I recently joined the 2XKO closed beta and wanted to try it out on my dual-boot system, which runs both Windows 10 and CachyOS. After enjoying some gaming on Windows, I shut down my PC, but the next day when I tried to boot into CachyOS, I was met with a frustrating error message:
Loading Linux linux-cachyos
error: file '@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-cachyos' not found.
Loading initial ramdisk...
error: you need to load the kernel first.
I suspect this issue arose because Windows updated itself shortly before I turned off my computer, and I'm aware that this can be a common problem. However, I'm stuck and unable to fix it. I need guidance on how to resolve this step by step, so I can do it correctly. Any help would be genuinely appreciated!
5 Answers
In addition to using rescue media, make sure to hold down SHIFT when shutting down Windows. This prevents it from doing a fast boot, which can also mess with your dual-boot setup. Also, check your BIOS settings to ensure that your Linux drive is prioritized over Windows, especially when you're looking to boot into Linux.
It seems like you're dealing with a kernel issue, possibly from an interrupted update on the Linux side. When you boot into a live USB, check if the kernel file is really missing. Keeping a live USB handy is crucial for troubleshooting and recovering from situations like this.
For future reference, when installing Linux, always manually partition the disk. Sharing an EFI partition between Windows and Linux can lead to problems during Windows updates that mess up GRUB. It's just one of those things you learn the hard way!
Booting with a rescue media and reinstalling GRUB should be your first step. This often resolves issues like yours where the system can't find the kernel due to a GRUB issue. Once you do that, you should be able to boot back into CachyOS without a hitch.
I think I’ve checked all around my root partition, but it looks like my kernel is completely missing. How do I go about recovering or reinstalling it?