Issues regarding latest garuda-update on AMD Hardware (Loading loop linux-zen & initial ramdisk) [GRUB Related?]

Issues & Assistance Newbies
1

Hello, I don't post often on this forum, as I've had an exceptional experience with using Garuda Linux (Talon) Dr460nized Edition.

Nevertheless, I've encountered an issue after updating and restarting my machine. I use the garuda-update command on a weekly basis, and been doing so ever since. Never have I been unable to boot up and access the main OS when using Garuda.

NOTE 1: I cannot access the OS itself, only the Boot screen (previous snapshots don't even seem to work when entering them); therefore going into the konsole and pasting information via garuda-inxi is not an option.

Because I can't do so as described above, I've been looking for topics related to this issue on both Garuda forums and Arch wiki. I found some discussions with solutions provided, most of which mention somehow switching the zen kernel to just Linux. Regardless, I'm still lost and have no idea what to do - concerned that I would make the situation worse.

NOTE 2: I have Linux LTS enabled, so I don't know if there's a workaround for entering the OS without facing a loop. Also, my machine is strictly built with AMD in mind, so no driver issues AFAIK - and I do not dual boot any other OS/distro on my machine besides Garuda Linux itself. One thing I noticed after updating, was that the last lines on the konsole registered that the system took about 2 minutes and 30 seconds to update (nearly a minute shorter than usual from my experience).

Note 3: I don't think this issue has anything to do with GRUB, though correct me if I'm wrong. I'm also unsure if this issue has any relation to BIOS updates/motherboards in general, both of which I never mess with.

On the flip-side, I hardly touched Garuda ever since as far as installing/saving anything considered important - though I doubt this issue is anything dramatic, since I can still access the boot screen and (I'm hoping) the OS itself doesn't seem "broken".

For what I have been using my machine for (as both an enthusiast workstation and casual gaming rig), Garuda Linux has not let me down and I really don't want to encounter such an issue again if unresolvable.

Any sort of feedback would be much appreciated..

Best,

2

How exactly?
Try booting with nomodeset parameter, hopefully you should reach a GUI and troubleshoot from there.

3

When I select a pre/post update screenshot on the Bootloader, I enter a loop with the same Loading initial ramdisk message.

4

BTW, you mean snapshots?

5

Yes - My apologies.

6

I can access nomodeset via GRUB, correct?

7

Maybe Iā€™m being overly cautious, but I never booted up with a previous snapshot before. When I enter the snapshot selection, I assume that I press enter on the previous pre or post-update and press enter a second time without selecting anything else.

When I enter the second screen, there are six options total - two of each display the following kernels: Hardened, LTS and zen. I donā€™t know which one to pick, so I select the latest snapshot highlighted above all of the kernels.

Nothing happens when I press enter and the screen just flashes. I have to be doing something wrong. I havenā€™t touched Advanced Options or explored anything else besides the snapshot selection.

On a side note, the motherboardā€™s logo/BIOS screen takes much longer to proceed to the Bootloader than usual - I donā€™t know if this has to do with anything,

8

Could the current GRUB debacle have anything to do with this?

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9

Iā€™m unsure (I hope not), but the option to access the GRUB command line does appear on the bootup screen. All I did was update and restart my machine as usual, havenā€™t messed with anything prior to doing soā€¦ and now I honestly have no idea what to do since snapshots donā€™t seem to resolve anything when I select a time code or a specific kernel (including LTS). The screen either flashes white and nothing happens, or Iā€™m brought to the same looped Loading linux-zen/initial ramdisk message.

Again, I donā€™t even have weird configurations (e.g. dual booting) or proprietary drivers anywhere on my machine. Heck, I built it not long ago to specifically house a distro like Garuda Linux.

I donā€™t know if messing with GRUB in its current state is a good idea either, and it seems to me that it could potentially make the situation worseā€¦ so I havenā€™t touched anything besides snapshots because of this.

10

What I suggest you could do is:

  • chroot into your system with a live USB, either using the relevant tool in the Garuda Welcome or with this manual procedure https://forum.garudalinux.org/t/how-to-chroot-garuda-linux/4004 (only the initial part where you chroot into the system, not the grub installation).
  • from inside the chroot, get and provide your garuda-inxi :wink: and perform a garuda-update. This might solve possible problems in your previous update, but will also install the recently downgraded grub version from our repo.
  • to be honest, I don't know if reinstalling the grub into your system (the second part of the tutorial, or also with the tools in the iso) would be necessary at that point, I guess so, but you anyway could try exiting the chroot and rebooting normal before, to see if you have any positive effects. If not, repeat the procedure to install the grub in your system.
3 Likes
11

Provide garuda-inxl as in how? Also, would there be a possibility of losing anything I had stored on my desktop environment from entering the system via chroot?

Iā€™m just asking because Iā€™m still unsure about doing this and am open to any other possible suggestions.

12

From inside the chroot, so we get updated information on your system. Being the chroot done in a terminal session of the live session, you can connect to the internet (also to update) and open a browser to enter a post in the forum.

I really donā€™t think so. This is absolutely equivalent from an update on your installed system. No one is touching your data and configurations (home folder).

1 Like
13

Okay - I never done this before, Iā€™m just curious.
The last thing I would want is to brick my machine.

14

Looked into chroot and other (recent) forum posts related to such. Iā€™m still unsure about going any further. Some of the steps in the guide you provided also seem dependant on specific partitions that an end-user might have on their machine/within the OS and its associated kernel(s). I really donā€™t want to make the situation worse, if not more difficult than it already is; especially if I could simply wait for more updates and/or experiences that other users are willing to share.

Iā€™ve never done this before, let alone manually dabble with any Unix-like environment such as chroot; the last thing I would want is to brick my machine.

NOTE: I can still access the GRUB command line on the Boot screen.

15

So you can still access grub yes?

Press "e" on the top most entry to enter the edit menu. Find the line that says "Linux" and add 3 after it. So for example:
linux /boot/blabla [...] some.other.stuff=1 3
Then delete quiet from there that line too.
Press ctrl+x when you are done with that and let me know if you reach a terminal/login screen.

3 Likes
16

Doing that right now -
Iā€™ll update ASAP.

17

My environment saysā€¦
[E] Edit Selection
[C] GRUB Commandline

I hover over Garuda Linux and press E - correct?

18

Yes.

There is a wonderful 10 character minimum, so I'm typing random stuff here.

8 Likes
19

I think I found the line that youā€™re describing. Would it be okay if I share a portion of the text - just to be sure?

It seems like thereā€™s already a 3 at the very end of the line with no spaces. There are also two instances of ā€˜quietā€™ on the same line, directly next to each other. I have two additional kernels (LTS and Hardened) in use with my desktop environment, so I donā€™t know if this is related.

Thereā€™s no =1 anywhere, just two separate instances of =3 with =0 in between the two.

It looks like this in chronological order:

linux      /@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen root=UUID= [NU-MB-ER-S] rw \rootflags
=subvol=@  quiet quiet splash rd.udev.log_priority=3  
vt.global_cursor_default=0  loglevel\=3
20

No

There is a wonderful 10 character minimum, so Iā€™m typing random stuff here. :joy:

Thatā€™s a sample text, like ā€œlinux /boot foo bar loglevel=3ā€ 3
@TuxDiamondDog02
In short:
Find the line that says ā€œLinuxā€ and add 3 after it.

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