Problem with booting with systemd-boot

[Mh7tiger]

Hello, I am new to Gentoo, I have tried my first install, dual-boot with Arch. Following the Gentoo handbook, I think everything went quite smoothly up to the Configuring the bootloader step, where I chose the systemd-boot alternative. Upon rebooting and choosing the Gentoo linux option, an error appeared: "systemd-boot: Assertion 'size + read_size' failed at ../systemd-stable-255.4/src/boot/efi/boot.c:2300@initrd_prepare, halting". I am unsure how to proceed at this point.

output of 'bootctl list':

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type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Arch Linux (linux) (default) (selected)
           id: 2023-03-22_19-45-29_linux.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/2023-03-22_19-45-29_linux.conf
        linux: /efi//vmlinuz-linux
       initrd: /efi//intel-ucode.img
               /efi//initramfs-linux.img
      options: root=PARTUUID=43742d39-f6b5-406c-87e1-3786ecb54e16 zswap.enabled=0 rootflags=subvol=>

         type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Gentoo Linux
           id: gentoo-sources-kernel.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/gentoo-sources-kernel.conf
        linux: /efi//linux
       initrd: /efi//initrd
      options: root=/dev/sda3 quiet

         type: Automatic
        title: Reboot Into Firmware Interface
           id: auto-reboot-to-firmware-setup
       source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f

output of 'ls /efi//linux':

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vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64  vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.old

output of 'ls /efi//initrd':

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initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img  initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img.old

I have compiled my kernel with genkernel. I am unsure of what other system info should I share, so if you need anything else, please tell me.

Thank you very much for your time:)

[Moderator edit: added [code] tags to preserve output layout. -- pietinger]

[CooSee]

Welcome to Gentoo,

does this maybe help ? viewtopic-p-8817142.html?sid=c0417295f9 ... ce33d926f2

[Mh7tiger]

Welcome to Gentoo,

does this maybe help ? viewtopic-p-8817142.html?sid=c0417295f9 ... ce33d926f2

Unfortunately it does not help, I did not have a '/etc/portage/package.use' file before, creating it and writing in it 'sys-kernel/installkernel dracut grub
sys-apps/systemd-utils boot kernel-install' without 'sys-kernel/installkernel systemd systemd-boot' did not change anything.

[Nowa]

output of 'ls /efi//linux':

vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.old


output of 'ls /efi//initrd':

initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img.old

This looks super weird, for systemd-boot it should be:
/efi/$YOUR_ENTRY_TOKEN/$KERNEL_VERSION/linux
and
/efi/$YOUR_ENTRY_TOKEN/$KERNEL_VERSION/initrd

Can we see the full log from your kernel's 'make install'?

And also the output of 'emerge -pv installkernel'

Another thing to try is sys-kernel/gentoo-kernel instead of genkernel to eliminate that something is going wrong with genkernel, I have never tried genkernel with systemd-boot, it might be that this configuration simply does not work at the moment.

[EDIT] Looking at the genkernel source code, I see references to GRUB and extlinux, but not to systemd-boot or its Bootloader Specification. I have the strong suspicion that genkernel is therefore not supported/tested/working with systemd-boot.

[Mh7tiger]

output of 'ls /efi//linux':

vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.old


output of 'ls /efi//initrd':

initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img.old

This looks super weird, for systemd-boot it should be:
/efi/$YOUR_ENTRY_TOKEN/$KERNEL_VERSION/linux
and
/efi/$YOUR_ENTRY_TOKEN/$KERNEL_VERSION/initrd

Can we see the full log from your kernel's 'make install'?

And also the output of 'emerge -pv installkernel'

Another thing to try is sys-kernel/gentoo-kernel instead of genkernel to eliminate that something is going wrong with genkernel, I have never tried genkernel with systemd-boot, it might be that this configuration simply does not work at the moment.

[EDIT] Looking at the genkernel source code, I see references to GRUB and extlinux, but not to systemd-boot or its Bootloader Specification. I have the strong suspicion that genkernel is therefore not supported/tested/working with systemd-boot.

I am now trying the manual kernel config, but the compilation is taking a quite a while, I will update you when the kernel installation is complete, thanks.

[Mh7tiger]

output of 'ls /efi//linux':

vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 vmlinuz-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.old


output of 'ls /efi//initrd':

initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img initramfs-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.img.old

This looks super weird, for systemd-boot it should be:
/efi/$YOUR_ENTRY_TOKEN/$KERNEL_VERSION/linux
and
/efi/$YOUR_ENTRY_TOKEN/$KERNEL_VERSION/initrd

Can we see the full log from your kernel's 'make install'?

And also the output of 'emerge -pv installkernel'

Another thing to try is sys-kernel/gentoo-kernel instead of genkernel to eliminate that something is going wrong with genkernel, I have never tried genkernel with systemd-boot, it might be that this configuration simply does not work at the moment.

[EDIT] Looking at the genkernel source code, I see references to GRUB and extlinux, but not to systemd-boot or its Bootloader Specification. I have the strong suspicion that genkernel is therefore not supported/tested/working with systemd-boot.

Here is the output of 'make install':

Code: Select all

INSTALL /boot
Loading /usr/lib/kernel/install.conf…
layout=bls set via /usr/lib/kernel/install.conf
INITRD_GENERATOR (none) set via /usr/lib/kernel/install.conf.
UKI_GENERATOR (none) set via /usr/lib/kernel/install.conf.
Loaded /usr/lib/kernel/install.conf.
MACHINE_ID=b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599 set via /etc/machine-id.
Found cgroup2 on /sys/fs/cgroup/, full unified hierarchy
Found container virtualization none.
Directory "/boot" is not the root of the file system.
Couldn't find an XBOOTLDR partition.
Using EFI System Partition at /efi as $BOOT_ROOT.
Using entry token: b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599
kernel version (6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64) set via command line.
kernel image file (/usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage) set via command line.
Using ENTRY_DIR=/efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64
mkdir -p /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64
Using plugins:
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/00-00machineid-directory.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/10-copy-prebuilt.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/50-depmod.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/50-dracut.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/51-dracut-rescue.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-compat.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-loaderentry.install
  /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-uki-copy.install
Plugin environment:
  LC_COLLATE=C.UTF-8
  KERNEL_INSTALL_VERBOSE=1
  KERNEL_INSTALL_IMAGE_TYPE=pe
  KERNEL_INSTALL_MACHINE_ID=b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599
  KERNEL_INSTALL_ENTRY_TOKEN=b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599
  KERNEL_INSTALL_BOOT_ROOT=/efi
  KERNEL_INSTALL_LAYOUT=bls
  KERNEL_INSTALL_INITRD_GENERATOR=none
  KERNEL_INSTALL_UKI_GENERATOR=none
  KERNEL_INSTALL_STAGING_AREA=/tmp/kernel-install.staging.sxcrF2
Plugin arguments: add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(sd-exec-strv)' as PID 255557.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/00-00machineid-directory.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255558.
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/00-00machineid-directory.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/10-copy-prebuilt.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255559.
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/10-copy-prebuilt.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/50-depmod.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255561.
+depmod -a 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/50-depmod.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/50-dracut.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255563.
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/50-dracut.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/51-dracut-rescue.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255564.
Skipping, 'dracut_rescue_image' not set to 'yes' in any dracut configuration file
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/51-dracut-rescue.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-compat.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255569.
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-compat.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-loaderentry.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255570.
Creating /efi/loader/entries/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.conf
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-loaderentry.install succeeded.
About to execute /usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-uki-copy.install add 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /efi/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 /usr/src/linux/arch/x86/boot/bzImage
Successfully forked off '(direxec)' as PID 255579.
/usr/lib/kernel/install.d/90-uki-copy.install succeeded.
(sd-exec-strv) succeeded.

Output of 'emerge -pv installkernel':

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These are the packages that would be merged, in order:

Calculating dependencies... done!
Dependency resolution took 2.50 s (backtrack: 0/20).

[ebuild   R    ] sys-kernel/installkernel-28::gentoo  USE="systemd systemd-boot -dracut -grub -refind -uki -ukify" 0 KiB

Total: 1 package (1 reinstall), Size of downloads: 0 KiB

 * IMPORTANT: 16 news items need reading for repository 'gentoo'.
 * Use eselect news read to view new items.

[Moderator edit: added [code] tags to preserve output layout. -- pietinger]

[Nowa]

Did this manualy compiled kernel boot? That log looks more reasonable, it is detecting a usual ENTRY_DIR.

Note that the kernel you compiled and installed does not have an initramfs, this is not necessarily a problem if all that is needed to boot is built into the kernel. If it does become a problem you can enable USE=dracut on installkernel to build an initramfs when the kernel is installed.

[Mh7tiger]

Did this manualy compiled kernel boot? That log looks more reasonable, it is detecting a usual ENTRY_DIR.

Note that the kernel you compiled and installed does not have an initramfs, this is not necessarily a problem if all that is needed to boot is built into the kernel. If it does become a problem you can enable USE=dracut on installkernel to build an initramfs when the kernel is installed.

It has created another boot option (output of 'bootctl list':

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   type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Gentoo Linux (6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64) (default)
           id: b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599-6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64.conf
     sort-key: gentoo
      version: 6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64
   machine-id: b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599
        linux: /efi//b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599/6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64/linux
      options: root=/dev/sda3 quiet systemd.machine_id=b4217fe17493afd49ad16366662d7599

         type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Arch Linux (linux) (selected)
           id: 2023-03-22_19-45-29_linux.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/2023-03-22_19-45-29_linux.conf
        linux: /efi//vmlinuz-linux
       initrd: /efi//intel-ucode.img
               /efi//initramfs-linux.img
      options: root=PARTUUID=43742d39-f6b5-406c-87e1-3786ecb54e16 zswap.enabled=0 rootflags=subvol=>

         type: Boot Loader Specification Type #1 (.conf)
        title: Gentoo Linux
           id: gentoo-sources-kernel.conf
       source: /efi//loader/entries/gentoo-sources-kernel.conf
        linux: /efi//linux
       initrd: /efi//initrd
      options: root=/dev/sda3 quiet

         type: Automatic
        title: Reboot Into Firmware Interface
           id: auto-reboot-to-firmware-setup
       source: /sys/firmware/efi/efivars/LoaderEntries-4a67b082-0a4c-41cf-b6c7-440b29bb8c4f)

but this option freezes upon choosing it and does not boot. I have tried building an initramfs with dracut, but unsuccessfully (output of 'dracut --kver=6.6.21-gentoo': dracut[F]: Cannot find module directory /lib/modules/6.6.21-gentoo/
dracut[F]: and --no-kernel was not specified).

[Moderator edit: added [code] tags to preserve output layout. -- pietinger]

[Nowa]

Cannot find module directory /lib/modules/6.6.21-gentoo/

Did you do 'make modules_install' as well as 'make install'?

[Mh7tiger]

Cannot find module directory /lib/modules/6.6.21-gentoo/

Did you do 'make modules_install' as well as 'make install'?

Yes, I did both of them.

[Nowa]

Since the kernel you installed has the name '6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64', you probably need --kver=6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 instead of --kver=6.6.21-gentoo

But you can make this a lot easier by using installkernel with the dracut flag enabled which will automatically inherit the correct version setting from 'make install'

[EDIT] Additionally, if you call dracut manually instead of using it via installkernel, the initramfs will be installed into /boot instead of your ENTRY_DIR on the EFI System Partition, and it will not be added to the loader.conf entry for that kernel.

[Mh7tiger]

Since the kernel you installed has the name '6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64', you probably need --kver=6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 instead of --kver=6.6.21-gentoo

But you can make this a lot easier by using installkernel with the dracut flag enabled which will automatically inherit the correct version setting from 'make install'

[EDIT] Additionally, if you call dracut manually instead of using it via installkernel, the initramfs will be installed into /boot instead of your ENTRY_DIR on the EFI System Partition, and it will not be added to the loader.conf entry for that kernel.

You are right, changing the --kver=6.6.21-gentoo to --kver=6.6.21-gentoo-x86_64 worked, but booting still fails, maybe because of the wrong /boot instead of the /efi directory (?). Should I just copy the initramfs from /boot to /efi? To use installkernel, do I only need to run 'emerge --ask sys-apps/systemd'? Only this command does seem not to be sufficient.

[Nowa]

To use installkernel, do I only need to run 'emerge --ask sys-apps/systemd'? Only this command does seem not to be sufficient.

installkernel is used automatically when you execute 'make install' in the kernel source directory. So:
1) enable USE=dracut on sys-kernel/installkernel via package.use
2) re-run 'make install' in the kernel source directory[/code]

You can copy the initramfs image you just made to the same location as your kernel image (as specified in the output of bootctl list), but then you also have to adjust the asociated loader.conf file to tell it to actually load that initramfs at boot. It's easier to just instruct installkernel to use dracut and then reinstall the kernel as described above.

[Mh7tiger]

To use installkernel, do I only need to run 'emerge --ask sys-apps/systemd'? Only this command does seem not to be sufficient.

installkernel is used automatically when you execute 'make install' in the kernel source directory. So:
1) enable USE=dracut on sys-kernel/installkernel via package.use
2) re-run 'make install' in the kernel source directory[/code]

You can copy the initramfs image you just made to the same location as your kernel image (as specified in the output of bootctl list), but then you also have to adjust the asociated loader.conf file to tell it to actually load that initramfs at boot. It's easier to just instruct installkernel to use dracut and then reinstall the kernel as described above.

My mistake was not executing 'make install' in the kernel source directory, now booting works perfectly:) Thank you greatly for your help, now the only thing remaining is removing the second faulty gentoo entry in the boot menu. To make solving my initial problem easier for others in the future: my fault was trying genkernel with systemd-boot, as that does not work at the moment, you should install kernel in a different way (manual config in my case). Then my second issue with the kernel installation was not running 'make install' in the kernel source directory. I hope this can help someone else with the same issue. How can I mark this topic as solved please?