Initramfs build fails during update

Issues & Assistance
1

Hi there,

Over the past few days, I’ve been receiving a strange error message while updating my T560. I’ve removed the unnecessary lines. The complete log is here. (The error messages about the mirrors can be ignored. I run garuda-update via an alias with the --skip-mirrorlist flag, and it was probably time to update the mirrors again.

Updating linux initcpios...
The kernel update failed to determine how to update initramfs.
You will need to update manually using mkinitcpio or dracut yourself or your system WILL NOT BE BOOTABLE.

And then, at the end, there’s also garuda-health.

--- System Health Check Report ---
23/23 checks run in 3.17 seconds ⌛
Powered by garuda-health 🦅

--- CRITICAL ---
 - Pacman hooks report that the initramfs build has failed. System may not boot. (fix available)

--- INFO ---
 - A reboot is pending (update applied since last reboot)

Run garuda-health --fix to apply fixes.

Do not forget to read the update notices above the garuda-health output!

The first time, I ran the fix. The second and third time, I didn’t do that, but simply rebooted and the system started up without any problems.
Do anyone have an explanation for what might cause this message?

Thanks for reading and have a nice sunday.

garuda-inxi

System:
  Kernel: 6.16.2-zen1-1-zen arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 15.2.1
    clocksource: tsc avail: hpet,acpi_pm
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen
    root=UUID=d888e546-a95a-413a-9e0e-acb0cef2ded1 rw rootflags=subvol=@
    vt.default_red=30,243,166,249,137,245,148,186,88,243,166,249,137,245,148,166
    vt.default_grn=30,139,227,226,180,194,226,194,91,139,227,226,180,194,226,173
    vt.default_blu=46,168,161,175,250,231,213,222,112,168,161,175,250,231,213,200
    quiet loglevel=3
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 6.4.4 tk: Qt v: N/A info: frameworks v: 6.17.0
    wm: kwin_wayland vt: 2 dm: SDDM Distro: Garuda base: Arch Linux
Machine:
  Type: Laptop System: LENOVO product: 20FH0023GE v: ThinkPad T560
    serial: <superuser required> Chassis: type: 10 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: LENOVO model: 20FH0023GE v: SDK0J40705 WIN
    serial: <superuser required>
    part-nu: LENOVO_MT_20FH_BU_Think_FM_ThinkPad T560
    uuid: <superuser required> UEFI: LENOVO v: N1KET58W (1.45 )
    date: 12/12/2022
CPU:
  Info: model: Intel Core i7-6600U bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Skylake
    gen: core 6 level: v3 note: check built: 2015 process: Intel 14nm family: 6
    model-id: 0x4E (78) stepping: 3 microcode: 0xF0
  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: 400 min/max: 400/3400 scaling: driver: intel_pstate
    governor: powersave cores: 1: 400 2: 400 3: 400 4: 400 bogomips: 22399
  Flags: avx avx2 ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx
  Vulnerabilities: <filter>
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel Skylake GT2 [HD Graphics 520] vendor: Lenovo driver: i915
    v: kernel arch: Gen-9 process: Intel 14n built: 2015-16 ports: active: eDP-1
    empty: DP-1, DP-2, HDMI-A-1, HDMI-A-2 bus-ID: 00:02.0 chip-ID: 8086:1916
    class-ID: 0300
  Device-2: Chicony Integrated Camera driver: uvcvideo type: USB rev: 2.0
    speed: 480 Mb/s lanes: 1 mode: 2.0 bus-ID: 1-8:4 chip-ID: 04f2:b52c
    class-ID: 0e02 serial: <filter>
  Display: wayland server: X.org v: 1.21.1.18 with: Xwayland v: 24.1.8
    compositor: kwin_wayland driver: X: loaded: modesetting
    alternate: fbdev,intel,vesa dri: iris gpu: i915 display-ID: 0
  Monitor-1: eDP-1 model: BOE Display 0x0630 built: 2015 res:
    mode: 1920x1080 hz: 60 scale: 100% (1) dpi: 142 gamma: 1.2
    size: 344x194mm (13.54x7.64") diag: 395mm (15.5") ratio: 16:9
    modes: 1920x1080
  API: EGL v: 1.5 hw: drv: intel iris platforms: device: 0 drv: iris
    device: 1 drv: swrast gbm: drv: iris surfaceless: drv: iris wayland:
    drv: iris x11: drv: iris
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6 compat-v: 4.5 vendor: intel mesa v: 25.2.1-arch1.1
    glx-v: 1.4 direct-render: yes renderer: Mesa Intel HD Graphics 520 (SKL GT2)
    device-ID: 8086:1916 memory: 15.11 GiB unified: yes display-ID: :0.0
  API: Vulkan v: 1.4.321 layers: 5 device: 0 type: integrated-gpu name: Intel
    HD Graphics 520 (SKL GT2) driver: mesa intel v: 25.2.1-arch1.1
    device-ID: 8086:1916 surfaces: N/A device: 1 type: cpu name: llvmpipe
    (LLVM 20.1.8 256 bits) driver: mesa llvmpipe v: 25.2.1-arch1.1 (LLVM
    20.1.8) device-ID: 10005:0000 surfaces: N/A
  Info: Tools: api: clinfo, eglinfo, glxinfo, vulkaninfo
    de: kscreen-console,kscreen-doctor gpu: corectrl wl: wayland-info
    x11: xdpyinfo, xprop, xrandr
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel Sunrise Point-LP HD Audio vendor: Lenovo
    driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel alternate: snd_soc_avs bus-ID: 00:1f.3
    chip-ID: 8086:9d70 class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.16.2-zen1-1-zen status: kernel-api tools: N/A
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.4.7 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse
    status: active 2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin
    4: pw-jack type: plugin tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-LM vendor: Lenovo driver: e1000e v: kernel
    port: N/A bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:156f class-ID: 0200
  IF: enp0s31f6 state: down mac: <filter>
  Device-2: Intel Wireless 8260 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel pcie: gen: 1
    speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 1 bus-ID: 04:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:24f3 class-ID: 0280
  IF: wlp4s0 state: up mac: <filter>
  Info: services: NetworkManager, smbd, systemd-timesyncd, wpa_supplicant
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: 1-7:3 chip-ID: 8087:0a2b
    class-ID: e001
  Report: btmgmt ID: hci0 rfk-id: 3 state: up address: N/A
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 232.89 GiB used: 47.61 GiB (20.4%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 870 EVO 250GB
    size: 232.89 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 6.0 Gb/s
    tech: SSD serial: <filter> fw-rev: 2B6Q scheme: GPT
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 205 GiB size: 205 GiB (100.00%) used: 47.61 GiB (23.2%)
    fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 1024 MiB size: 1022 MiB (99.80%)
    used: 620 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 205 GiB size: 205 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 47.61 GiB (23.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-4: /var/log raw-size: 205 GiB size: 205 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 47.61 GiB (23.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
  ID-5: /var/tmp raw-size: 205 GiB size: 205 GiB (100.00%)
    used: 47.61 GiB (23.2%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 133 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default) zswap: no
  ID-1: swap-1 type: zram size: 15.47 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: 100
    comp: zstd avail: lzo-rle,lzo,lz4,lz4hc,deflate,842 dev: /dev/zram0
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 40.0 C pch: 39.0 C mobo: N/A
  Fan Speeds (rpm): fan-1: 2318
Info:
  Memory: total: 16 GiB available: 15.47 GiB used: 2.42 GiB (15.6%)
  Processes: 258 Power: uptime: 14h 41m states: freeze,mem,disk
    suspend: deep avail: s2idle wakeups: 1 hibernate: platform avail: shutdown,
    reboot, suspend, test_resume image: 6.16 GiB services: org_kde_powerdevil,
    power-profiles-daemon, upowerd Init: systemd v: 257 default: graphical
    tool: systemctl
  Packages: pm: pacman pkgs: 1530 libs: 411 tools: pacseek,paru Compilers:
    gcc: 15.2.1 Shell: Bash v: 5.3.3 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.38
Garuda (2.8.1-2):
  System install date:     2025-05-31
  Last full system update: 2025-08-24 ↻
  Is partially upgraded:   No
  Relevant software:       snapper NetworkManager dracut
  Windows dual boot:       No/Undetected
  Failed units:
--- System Health Check Report ---
22/23 checks run in 1.84 seconds ⌛
Powered by garuda-health 🦅

--- CRITICAL ---
 - Pacman hooks report that the initramfs build has failed. System may not boot. (fix available)

--- INFO ---
 - A reboot is pending (update applied since last reboot)

Run garuda-health --fix to apply fixes.
2

Hi @Apocalypticus.

How many kernels do you have installed?

Try booting into each installed kernel.

2 Likes
3

Hi @tbg

I´ve installed Zen and LTS. Both booting fine. I updated with LTS today but there were no packages that required a dracut rebuild. So we will have to wait until this is the case again. I will then post the result here.
Thanks for now.

1 Like
4

Since dracut ver 1.8 and the changes that come with it, i read more and more that there are problems with the creation of the initramfs.

Ok, that’s know default all loading stuff is now in the initramfs and inside the fallback only this what it really need to boot the system, that make perhaps sense but failing building this is not a good point. We can be lucky that we have know info about this other read nothing and the result is → no booting system but why, no info.

1 Like
5

Thanks for your detailed bug reports and complete logs.

I will be investigating this issue and will be in touch when I have news.

2 Likes
6

@Apocalypticus, does the file /usr/share/libalpm/hooks/90-dracut-install.hook exist on your system?

1 Like
7

It won’t work without this. So nothing to thank. I have to thank.
OK, back to the point…
/usr/share/libalpm/hooks/90-dracut-install.hook doesn´t exist. But there is 90-dracut-install.hook.backup instead.

@gampel
It’s not that my computer wouldn’t boot without “fix.” But you’re right, since the changes to dracut, there have been problems from time to time.
My previous snapshot problem also seems to be related to that.

8

Your issue is self inflicted, in this case. Do not rename or otherwise remove or damage files managed by a pacman package. If a package is showing a file conflict, that needs to be fixed by the package developers, especially when it is a core system package.

You will need to return the packages to their intended state.

Please see: My garuda moka after update crashed - #17 by TNE

4 Likes
9

Oh shit, now I remember this.
Executed everything from your linked post now. Apparently, I hadn’t renamed all four files after all. My mistake. Sorry for the unnecessary extra work.
Thank you.

Failed to rebuild initramfs using dracut
10

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