[SOLVED] Super early kernel panic

[arvamircea]

Hello...
I have issues booting into Gentoo.
You know? You do the same thing 100 times (grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg) all goes well, till it doesn't.
When booting I see:

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Loading Linux 6.7.1-gentoo ...
Loading initial ramdisk ...

E
FI stub: Loaded initrd from LINUX_EFI_INITRD_MEDIA_GUID device path
EFI stub: Measured initrd data into PCR 9

When chroot-ed from a LiveUSB and running "grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg", I see

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Cannot find list of partitions! (Try mounting /sys.)

Any ideas what it wants from me?

[arvamircea]

Update:
I mounted /sys as well before chroot-ing and got rid of that Grub error. But I still get the kernel panic..

[Hu]

What kernel panic is this? Your posts neither quote its text nor describe it. There are many ways to misconfigure a system in a way that could cause a panic. Without the error text, there is little we can do to guide you.

[arvamircea]

When booting I see:

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Loading Linux 6.7.1-gentoo ...
Loading initial ramdisk ...

E
FI stub: Loaded initrd from LINUX_EFI_INITRD_MEDIA_GUID device path
EFI stub: Measured initrd data into PCR 9

This is all I see after selecting what to boot into from the Grub menu. Keyboard lights go off and nothing happens no matter how long I wait.
Sorry, I thought it's some sort of kernel panic. At least that's what I've found when googling that output.

[NeddySeagoon]

arvamircea,

It looks like you have secure boon or measured boot enabled.

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EFI stub: Loaded initrd from LINUX_EFI_INITRD_MEDIA_GUID device path
EFI stub: Measured initrd data into PCR 9 

If that fails, the kernel will never start.

Try turning off secure/measured boot.

[arvamircea]

Thank you. I've made some progress with this I think.
Secure boot was off in UEFI but I've also found an option called "Intel(R) Platform Trust Technology" and disabled that. I've also reconfigured the bootloader (grub-mkconfig) for good measure.
Now the message I see on booting is:

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Loading Linux 6.7.1-gentoo ...
Loading initial ramdisk ...

                                                                                                                                    E
FI stub: Loaded initrd from LINUX_EFI_INITRD_MEDIA_GUID device path

[pietinger]

I guess you had an update for grub and you have not done a re-installation with grub-install. Please try:

1. Boot with our GentooAdminCD (or MinimalCD) and chroot (*) into your system
2. Do a correct "grub-install --efi-directory=/efi"
3. And then "grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg"

*) This is chrooting into your gentoo system when using OLD mountpoint /boot for ESP:

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# mount /dev/sdXY /mnt/gentoo
# cd /mnt/gentoo
# mount -t proc /proc /mnt/gentoo/proc
# mount --rbind /sys /mnt/gentoo/sys
# mount --rbind /dev /mnt/gentoo/dev
# mount --bind /run /mnt/gentoo/run
# chroot /mnt/gentoo /bin/bash
# . /etc/profile
# mount /dev/sdXZ /boot

If you have a new installation according our Handbook: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:A ... FI_systems you must do as last command instead:

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# mount /dev/sdXZ /efi

(see more here: viewtopic-t-1165115-highlight-.html)
(If you want check your UEFI settings: https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/User:Pieti ... _UEFI_boot )

If this does not help you can get an VERY EARLY output from your kernel with these settings (just watch the kernel settings; or translate my german with google):
viewtopic-p-8759603.html#8759603

[arvamircea]

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grub-install --efi-directory=/efi
grub-install: error: /use/lib/grub/i386-pc/modinfo.sh doesn't exist. Please specify --target or --directory.

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/efi
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
grub-install: error: failed to get canonical path of '/efi'.

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/efi --removable
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
grub-install: error: failed to get canonical path of '/efi'.

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grub-install --efi-directory=/boot
grub-install: error: /use/lib/grub/i386-pc/modinfo.sh doesn't exist. Please specify --target or --directory.

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
EFI variables are not supported on this system.
EFI variables are not supported on this system.
grub-install: error: efibootmgr failed to register the boot entry: No such file or directory.

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --removable
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
Installation finished. No errors reported.

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grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Generating grub configuration file ...
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.7.1-gentoo-r1
Found initrd image: /boot/initramfs-6.7.1-gentoo-r1.img
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.7.1-gentoo
Found initrd image: /boot/initramfs-6.7.1-gentoo.img
Found linux image: /boot/vmlinuz-6.7.1-gentoo.old
Found initrd image: /boot/initramfs-6.7.1-gentoo-r1.img.old
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.
Found Mac OS X on /dev/sdb3
Adding boot menu entry for UEFI Firmware Settings ...
done

/dev/sdb3 is the Gentoo LiveUSB
>un-mount
>reboot
>Same boot error


I have no idea what's wrong. I've updated the kernel hundreds of times with no issues.
Now my PC is a brick.

P.S. I'm unable to disable "CSM mode"/"Legacy mode", for whatever reason the UEFI keeps turning it back on, very frustrating. But it was always like this I think and I don't have a problem.

[GDH-gentoo]

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grub-install --efi-directory=/efi
grub-install: error: /use/lib/grub/i386-pc/modinfo.sh doesn't exist. Please specify --target or --directory.

[...]

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grub-install --efi-directory=/boot
grub-install: error: /use/lib/grub/i386-pc/modinfo.sh doesn't exist. Please specify --target or --directory.

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot
Installing for x86_64-efi platform.
EFI variables are not supported on this system.
EFI variables are not supported on this system.
grub-install: error: efibootmgr failed to register the boot entry: No such file or directory.

[...]
P.S. I'm unable to disable "CSM mode"/"Legacy mode", for whatever reason the UEFI keeps turning it back on, very frustrating.

This all suggests that the computer is booting in BIOS / CSM / Legacy mode, not UEFI mode. Has it always been like this?

[arvamircea]

Hello, thank you for the reply.
Is hard to tell for sure, but I am 90% sure is always been like this (the computer being in Legacy mode, even tho I manually switche it to UEFI it switchedes itself back to BIOS).
In the past

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --removable 
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

used to do the job.
I have to admit it is possible the UEFI chip broke just now and switched itself to Legacy Mode and does not allow to be switched back.

[arvamircea]

If my computer is in Legacy Mode/BIOS, what do I need to do to be able to use it again?
Not gonna lie, I'm getting desperate. A simple kernel update bricked my computer for two days and it does not look like I'm any closer to fixing it. ;--;

[sokrovenno]

If my computer is in Legacy Mode/BIOS, what do I need to do to be able to use it again?

You should look into your BIOS. In my notebook I must press F2 before the grub appears on screen. In your computer may be another Fbutton. Take a look there.
On my BIOS there is three options:
UEFI
CSM or UEFI
CSM
I hope it works.

Not gonna lie, I'm getting desperate. A simple kernel update bricked my computer for two days and it does not look like I'm any closer to fixing it. ;--;

Always keep an older kernel. If things go wrong you always have an option.
I am too having problems with this new kernel. Having a backup kernel saved me.

[arvamircea]

Thank you. Right now my UEFI is in CSM/BIOS/Legacy Mode, I am unable to change it due to probably a hardware failure on the chip. I am fine with that, Gentoo can be run in BIOS mode no problem.
The issue is, I really really don't want to reinstall Gentoo. Ironically I was just thinking a few days ago "Finally I made the computer look and feel exactly how I want it, imagine if I ever need to reinstall."
I still have my old kernel, that's why I was so flabbergasted at the beginning, I am unable to boot it the old kernel either, I get the same boot message...

[GDH-gentoo]

Maybe it's just the rescue medium that booted in BIOS mode as a fallback.

In the past

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grub-install --target=x86_64-efi --efi-directory=/boot --removable 
grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg

used to do the job.

Using --removable for a hard disk is usually because the UEFI firmware is bad and doesn't properly support BOOT#### EFI variables. How did you originally determine that you needed this to boot your Gentoo kernels? What hardware is this?

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grub-mkconfig -o /boot/grub/grub.cfg
Generating grub configuration file ...
...
Found Mac OS X on /dev/sdb3

Mac OS X?

I still have my old kernel, that's why I was so flabbergasted at the beginning, I am unable to boot it the old kernel either, I get the same boot message...

So, are you saying that kernels that used to boot no longer do so?

[arvamircea]

How did you originally determine that you needed this to boot your Gentoo kernels? What hardware is this?

When originally installing Gentoo I've tried all option till I found one that worked. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I have an ASRock Fatal1ty Z170 gaming K6 motherboard.

Mac OS X

Yeah, is just a funny output from os-prober. It detected the Gentoo LiveUSB as Mac OS X. But I don't think is relevant at all.

So, are you saying that kernels that used to boot no longer do so?

I don't know anymore, I've done so many things I'm confusing myself. Most likely I deleted all original kernels and re-built then.

I found some help in IRC. Apparently is all good, the UEFI/BIOS finds the kernel but gets stuck with the initrd. I build all my files inside /boot with "make install" so the theory right now is that's where the problem lies.

[arvamircea]

[SOLVED]
"genkernel all" managed to make a bootable kernel. Oddly enough I still see that message (EFI stub: Loaded initrd from LINUX_EFI_INITRD_MEDIA_GUID device path) for a split second when booting into the working kernel.

[CONCLUSION]
The old method "make install" must have had some changes and it does not do everything that it used to.

[FOR WHOEVER MAY READ THIS]
The Gentoo community is one of the wonders of the modern world.
If you need help:
1th do whatever is in your power and mental capabilities to search the documentation and the forums for a solution.
2nd look for help, it always blows my mind how selfless and goodhearted the Gentoo community is.
3rd don't be a dick and ignore rule 1, the most beautiful things are the easiest to destroy

[sipingal]

"genkernel all" managed to make a bootable kernel. Oddly enough I still see that message (EFI stub: Loaded initrd from LINUX_EFI_INITRD_MEDIA_GUID device path) for a split second when booting into the working kernel.

This message is due to CONFIG_EFI_HANDOVER_PROTOCOL=y enabled in the current kernel configuration even it's DEPRECATED.


The boot problem was likely caused by the intel early microcode loading(i.e. intel-uc.img) on some hardware.

[Ramast]

I have had that exact same problem but for different reason.
I'd be sharing it here in case someone landed on this page through search engine like I did.

My laptop didn't support deep sleep and the work around was to override ACPI.
I did it by adding entry to my grub bootload

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GRUB_EARLY_INITRD_LINUX_CUSTOM="acpi_override"

I totally forgot about it and when I updated the BIOS, system no longer boot. removing the ACPI override fixed it[/code]