If you’ve recently upgraded to Ubuntu 20.04 and are experiencing a boot freeze at the “Loading initial Ramdisk” stage, this article will guide you through the steps to resolve this issue. We will explore several solutions, including editing the GRUB configuration file, updating your BIOS firmware, and adjusting CPU cores.
To fix the "Loading initial Ramdisk" freeze during dual-boot on Ubuntu 20.04, you can try editing the GRUB configuration file, updating your BIOS firmware, checking for Intel drivers, or adjusting CPU cores.
Understanding the Issue
Before we proceed, it’s important to understand what’s happening. The “Loading initial Ramdisk” message appears during the boot process when the system loads the initial ramdisk (initrd) into memory. Initrd is a scheme for loading a temporary root file system into memory in the boot process. If your system freezes at this stage, it suggests a problem with loading the initial ramdisk.
Solution 1: Editing the GRUB Configuration File
One of the most common solutions to this issue involves editing the /etc/default/grub file. Here’s how to do it:
- Boot your system in safe mode or command line.
- Open the grub file with the command:
sudo nano /etc/default/grub - Find the line that reads:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash" - Replace it with:
GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="dis_ucode_ldr" - Save the changes and exit the editor.
- Update GRUB with the command:
sudo update-grub - Reboot your system.
The dis_ucode_ldr parameter disables the loading of the updated CPU microcode at boot time, which has been reported to fix the issue in some cases.
Solution 2: Updating Your BIOS Firmware
Updating your BIOS firmware can also help resolve the problem. The specific steps to do this vary depending on your system’s manufacturer, so refer to your manufacturer’s official documentation for instructions.
Solution 3: Checking for Intel Drivers
If you’re using an Intel CPU, you should check the availability of Intel drivers for Ubuntu 20.04. You can check the official Ubuntu Launchpad page for the intel-microcode package or use the terminal command apt-cache show intel-microcode | grep Version to check for the latest stable version available.
Solution 4: Adjusting CPU Cores
Some users have reported that increasing the number of CPU cores from 1 to 4 helped resolve a similar boot issue. You can adjust the number of CPU cores in your BIOS settings if applicable. Again, refer to your manufacturer’s official documentation for instructions.
Conclusion
The “Loading initial Ramdisk” freeze during dual-boot on Ubuntu 20.04 can be a frustrating issue to deal with. However, by following the solutions provided in this article, you should be able to get your system up and running again. Remember to always back up your data before making any significant changes to your system. If you’re still experiencing issues, consider seeking help from the Ubuntu community or a professional.
If editing the GRUB configuration file doesn’t resolve the issue, you can try updating your BIOS firmware or checking for Intel drivers as mentioned in solutions 2 and 3 respectively. If none of these solutions work, you may need to seek help from the Ubuntu community or a professional for further assistance.
Yes, you can revert the changes made to the GRUB configuration file. Simply open the file again with the command sudo nano /etc/default/grub, replace GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="dis_ucode_ldr" with GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet splash", save the changes, and update GRUB with sudo update-grub. This will revert the changes and you can reboot your system.
Updating your BIOS firmware is not always necessary, but it can help resolve the issue in some cases. It is recommended to update your BIOS firmware if you have exhausted other solutions and are still experiencing the freeze. However, make sure to follow the instructions provided by your system’s manufacturer and proceed with caution, as updating the BIOS carries a small risk.
You can check the number of CPU cores in your system by opening the terminal and running the command nproc. This will display the number of CPU cores available on your system.
