot option. Option three puts my PCs fans at max speed with a @^ message. Option number four stalls on the default manjaro loading screen.

2

kernel 6.10 is end of life, and the 4.19 is too old, so maybe not compatible with your machine hardware… you need to boot into manjaro live usb, chroot, and install a kernel:
boot into manjaro live usb, make sure you are connected to internet, open terminal and chroot:
manjaro-chroot -a
(this command doesnt work with btrfs/ encryption)
rerun update:
pacman-mirrors -f 5 && pacman -Syyu
if there are errors post the output here, if there are no errors and you are up to date, remove the 6.10:
pacman -R linux610
install another:
pacman -S linux66
if no errors, reboot…

3

First of all, thank you!

manjaro-chroot -a gives this

manjaro-chroot -a  :heavy_check_mark:
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.
==> Mounting (ManjaroLinux) [/dev/nvme2n1p2]
→ mount: [/mnt]
→ mount: [/mnt/boot/efi]
[manjaro /]#

I’m going to take a guess that is the btrfs/ encryption you mentioned. Is there a way around this?

4

you dont have btrfs/encryption, you are chrooted, so proceed with the commands…
btw, do you have nvidia?

5

All amd.

Okay, well pacman -R linux610 gives this
error: target not found: linux610

6

first the update command, everything ok? are you up to date? if yes, post output from:
mhwd-kernel -li

7

Everything is up to date.

[manjaro /]# mhwd-kernel -li
Currently running: 6.10.13-3-MANJARO (linux610)
The following kernels are installed in your system:

  • linux419
  • linux611
  • linux66
8

so you have installed normal kernels, but it wants to load the 6.10, and also in your grub menu, only the 4.19 and the 6.10 are listed…
run this:
mkinitcpio -P && update-grub
and post output from it here, formatted of course:

```
your text
```
9 
[manjaro /]#  mkinitcpio -P && update-grub
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux419.preset: 'default'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-4.19-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-4.19-x86_64.img
==> Starting build: '4.19.324-1-MANJARO'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [plymouth]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-4.19-x86_64.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux419.preset: 'fallback'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-4.19-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-4.19-x86_64-fallback.img -S autodetect
==> Starting build: '4.19.324-1-MANJARO'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'ast'
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qed'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla2xxx'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'aic94xx'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'bfa'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla1280'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'wd719x'
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [plymouth]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-4.19-x86_64-fallback.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux611.preset: 'default'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-6.11-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-6.11-x86_64.img
==> Starting build: '6.11.10-2-MANJARO'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'xhci_pci'
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [plymouth]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-6.11-x86_64.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux611.preset: 'fallback'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-6.11-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-6.11-x86_64-fallback.img -S autodetect
==> Starting build: '6.11.10-2-MANJARO'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'ast'
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qed'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla1280'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla2xxx'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'aic94xx'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'wd719x'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'bfa'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'xhci_pci'
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [plymouth]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-6.11-x86_64-fallback.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux66.preset: 'default'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img
==> Starting build: '6.6.63-1-MANJARO'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'xhci_pci'
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [plymouth]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux66.preset: 'fallback'
==> Using default configuration file: '/etc/mkinitcpio.conf'
  -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64 -g /boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img -S autodetect
==> Starting build: '6.6.63-1-MANJARO'
  -> Running build hook: [base]
  -> Running build hook: [udev]
  -> Running build hook: [kms]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'ast'
  -> Running build hook: [modconf]
  -> Running build hook: [block]
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qed'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla1280'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'qla2xxx'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'aic94xx'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'wd719x'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'bfa'
==> WARNING: Possibly missing firmware for module: 'xhci_pci'
  -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
  -> Running build hook: [keymap]
  -> Running build hook: [consolefont]
==> WARNING: consolefont: no font found in configuration
  -> Running build hook: [plymouth]
  -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
  -> Running build hook: [fsck]
==> Generating module dependencies
==> Creating zstd-compressed initcpio image: '/boot/initramfs-6.6-x86_64-fallback.img'
  -> Early uncompressed CPIO image generation successful
==> Initcpio image generation successful
/etc/default/grub: line 50: unexpected EOF while looking for matching `"'
[manjaro /]#
10

mkinitcpio look ok, but something wrong with grub:

post output from:
cat /etc/default/grub

11 
[manjaro /]# cat /etc/default/grub
# GRUB boot loader configuration

GRUB_DEFAULT=saved
GRUB_TIMEOUT=5
GRUB_DISTRIBUTOR="Manjaro"
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT=“quiet splash acpi=force apm=power_off”
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX=""

# Preload both GPT and MBR modules so that they are not missed
GRUB_PRELOAD_MODULES="part_gpt part_msdos"

# Uncomment to enable booting from LUKS encrypted devices
#GRUB_ENABLE_CRYPTODISK=y

# Set to 'countdown' or 'menu' to change timeout behavior,
# press ESC key to display menu.
GRUB_TIMEOUT_STYLE=hidden

# Uncomment to use basic console
GRUB_TERMINAL_INPUT=console

# Uncomment to disable graphical terminal
#GRUB_TERMINAL_OUTPUT=console

# The resolution used on graphical terminal
# note that you can use only modes which your graphic card supports via VBE
# you can see them in real GRUB with the command 'videoinfo'
GRUB_GFXMODE=auto

# Uncomment to allow the kernel use the same resolution used by grub
GRUB_GFXPAYLOAD_LINUX=keep

# Uncomment if you want GRUB to pass to the Linux kernel the old parameter
# format "root=/dev/xxx" instead of "root=/dev/disk/by-uuid/xxx"
#GRUB_DISABLE_LINUX_UUID=true

# Uncomment to disable generation of recovery mode menu entries
GRUB_DISABLE_RECOVERY=true

# Uncomment and set to the desired menu colors.  Used by normal and wallpaper
# modes only.  Entries specified as foreground/background.
GRUB_COLOR_NORMAL="light-gray/black"
GRUB_COLOR_HIGHLIGHT="green/black"

# Uncomment one of them for the gfx desired, a image background or a gfxtheme
#GRUB_BACKGROUND="/usr/share/grub/background.png"
GRUB_THEME="/usr/share/grub/themes/manjaro/theme.txt"

# Uncomment to get a beep at GRUB start
#GRUB_INIT_TUNE="480 440 1"

# Uncomment to make GRUB remember the last selection. This requires
# setting 'GRUB_DEFAULT=saved' above.
GRUB_SAVEDEFAULT=true

# Uncomment to disable submenus in boot menu
#GRUB_DISABLE_SUBMENU=y

# Uncomment this option to enable os-prober execution in the grub-mkconfig command
GRUB_DISABLE_OS_PROBER=false

# Uncomment to ensure that the root filesystem is mounted read-only so that
# systemd-fsck can run the check automatically. We use 'fsck' by default, which
# needs 'rw' as boot parameter, to avoid delay in boot-time. 'fsck' needs to be
# removed from 'mkinitcpio.conf' to make 'systemd-fsck' work.
# See also Arch-Wiki: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Fsck#Boot_time_checking
#GRUB_ROOT_FS_RO=true
[manjaro /]#
12

this line is wrong:

it should look like this:

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash acpi=force apm=power_off"

so edit it:
nano /etc/default/grub
edit the line as outlined above, save the file, rerun:
update-grub
and post output from the update command

13 
[manjaro /]# update-grub
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found theme: /usr/share/grub/themes/manjaro/theme.txt
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.11-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/intel-ucode.img /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-6.11-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-6.11-x86_64-fallback.img
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.6-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/intel-ucode.img /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-4.19-x86_64
Found initrd image: /boot/intel-ucode.img /boot/amd-ucode.img /boot/initramfs-4.19-x86_64.img
Found initrd fallback image: /boot/initramfs-4.19-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.
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 nvme2n1.
Found memtest86+ EFI image: /boot/memtest86+/memtest.efi
/usr/bin/grub-probe: warning: unknown device type nvme2n1.
done
[manjaro /]#
14

now it looks ok… you can remove the old 4.19:
pacman -R linux419
reboot and see if it helped…

and out of curiosity, why do you have those kernel parameters?:

acpi=force apm=power_off
15

That fixed it. I’m on my actual manjaro install now. 419 is gone. The reason was because my PC would not shut completely down and hang on a black screen. I later learned that that was because of a KDE setting that needed changed.

Thank you once again.

16

ok, so if those parameters are not needed, you can remove them, and dont make again a mistake when removing them, and dont forget to update grub afterwards:
sudo update-grub

1 Like