Kernel 6.17.0-14 Kernel Panic - MacBook Air 24.04

Support and Help
1

Ubuntu 24.04 GNOME

Hi,

I got this dreaded kernel panic after trying to update my MacBook Air 24.04. I have read all the treads related to this problem, but I have one huge obstacle to overcome before trying options to solve this issue.

I am not able to access my Grub. When I start my mac I get kernel panic notice immediately. If I press alt and choose EFI Boot it goes to kernel panic notice. If I press esc I only get into

GNU GRUB version 2.12

Minimal BASH-like line editing is supported. Bla bla bla…

grub>

What to do?

In grub> how can get somewhere from here? It does not understand sudo or other basic terminal commands. I an totally out in the unknown and need some help to get to sudo environment.

Thank you for help!

2

At the grub prompt, try typing:-
normal
or
exit

3

Thanks!

Both options went straight to kernel panic screen.

4

In kernel panic screen I get

VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

5

Try this command at the grub prompt.
It assumes:-
You have one disk
Your ESP is partition 1 and your system is partition 2 (hence gpt2 in the command)

configfile (hd0,gpt2)/boot/grub/grub.cfg
1 Like
6

Hi,

After above command, it goes straight to kernel panic screen.

7

Please confirm:-
You have one disk?
You have another kernel?

8

We get the Grub minimal BASH-like command line because Grub cannot find its configuration file (grub.cfg) that its uses to construct its menu.

We are not familiar with your partition structure and Grub views drives and partitions from a Microsoft perspective. I am going to provide a link to a utility called BOOT- REPAIR.

Boot-repair home page

Please follow the instructions to do this:

r boot on an Ubuntu (or derivative) disk, either USB or DVD. Install Boot-Repair in it, via the command below.

It is best to run boot-repair from a Live/Try Ubuntu session. Do not accept the recommended repair option. Create the summary report and accept the offer to put it in pastebin. And put the link to the pastebin location in this topic.

It is better if some of us review the summary report before you accept the offer to repair the boot. That summary report will give us a clearer understanding of your system.

Also useful is the old but not so old Ubuntu Wiki document.

Ubuntu Wiki - Boot-Repair

Accept the advice under the heading Using Boot-Repair.

Regards

P.S. Once you get a Grub menu you can select Advanced Options for Ubuntu and select an earlier Linux kernel which may load without a kernel panic. Or, a Linux kernel with Recovery mode. Which will load Linux and present a Recovery Menu that has options that can use used to fix things. Linux Kernel 6.17.0-14 is broken. Use the earlier Linux kernel.

9

Hi,

I have only one disk. After updating in terminal it listed not needed packages and just cleaned those away. If I remember right there was kernel 6.14. After restart it went to kernel panic. It is possible that after removing 6.14 only kernel left is 6.17.

I will look for USB stick and try boot-repair.

10

Hi,

I got live USB done and run it. Problem is that I cannot get internet connection because this is MacBook Air and broadcom wireless drivers are not installed in live USB. I do not have any USB cable to get ethernet connection. I do have boot-repair in USB stick. Is there a way to install/run boot-repair from USB stick?

Sorry for all the hassle!

11

I was able to get partition information from GParted

/dev/nvme0n1p1 fat32 boot
/dev/nvme0n1p2 ext4 ubuntu

if this has any help…

12

Tether via a Smartphone?

Using an Android phone
Log in to phone
Attach phone to PC with USB cable
Open (phone) settings > Network & Internet > Data Saver disabled > Hotspot & tethering > USB tethering enabled

Open (PC) Gnome settings > Network > USB ethernet should be connected

13

Of course, silly me. I totally forgot this option.

I ran boot-repair and my report is available in

Thanks!

14

Did you try the Recommended Repair?
Were you able to boot into a previous kernel?

15

Hi,

Not yet, as suggested by

I am waiting next step instructions.

16

VFS: Unable to mount root fs on unknown-block(0,0)

If you boot to Ubuntu live USB session, can you fsck your internal file systems. They need to be unmounted for this so live USB is ideal.

Sounds like an unhappy disk.

Also, have you tied booting an older kernel?

17

I think I will try boot-repair to fix GRUB first, but will wait graymech reply before trying that.

I think that removing kernel 6.14 was a mistake. It might be that I only have 6.17 left and that is causing the issue. Of course, I am not an expert so…waiting.

In fact, live session is working fine at the moment, so I survive with that.

18

Did you remove it manually?
Update and upgrade will always leave two kernels.

You can search your system via a live session and double-check that you have, at least, two kernels.

Your boot-repair report does not contain anything unusual, although it is incomplete.
For example, the Location of files loaded by Grub is missing - similar below

================= nvme0n1p2: Location of files loaded by Grub ==================

           GiB - GB             File                                 Fragment(s)
  14.530357361 = 15.601852416   boot/grub/grub.cfg                             1
  20.600837708 = 22.119981056   boot/vmlinuz                                   1
  30.343029022 = 32.580579328   boot/vmlinuz-6.8.0-47-generic                  1
  20.600837708 = 22.119981056   boot/vmlinuz-6.8.0-48-generic                  1
  30.343029022 = 32.580579328   boot/vmlinuz.old                               1
  19.711910248 = 21.165502464   boot/initrd.img                                5
  31.727535248 = 34.067181568   boot/initrd.img-6.8.0-47-generic               8
  19.711910248 = 21.165502464   boot/initrd.img-6.8.0-48-generic               5
  31.727535248 = 34.067181568   boot/initrd.img.old                            8

However, the boot files are present in nvme0n1p1 (ESP).
Generally, boot-repair will re-install grub, add kernels to the grub menu and find other installed operating systems.

However, if your file systems are damaged, boot-repair may be unsuccessful.

As you are in a live session, run fsck as mentioned by @Actionparsnip

sudo fsck /dev/nvme0n1p1

sudo fsck /dev/nvme0n1p2

I would suggest that you try the recommended boot-repair after running fsck

19

Don’t forget to backup your personal data while in a “Try Ubuntu” session

20

I got below messages with fsck.

ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fsck /dev/nvme0n1p1
fsck from util-linux 2.39.3
fsck.fat 4.2 (2021-01-31)
/dev/nvme0n1p1: 12 files, 1574/274630 clusters
ubuntu@ubuntu:~$ sudo fsck /dev/nvme0n1p2
fsck from util-linux 2.39.3
e2fsck 1.47.0 (5-Feb-2023)
/dev/nvme0n1p2 is mounted.
e2fsck: Cannot continue, aborting.

Is 1p2 result so that I can proceed with boot-repair?