[arch-general] mkinitcpio debugging with systemd

[Martti Kühne]

On Wed, Sep 24, 2014 at 9:51 AM, Tobias Hunger <tobias.hunger at gmail.com> wrote:
> Then it fails with "/bin/sh not found".
>

As new_root is mounted (/bin/sh is there in the initrd), where /bin is
a symlink to /usr/bin, this should be obvious...

>> You also did not provide any error message or other
>> pointer which would lead us to the source of your problem, and I think
>> you should add anything you have (eg. remove the "quiet" boot option).
>
> I have to admit that I did not think about removing "quiet" this
> morning:-/ Shame on me.
>
> My question is basically how to get the a debug shell in an initrd
> created by mkinitcpio with the "systemd" hook enabled?
>
> The long and involved way is most likely to make sure the
> systemd-debug-generator will be added to the initrd by the "systemd"
> hook, together with a modified debug-shell.service that actually is
> started during the initrd (and not only afterwards).
>
> Then I should be able to enable that debug shell with the kernel
> parameters documented for the systemd-debug-generator.
>
> Is there a simpler way, involving less hacking?
>

With /usr not correctly mounted, you might want to check fstab and
arch-chroot to the current setup and try mount -a?
Maybe somehow pull busybox into / before you chroot, so you have
everything you need while in the dark ages...

cheers!
mar77i