[SOLVED] initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

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CyrilFR
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[SOLVED] initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by CyrilFR »

Hello :)
it seems to be a common bug but I get this error message during boot time
initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed
this message what not here with LM19.3
my setup : https://termbin.com/8gci :shock:
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
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Moonstone Man
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by Moonstone Man »

CyrilFR wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:29 am

Code: Select all

initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed
Paste this into a terminal:

Code: Select all

xed admin:///etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf
Change COMPRESS=lz4 to COMPRESS=gzip

Save the changes then:

Code: Select all

sudo update-initramfs -u -k all
and reboot.
Last edited by Moonstone Man on Mon Mar 08, 2021 6:50 am, edited 1 time in total.
Aryanprince
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by Aryanprince »

I had the same issue on LM 20, and the suggestion fixed the problem. However can someone tell us more about it, what the problem was, and what this fix actually did? Thanks.
janne6767
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by janne6767 »

I am getting [0.5910114] Initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed when trying to boot from Linux Mint 20 installation media (DVD or USB drive, both fails).

Linux Mint 19.3 works fine on the same desktop computer.

Janne
CyrilFR
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by CyrilFR »

I had solved the problem by install the initramfs packet with the update manager :|
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smurphos
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by smurphos »

For custom Nemo actions, useful scripts for the Cinnamon desktop, and Cinnamox themes visit my Github pages.
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mint-me
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by mint-me »

For now, I guess its ok to ignore the warning?

Wait for a kernel update?
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by janne6767 »

janne6767 wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 12:18 pm I am getting [0.5910114] Initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed when trying to boot from Linux Mint 20 installation media (DVD or USB drive, both fails).

Linux Mint 19.3 works fine on the same desktop computer.

Janne
Still no success.

Mint 19.3 installation media boots from usb ok. LM 20 installation media boot fails to the error message (Initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed)

I have verified LM20 iso against sha256 sum.

Hardware info
https://jainkila.kapsi.fi/temp/lshw.txt

Janne
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by smurphos »

janne - report this as a bug at https://github.com/linuxmint/linuxmint/issues

This error was raised in the beta, but not as an issue preventing the live iso from booting at all.

I've just doublechecked booting the stable live ISO on both my machines and it boots fine albeit the error does show in journalctl output when run just after booting the live session.

It might be worth you experimenting with a different USB stick or using different USB ports.
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smurphos
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by smurphos »

mint-me wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 5:24 pm For now, I guess its ok to ignore the warning?

Wait for a kernel update?
Well there doesn't seem to be a huge amount developer interest in the upstream bug as yet and it was introduced over 6 months ago. If it's not preventing you booting then I guess don't worry about it. Or apply the tweak outlined in the bug report or as described by Kadaitcha Man a few posts above which returns the compression method to what is was for Mint 19.x, Ubuntu 18.04.
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by mint-me »

thanks for confirmation smurphos :wink:

my bootup is fine, so will leave it as is.
Debian 11 Bullseye Xfce: HP Notebook 15 BS143TU Intel® Core™ i5-8250U, 8GB DDR4 2400Mhz, Intel® UHD Graphics 620, 1366x768 15.6", 1 TB SATA
cool_montes

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by cool_montes »

Hello everybody, in my case I just opened synaptics, looked for lz4, and installed everything it seems to be related to it for me.
Sorry about my English :)
thorsen

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by thorsen »

janne6767 wrote: Tue Jun 30, 2020 2:17 am
janne6767 wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 12:18 pm I am getting [0.5910114] Initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed when trying to boot from Linux Mint 20 installation media (DVD or USB drive, both fails).

Linux Mint 19.3 works fine on the same desktop computer.

Janne
Still no success.

Mint 19.3 installation media boots from usb ok. LM 20 installation media boot fails to the error message (Initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed)

I have verified LM20 iso against sha256 sum.

Hardware info
https://jainkila.kapsi.fi/temp/lshw.txt

Janne
Any advance with that? I have the exact same problem. Thought was something related to hardware so I have updated BIOS but, even so, installation is not running.
I've tried same USB with other laptop and no problem at all
S3NTYN3L
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by S3NTYN3L »

Kadaitcha Man wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:35 am Change COMPRESS=lz4 to COMPRESS=gzip
Thank you!
Moonstone Man
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by Moonstone Man »

S3NTYN3L wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 10:47 pm
Kadaitcha Man wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:35 am Change COMPRESS=lz4 to COMPRESS=gzip
Thank you!
No worries. Glad it helped.
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by smurphos »

Interestingly I don't get this bug on my hardware with the new default lz4. No idea why not, I'd assumed it was universal given the number of people who'd noted it.
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N0HAM

Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by N0HAM »

Mint 20 on a Mac Air, upgraded from latest Mint 19 version a week ago, Running as Mint 20 only, removed Mac OS years ago.

This morning laptop started acting wanky in the browser and links would not execute on clicks and was asking me to log into things that should have already been signed into.

Decided to do a reboot and..... initramfs unpacking failed

I tried everything mentioned in this post. I could get to grub and a few other very limited command/menu areas, but calls were very limited. No matter what I did, after a reboot everything was back to the way before I made the changes.

Wound up booting from Mint 20 install USB. Tried to make the changes and after reboot, same thing, no matter what I did, no change were actually written to the drive just like before booting from USB.

The question I have to ask, is Mint 20 Stable?

Should I still change the compression method for initramfs?

When the laptop boots, the first few screens flash quickly with garbage on them, as it did before the crash. In Mint 19 the screen were readable but too fast for me to read them.
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mandoman
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by mandoman »

Instructions to correct problem by Kadaitcha Man worked for my Inspiron.
What was that code again?
guythp
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by guythp »

Kadaitcha Man wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:35 am
CyrilFR wrote: Mon Jun 29, 2020 3:29 am

Code: Select all

initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed
Paste this into a terminal:

Code: Select all

xed admin:///etc/initramfs-tools/initramfs.conf
Change COMPRESS=lz4 to COMPRESS=gzip

Save the changes then:

Code: Select all

sudo update-initramfs -u
and reboot.
Thank you; I noticed this error message popping up after I recently upgraded my laptop from 19.3 to 20. I don't know what the error meant but the fact that there was one irritated me even though there seemed to be no effect from it other than the error message. So thank you again. :)

(and thanks to the OP for allowing my search to find this post)
Cenuel
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Re: initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

Post by Cenuel »

Does this specific error message come up twice during boot for anyone else? I got the error message immediately at the beginning of the boot process, and then it would proceed a bit and flash an error (possibly the identical error, possibly something else) so quickly I can't quite read what it's saying closer to the end of the boot process. I followed the instructions given by Kadaitcha Man in post two, and the initial message is gone but I still see a flash of illegible error message at the second point it displayed. I am not noticing any issues beyond the display of the message in and of itself so far.
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