Booting Issues

[molino]

I had also exactly these problems. update, then bootloop and no files to downgrade under /var/cache/apt/archives/.
Even if the PineNote hangs in  bootloop, it is possible, at least for me, to log in via ssh!
It was not necessary to use the UART dongle.
I downloaded the file mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb here

Code:

wget https://ftp.rz.uni-wuerzburg.de/debian/pool/main/m/mutter/mutter-common_47.1-4_all.deb

and pasted it into

Code:

sudo mv mutter-common_47.1-4_all.de /var/cache/apt/archives/

.
Then

Code:

sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb

and the PineNote immediately switched to desktop mode.
It worked for me. Hope for others too.

[Badgery]

I had this same problem, after doing an update a few days again I was stuck in 'booting....' loop so I followed these steps to get it working.
1. based of these instructions https://pine64.org/documentation/PineNot...ment/UART/  from a linux machine install

Code:

sudo aptitude install minicom

2. Connect to UART dongle to PineNote  (orientation matters, chips facing up) connect the other to a linux machine then:

Code:

minicom -D /dev/ttyUSB0 -b 1500000

This will open up the minicom terminal, then power on the PineNote and you will see the de-bugging appear in the terminal 

3. Login with the username and password via the minicom terminal in your linux machine and downgrade the package by:

Code:

sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb

Thanks to shom (or whoever figured this out) on the PineNote Matrix channel

A second thank you - I had worked out the problem was with mutter, but not how to fix it.

I decided to take the Note out and give it another try after no success. Getting the same message about mutter

dpkg: error: cannot access archive '/var/cache/apt/archives/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb': No such file or directory

try this first 

Code:

wget https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian-ports/20250302T203536Z/pool/main/m/mutter/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb

then repeat 

Code:

sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb

[franzthiemann]

Unfortunatly, I did not read these posts before updating and tried fixing it myself.

I removed gdm3 and now I can not reinstall it, since the dependencies are broken.

Code:

user@pinenote:~$ sudo apt install gdm3                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     
Solving dependencies... Error! 
Some packages could not be installed. This may mean that you have
requested an impossible situa are using the unstable
distribution that some required package been created
or been moved out of Incoming.
The following information may help to resolve theies:
gnome-shell : Depends: gir1.2-mutter-15 (>= 47.0) but it is not installable
            ut it is not installable
               Recommends: bolt but it is not going to be installed
r-connector but it is not going to be installed
               Recommends: gnome-remote-desktop
               Recommends: ibus but it is not going to be installed
               Recommends to be installed
               Recommends: switcheroo-control but it is not going to be instalError: Unable to correct problems, you have held broken packages.
Errn from --solver 3.0 may provide additional context:
   Unable to satisfy dependencies. Reached e-shell:arm64=47.2-1+pn1 is selected for install because:
      1. gdm3:arm64=48.0-1 is selecteends gnome-shell (>= 3.37.90)
      3. gnome-shell:arm64 is available in versions 47.2-1+pn1, 4l:arm64]
      For context, additional choices that could not be installed:
      * In gnome-s.2-1+pn1, 48.0-1:
        - gnome-shell:arm64=48.0-1 is not selected for install
   2. gnome-sutter-15 (>= 47.0)
      but none of the choices are installable:
      [no choices]

Does anyone has and Idea how to restore my pinenote back to working order?

[yetiinabox]

Folks,

So we've worked out that the workaround to the problem is to downgrade mutter-common - this problem recurs every single time I upgrade using apt, and I've rescued the PineNote (over SSH, which is much easier than using the UART) with the downgrade several times now.

I don't have access to the PineNote Matrix channel - is there any further discussion there of what the underlying problem might be? I gather the automatic upgrade is falling foul of the warnings about patched software at pinenote.mweigand.net. If the stock debian mutter-common (see below) works, then obviously it wasn't patched - so what's breaking?

Many thanks all.




I'm keeping the tail on this email as it is the answer people will come looking for:



try this first 

Code:

wget https://snapshot.debian.org/archive/debian-ports/20250302T203536Z/pool/main/m/mutter/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb

then repeat 

Code:

sudo dpkg -i /var/cache/apt/archives/mutter-common_47.4-1_all.deb

[molino]

After the workaround with downgrade of the mother-common worked for a while,
it doesn't seem to work anymore. After an upgrade followed by an downgrade
I am still stuck in the bootloop.
This also happens when reflashing the system to Debian Trixie - 2025.1.
After the first upgrade bootloop again and downgrade of the mother-common does not
help anymore. I don't read anything about it in any forum. It doesn't seem to be a
problem. Am I the only one with this? Not an issue in the last April Community Update either. For me is the PN at the moment not to use. The only option is to reflash and use it without upgrading. Does anyone have an idea?

[molino]

I have found a solution. On the page 
https://github.com/PNDeb/pinenote-debian...issues/119 . 
Solution 1 removes the error messages in journalctl, but does not fix the boot problem.
Solution 2 then also fixes the boot problem, without any downgrade.

from: matthewglane
When you installed updates on your system, did you have any packages being held back? I ask because your solution alone didn't fix the refreshing Booting... image for me. I was getting the same error messages in my journalctl, and following your procedure did get rid of those messages, but the refreshing Booting... image wasn't fixed until I force updated the packages that were being held back by using sudo apt full-upgrade.

I always just did an apt upgrade.
This was the solution

[Sterling]

Running sudo apt full-upgrade worked to fix my boot issue.

After first setting up the Pinenote, I tried installing updates from Gnome software, but each time it restarted, none of the updates applied. So I tried sudo apt-upgrade, which seemed to run successfully, but after rebooting, the "Booting..." screen would just flash.

I was able to access the shell from my Mac by:

1. Connecting the Pinenote to my Mac with the UART connector.
   
2. Using tio to connect to the Pinenote. 
   
   Code:

   tio --baudrate 1500000 /dev/tty.usbserial-10
3. Restarted the Pinenote and entered into os1.
   
4. The Pinenote's shell appeared in tio, even though the Pinenote screen kept flashing "Booting...". I was able to sign in with the default passwords.
   
5. (Tried the mutter downgrade recommended above, but it didn't seem to make a difference)
   
6. Ran the full upgrade
   
   Code:

   sudo apt full-upgrade
7. Restarted the Pinenote, and it successfully booted into os1!
   

Still having some other issues, but happy to have Gnome back up and running.

[Vince]

I have found a solution. On the page 
https://github.com/PNDeb/pinenote-debian...issues/119 . 
Solution 1 removes the error messages in journalctl, but does not fix the boot problem.
Solution 2 then also fixes the boot problem, without any downgrade.

from: matthewglane
When you installed updates on your system, did you have any packages being held back? I ask because your solution alone didn't fix the refreshing Booting... image for me. I was getting the same error messages in my journalctl, and following your procedure did get rid of those messages, but the refreshing Booting... image wasn't fixed until I force updated the packages that were being held back by using sudo apt full-upgrade.

I always just did an apt upgrade.
This was the solution

Thanks, just to say this resolved my booting error as well thanks guys!