Cannot start archlinux after update: Cannot find uuid

16,487

I just forgot mount boot (thank you, jasonwryan).

The solution to this problem, in my case was:

  1. Use a livecd to mount all partitions and use chroot.
  2. Update:

    pacman -Syu

  3. Regenerate initramfs using:

    mkinitcpio -p linux

  4. If you use grub:

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

  5. Restart.

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Lifka
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Lifka

Updated on September 18, 2022

Comments

  • Lifka
    Lifka almost 2 years

    I updated archlinux with "pacman -Syu" and then when I've restart, the system can't start. This is the report:

    Warning: /lib/modules/4.11.9-1-ARCH/modules.devname not found - ignoring
    version 232
    Error: device 'UUID=b5a9a977-e9a7-4d3d-96a9-dcf9c3a9010d' not found. Skipping fsck.
    Error: can't find UUID=b5a9a977-e9a7-4d3d-96a9-dcf9c3a9010d 
    You are now being dropped into a emergency shell.
    Can't access tty: job control turned off
    

    In that shell my keyboard doesn't work.

    I'm trying with a livecd of archlinux: mounting the partitions and using chroot. I check the uuid of the root partition in "/etc/fstab". It's my fstab:

    # /dev/sda2 UUID=b5a9a977-e9a7-4d3d-96a9-dcf8c3a9010d   /           ext4        rw,relatime,data=ordered    0 1  
    # /dev/sda1 UUID=FBA9-977B          /boot       vfat        rw,relatime,fmask=0022,dmask=0022,codepage=437,iocharset=iso8859-1,shortname=mixed,errors=remount-ro 0 2  
    # /dev/sda4 UUID=a43b8426-c93a-4f32-99c8-9dd5cf645373   /home       ext4        rw,relatime,data=ordered    0 2  
    # /dev/sda3 UUID=9eec735e-3157-4e0e-a5c6-ef3a7c674201   none        swap        defaults    0
    

    And it's the result of "lsblk -f"

    NAME   FSTYPE   LABEL       UUID                                 MOUNTPOINT
    loop0  squashfs                                                  /run/archiso/sfs/airootfs
    sda                                                              
    ├─sda1 vfat                 FBA9-977B                            
    ├─sda2 ext4                 b5a9a977-e9a7-4d3d-96a9-dcf8c3a9010d /mnt
    ├─sda3 swap                 9eec735e-3157-4e0e-a5c6-ef3a7c674201 
    └─sda4 ext4                 a43b8426-c93a-4f32-99c8-9dd5cf645373 /mnt/home
    

    I've updated the system again with "pacman -Syu" and I tried to make "mkinitcpio -p linux", but it haven't solved the problem (in spite of the result of the command it's ok). This is the report:

    ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'default'
      -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux.img
    ==> Starting build: 4.11.9-1-ARCH
      -> Running build hook: [base]
      -> Running build hook: [udev]
      -> Running build hook: [block]
      -> Running build hook: [block]
    WARNING: Possubly missing firmware for module: aic94xx
    WARNING: Possubly missing firmware for module: wd719x
      -> Running build hook: [autodetect]
      -> Running build hook: [modconf]
      -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
      -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
      -> Running build hook: [fsck]
    ==> Generating module dependencies
    ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux.img
    ==> Image generation successful
    ==> Building image from preset: /etc/mkinitcpio.d/linux.preset: 'fallback'
      -> -k /boot/vmlinuz-linux -c /etc/mkinitcpio.conf -g /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img -S autodetect
    ==> Starting build: 4.11.9-1-ARCH
      -> Running build hook: [base]
      -> Running build hook: [udev]
      -> Running build hook: [block]
    WARNING: Possubly missing firmware for module: aic94xx
    WARNING: Possubly missing firmware for module: wd719x
      -> Running build hook: [modconf]
      -> Running build hook: [filesystems]
      -> Running build hook: [keyboard]
      -> Running build hook: [fsck]
    ==> Generating module dependencies
    ==> Creating gzip-compressed initcpio image: /boot/initramfs-linux-fallback.img
    ==> Image generation successful
    

    I tried to change the order of HOOKS in "/etc/mkinitcpio.conf". But it doesn't work. This is the current order:

    base udev block autodetect modconf filesystems keyboard fsck

    "uname -r" returns:

    4.11.7-1-ARCH

    "pacman -Q linux" returns:

    linux 4.11.9-1

    The file of warrning "/lib/modules/4.11.9-1-ARCH/modules.devnam" exists.

    I tried to install and use "linux-lts" but the result it's the same. I use grub and I tried to reconfigure it too.

    What can I do?

    • Admin
      Admin almost 7 years
      That's the problem... I can't undertand how I did not realize. Thank you so much, jasonwryan.
  • Nepoxx
    Nepoxx over 6 years
    FYI use arch-chroot on arch instead of simply chroot
  • G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica'
    G-Man Says 'Reinstate Monica' over 5 years
    Yes, your answer is a few words longer than Lifka's answer. Aside from some verbosity, what have you added to make your post stand out as a new, different answer?
  • ummw
    ummw about 5 years
    As an addition to this answer: in case the fallback initramfs works and you use it for repair, use /boot/grub/grub.cfg. Then you also don't have to arch-chroot or flash your USB if you wiped it. (or lost it :)
  • Marcin
    Marcin over 4 years
    Works for me as well. Thanks mate.