[SOLVED] initramfs unpacking failed: Decoding failed

[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

[Kadaitcha Man]

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.

[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]

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]

I had solved the problem by install the initramfs packet with the update manager

[smurphos]

Known upstream bug - https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+sour ... ug/1835660
https://github.com/linuxmint/mint20-beta/issues/90

[mint-me]

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

Wait for a kernel update?

[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

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

[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.

[smurphos]

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.

[mint-me]

thanks for confirmation smurphos

my bootup is fine, so will leave it as is.

[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]

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]

Change COMPRESS=lz4 to COMPRESS=gzip

Thank you!

[Kadaitcha Man]

Change COMPRESS=lz4 to COMPRESS=gzip

Thank you!

No worries. Glad it helped.

[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.

[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.

[mandoman]

Instructions to correct problem by Kadaitcha Man worked for my Inspiron.

[guythp]

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]

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.