linux-libre armhf SBC eternal Starting kernel message

[Luke Yasuda]

On 2026-07-30 02:41, Alexis PM wrote:
> Hello
> 
>> Trying to make Debian images (12, 13 and testing) for different armhf 
>> SBCs using u-boot-sunxi, the different versions of the official Debian 
>> linux-image-armmp boot (perfectly in the case of linux-image-armmp 
>> 6.1, while linux-image-armmp 6.12 and linux-image-armmp 7.1 fail 
>> mid-boot with a error "UUID=... does not exist"  although the UUID 
>> exists [*]). But trying with linux-libre-6.1, linux-libre-6.6, 
>> linux-libre-6.12 and linux-libre-7.1 all stay right after U-Boot, 
>> booting the kernel with an eternal "Starting kernel..." message 
>> (nothing happens after waiting an hour). (linux-libre-6.1 doesn't have 
>> sunxi dtb, so I copied them from 6.6 to test.)
> 
> The error occurs with all kernels I have tried:
> 
> PicaLibre 6.18.40-gnu.nonlpae
> PicaLibre 6.12.98-gnu.nonlpae
> PicaLibre 6.12.98-gnu
> PicaLibre 6.6.145-gnu.nonlpae
> PicaLibre 6.6.145-gnu
> PicaLibre 6.1.178-gnu

Usually when "UUID=... does not exist" happens, you want to find out 
what driver(s) your root disk (mmc in most cases) requires at boot time 
by looking at the dts file(s), check if the driver(s) is/are built-in or 
module. If it is a module, you might want to force initramfs to include 
that module. Otherwise, some boards requires it to be built-in, and this 
is the part you need to rebuild the kernel and try again. If it's a 
Debian specific issue, you might have more luck filing a Debian bug.

If the boot process is stuck at "Starting kernel...", first check your 
kernel cmdline to see if you have the correct serial console enabled. 
Then you want to check if the related driver(s) (check dts) is/are 
built-in. Serial (and GPIO in some cases) drivers have to be built-in or 
you get no console at boot. freesh may not have the driver(s) configured 
built-in.

Cheers,
-- 
Luke Yasuda
GPG Fingerprint: 4E09 8D19 00AA 3F72 1899 2614 09B3 316E 13A1 1EFC
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: signature.asc
Type: application/pgp-signature
Size: 228 bytes
Desc: OpenPGP digital signature
URL: <http://www.fsfla.org/pipermail/linux-libre/attachments/20260730/0cae7578/attachment.sig>