systemd error: Failed to mount cgroup at /sys/fs...

[lagagnon]

Been away from my Samsung Chromebook ALARM distro for a few months. Just did an update and now the booting screen throws this error:

systemd[1]: Failed to mount cgroup at /sys/fs/cgroup/systemd. No such file of device.

[!!!!!] Failed to mount API filesystems, freezing.


Any idea where I can start with this?

[stronnag]

This is an artefact of the ancient kernel available for this device (3.4). The latest systemd requires a more recent kernel.

You need to recover your system from a backup, and then prevent systemd (and network manager) from being updated.The most recent working versions being:

libsystemd 221-1
systemd 216-3
systemd-sysvcompat 216-3
networkmanager 1.0.0-1

Then resolve never to buy an ARM device again such that, despite the best efforts of the Arch developers, you don't have to deal with this obsolete crap again.

[lagagnon]

Thanks - yes, finally realized it was a new systemd problem with a kernel with old firmware. Luckily I stored my last image of the whole system. I have now vowed never to update the system. I am just going to live with it as is -working perfectly. I see the lifetime of this old Samsung Chromebook in terms of another couple of years only so unless I read about a very specific security bust with a package other than systemd it's going to stay the way it is.

Not exactly the "Arch way" but I'm tired of the major busts and the system now works perfectly fine with year old packages!

[Veyrdite]

I've been holding back systemd on my Snow Chromebook for a while. It turns out that the linux-snow (kernel) package has been abandoned and you should instead be using linux-peach instead.

WARNING: When I installed the linux-peach package, it chose the WRONG partition to dd vmlinux to and destroyed my root partition. When if asks you if it can "install" the vmlinux/bootloader to a certain parition make sure you check which partition it wants first! Backup beforehand!

[WarheadsSE]

Perhaps re-read the instructions for installation. You'll find it doesn't work the same way

[stronnag]

So let's assume I have an existing installation with linux-chromebook. How do I upgrade without destroying my existing setup? See 'Installation' does not appear to address that use case.

[Veyrdite]

I believe the old process was to have a bootloader in one partition and the kernel in another (inside a filesystem) -- the old instructions are archived.

All that may be needed is to replace the vmlinux.kpart file in your boot partition with the new one. I remember on my system the boot partition was not automatically mounted/in my fstab.

Be warned: doing this may render your laptop unbootable! Please back up all of your data before trying anything and ensure you have a bootable usb/sd card handy if you need to replace the new vmlinux with the old one.

[stronnag]

Or, just (cross) compile your own 3.8 kernel from the chromeos github. Solves all the IgnorePkg issues.