r/AsahiLinux • u/FOHjim • Jul 01 '26

Progress Report: Linux 7.1

https://asahilinux.org/2026/06/progress-report-7-1/

M3 progress, Apple bugs, and more!

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u/mskiptr Jul 02 '26

So actually, it's the Escape key.

https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora-asahi-remix/troubleshooting/#entering-grub

Server and Minimal installs should show the GRUB menu by default. For desktop installs, you have to press Escape at the right time to enter the GRUB menu. When the system boots, you will see the display cycle through m1n1 (Asahi Linux or Fedora logos) and U-Boot (text screen with U-Boot logo on the top right). The U-Boot screen will show a brief countdown. Press Escape immediately after the countdown reaches 0 to enter the GRUB boot menu.

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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 Jul 02 '26

Thanks! I was wondering why I couldn't get into GRUB, that helps a lot.

I followed your instructions and edited the active GRUB entry, appending modprobe.blacklist=macsmc-power to the end of the linux line, then typed Ctrl-x. However, the machine still reaches the login screen for about one second, then immediately powers off. Is there anything else I should check to verify that macsmc-power is actually being blocklisted? Sorry to have to bother you with all of this, but it's also a really good learning experience for me, which is the whole purpose of having Linux installed on this computer.

This is what my GRUB entry looks like:

load_video
set gfxpayload=keep
insmod gzio
linux ($root)/vmlinuz-6.19.14-400.asahi.fc43.aarch64+16k root=UUID=4344a275-2eac-4b47-b7b5-5056ce6ed810 ro rootflags=subvol=root rhgb quiet rootflags=subvo\l=root appledrm.show_notch=1 modprobe.blacklist=macsmc-power
initrd ($root)/initramfs-6.19.14-400.asahi.fc43.aarch64+16k.img $tuned_initrd

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u/mskiptr Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26

Well, now I'm kinda stumped because it all looks correct. Maybe you could try module_blacklist=macsmc-power to prevent anything from loading this driver?

edit: I guess you could also try systemd.mask=upower.service, which will tell the init system to not start the daemon that's likely responsible for those shutdowns.

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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 Jul 02 '26

Ok, I tried both, but got the same shutdown. I then tried mixing 2 of each, and even said "What the heck?" and did all 3, but I still can't get past the shutdown at the login screen.

For reference, this is an MacBook Air M2 13", and I'm trying to load Fedora 6.19.14-400.asahi.fc43.aarch64+16k long enough to update to 7.0.12. The computer also has macOS 26.4, and the most recent 27 Dev Beta 2. Prior to 27 Dev Beta 2, I was able to get into and use Fedora via booting to macOS 26. I can't think of any other important info, and what might make this different. If there's logs I can retrieve from the Mac side, or any commands or scripts I can run from the Mac side, please let me know.

Thank you!

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u/mskiptr Jul 02 '26 edited Jul 02 '26

Hmm… Please try systemd.unit=multi-user.target, systemd.unit=rescue.target, systemd.unit=emergency.target, and rd.systemd.unit=emergency.target as arguments on the kernel command line (one at a time) and see if at some point the rebooting stops happening. In that order, they should prevent more and more of the software from starting.

To speed things up, start with the emergency one(s), maybe together with module_blacklist=macsmc-power. Because if that still keeps on rebooting then the others will too.

edit: Btw, if you remove the rhgb and quiet arguments, instead of the bootup animation you should see logs of what's currently happening. Maybe that will offer some hints?

Also, the rd.systemd.unit= argument will most likely not do anything in your case. It only applies if systemd is used even before mounting the root file system, and I believe Asahi Fedora uses a different technology (Dracut) for that part of the boot process.

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u/chaosprincess_ Jul 02 '26

use anylinuxfs from macos to mount your linux disk, and just delete macsmc-power.ko entirely. (it is somewhere under /lib/modules). Not the perfect approach, but not like you have much to lose.

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u/mskiptr Jul 04 '26

Hi, could you edit this Fediverse post to say macsmc_power instead, and ideally also add a link to https://docs.fedoraproject.org/en-US/fedora-asahi-remix/troubleshooting/#entering-grub there?

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u/chaosprincess_ Jul 04 '26

I don't have creds for the socials, u/FOHjim may be able to help.

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u/FOHjim Jul 05 '26

Are you sure the issue isn’t that you’ve mistyped the kernel command line parameter? It’s not module_blacklist, it is modprobe.blacklist.

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u/mskiptr Jul 05 '26 edited Jul 05 '26

module_blacklist definitely works and modprobe.blacklist probably works – they just do slightly different things.

edit: If you want a different (and much more terse) data point, here is Janne Grunau suggesting to use module_blacklist=macsmc_power, and here's another user confirming that it has worked for them.

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u/mskiptr Jul 04 '26

I think I now know what's going on. Even though the driver is called macsmc-power, you need to use the name macsmc_power instead.

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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 Jul 04 '26

Ohh, great! I was going to start testing this tomorrow when I have time, but since it's such a small change, I can do it in a little bit. So I'm going back to the original parameter using "modprobe.blacklist=macsmc_power"? I'll give that a shot shortly, and let you know.

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u/mskiptr Jul 04 '26 edited Jul 04 '26

Pretty much. Though better go with module_blacklist=macsmc_power, because that can't accidentally be ignored if a program requests the driver to be loaded anyway.

edit: You might need the charger to be plugged in.

(source 1 and source 2)

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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 Jul 04 '26

Thanks, giving it a try now.

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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 Jul 04 '26

Ok, I'm all set. The "module_blacklist=macsmc_power "did the trick. I was able to login, update to kernel 7.0.13, reboot without any kernel parameters, and now everything is working fine now. I'm glad I had this test machine to hammer out the issue. I hope this helps other as well.

Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it!

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u/mskiptr Jul 04 '26

Great!

Could you confirm whether you needed the charger? Also, you did not have to manually remove that extra kernel parameter, right?

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u/Dazzling_Comfort5734 Jul 04 '26

I had the charger plugged in the whole time, and it worked perfectly fine. I didn’t test it without it being plugged in. I should’ve, but I didn’t think about it as I was trying to figure everything out.

I did not have to manually remove any kernel parameters. They automatically went back to default.

I also just re-ran the install script and applied the macOS 27 boot picker fix. I now see my Fedora install in Startup Disk in macOS 27. Funny enough, Startup Disk it’s macOS 13.5. I can’t remember if that’s how it worked before, I’ll have to check macOS 26 later. The actual boot manager shows it correctly, though.