systemd no longer starts; sysV still ok [Solved]

[quackser]

I am a one-month +/- user of MX-Linux. I am running nginx to host my own website. Initially I used systemd and liked it. Following some unknown combination of circumstances including a system lockup that required a power-button restart, systemd no longer works, though sysV still does. I would like to have systemd back, though I realize I don't actually NEED it. My wading around in config files and manuals has not led to a solution.
When I try to boot into systemd, I get 2 failures: Nginx and Samba services fail to start. These failures may be preventing systemd from coming up, however I have disabled both (I think) and though I no longer get the failure messages, systemd still doesn't come up - a cursor in the upper left corner of the screen is the final resting place for the attempt.
My last try to fix things was to reinstall systemd and systemd-shim ... no apparent change.

This is not urgent. My website is a hobby, not a business, and I'm running on antique hardware. This is the Quick System Info:

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Snapshot created on:
System:
  Kernel: 6.1.0-10-amd64 [6.1.38-2] arch: x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 12.2.0
    parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-6.1.0-10-amd64 root=UUID=<filter> ro splash quiet
  Desktop: KDE Plasma v: 5.27.5 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 7 dm: SDDM Distro: MX-23.1_KDE_x64 Libretto
    July 31 2023 base: Debian GNU/Linux 12 (bookworm)
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: HP Pavilion 061 product: RJ181AA-ABA a1600n v: 0nx1114RE101NODM300
    serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: ASUSTek model: NODUSM3 v: 1.05 serial: <superuser required> BIOS: Phoenix v: 3.07
    date: 08/02/2006
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_1 model: Logitech Wireless Keyboard serial: <filter>
    charge: 50% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes status: N/A
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+ bits: 64 type: MCP arch: K8 level: v1 built: 2004-06
    process: AMD 90nm family: 0xF (15) model-id: 0x4B (75) stepping: 2 microcode: N/A
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 2 smt: <unsupported> cache: L1: 256 KiB desc: d-2x64 KiB; i-2x64 KiB
    L2: 1024 KiB desc: 2x512 KiB
  Speed (MHz): avg: 1000 min/max: 1000/2000 scaling: driver: powernow-k8 governor: ondemand
    cores: 1: 1000 2: 1000 bogomips: 8016
  Flags: ht lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 svm
  Vulnerabilities:
  Type: itlb_multihit status: Not affected
  Type: l1tf status: Not affected
  Type: mds status: Not affected
  Type: meltdown status: Not affected
  Type: mmio_stale_data status: Not affected
  Type: retbleed status: Not affected
  Type: spec_store_bypass status: Not affected
  Type: spectre_v1 mitigation: usercopy/swapgs barriers and __user pointer sanitization
  Type: spectre_v2 mitigation: Retpolines, STIBP: disabled, RSB filling, PBRSB-eIBRS: Not
    affected
  Type: srbds status: Not affected
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected
Graphics:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK208B [GeForce GT 710] vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: nvidia v: 470.223.02
    non-free: series: 470.xx+ status: legacy-active (EOL~2023/24) arch: Fermi 2 code: GF119/GK208
    process: TSMC 28nm built: 2010-16 pcie: gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 8 bus-ID: 02:00.0
    chip-ID: 10de:128b class-ID: 0300
  Display: x11 server: X.Org v: 1.21.1.7 with: Xwayland v: 22.1.9 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: X:
    loaded: nvidia gpu: nvidia display-ID: :0 screens: 1
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 1280x1024 s-dpi: 85 s-size: 382x302mm (15.04x11.89") s-diag: 487mm (19.17")
  Monitor-1: VGA-0 res: 1280x1024 hz: 60 dpi: 86 size: 376x301mm (14.8x11.85")
    diag: 482mm (18.96") modes: N/A
  API: OpenGL v: 4.6.0 NVIDIA 470.223.02 renderer: NVIDIA GeForce GT 710/PCIe/SSE2
    direct-render: Yes
Audio:
  Device-1: NVIDIA GK208 HDMI/DP Audio vendor: Micro-Star MSI driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel pcie:
    gen: 1 speed: 2.5 GT/s lanes: 8 bus-ID: 02:00.1 chip-ID: 10de:0e0f class-ID: 0403
  API: ALSA v: k6.1.0-10-amd64 status: kernel-api tools: alsamixer,amixer
  Server-1: PipeWire v: 1.0.0 status: active with: 1: pipewire-pulse status: active
    2: wireplumber status: active 3: pipewire-alsa type: plugin 4: pw-jack type: plugin
    tools: pactl,pw-cat,pw-cli,wpctl
Network:
  Device-1: NVIDIA MCP51 Ethernet vendor: Hewlett-Packard Pavilion a1677c type: network bridge
    driver: forcedeth v: kernel port: c800 bus-ID: 00:14.0 chip-ID: 10de:0269 class-ID: 0680
  IF: eth0 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter>
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 298.09 GiB used: 24.61 GiB (8.3%)
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required.
  ID-1: /dev/sda maj-min: 8:0 vendor: Western Digital model: WD3200LPVX-75V0TT0 size: 298.09 GiB
    block-size: physical: 4096 B logical: 512 B speed: 1.5 Gb/s type: HDD rpm: 5400 serial: <filter>
    rev: 1A01 scheme: MBR
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 223.57 GiB size: 219 GiB (97.96%) used: 14.44 GiB (6.6%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda1 maj-min: 8:1
  ID-2: /home raw-size: 74.52 GiB size: 72.8 GiB (97.69%) used: 10.17 GiB (14.0%) fs: ext4
    dev: /dev/sda2 maj-min: 8:2
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 15 (default 60) cache-pressure: 100 (default)
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 1024 MiB used: 456.3 MiB (44.6%) priority: -2 file: /swap/swap
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 34.0 C mobo: N/A gpu: nvidia temp: 44 C
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A gpu: nvidia fan: 50%
Repos:
  Packages: pm: dpkg pkgs: 2616 libs: 1455 tools: apt,apt-get,aptitude,nala pm: rpm pkgs: 0
    pm: flatpak pkgs: 0
  No active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian-stable-updates.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm-updates main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/debian.list
    1: deb http://deb.debian.org/debian bookworm main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
    2: deb http://security.debian.org/debian-security bookworm-security main contrib non-free non-free-firmware
  Active apt repos in: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/mx.list
    1: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm main non-free
    2: deb http://mxrepo.com/mx/repo/ bookworm ahs
Info:
  Processes: 209 Uptime: 5d 20m wakeups: 21 Memory: 1.92 GiB used: 1.37 GiB (71.2%) Init: SysVinit
  v: 3.06 runlevel: 5 default: graphical tool: systemctl Compilers: gcc: 12.2.0 alt: 12
  Client: shell wrapper v: 5.2.15-release inxi: 3.3.26
Boot Mode: BIOS (legacy, CSM, MBR)

[quackser]

I poked into the system journal and found my most recent attempt to boot systemd (today).
There are many messages saying (in effect) cannot write file, readonly filesystem.
Does this point to any path to a solution?

Also: once systemd has failed to boot and the system is apparently idle, Alt-F2 opens a CLI session. "/" is available, but "/home" is not mounted.
I think it should be, but I am such a novice I'm not sure.

Thanks...

[j2mcgreg]

Given that your computer is eighteen years old, I think that you should use MXPI to install the Antix 5.10 kernel.Once that is complete, use Boot Options in MX Tools to make it the new default boot choice and then reboot. I'm thinking that the 6.10 kernel you are currently using is just too new for your rig.

[quackser]

Switching kernels is a valid possibility, however, I would like to mention that systemd and sysV both worked with the current kernel a few weeks ago.
It was only after a power cycle without proper shutdown that the problem surfaced.
Also, I have discovered that there was bad RAM in the system (previously it had 4GB, but I've since removed 2GB because I was having a lot of problems.)
The bad memory likely caused the system hangup that required the rude restart.
Because systemd worked previously with my setup, I would prefer to get it working with the current kernel.
However, I am so naive when it comes to this system that I really don't know what drawbacks there may be to switching to antiX - which I thought was the underpinnings for MX anyway; I need a diagram... Debian is in there somewhere, I don't know kernels one from another.

So: back to switching kernels, and my ignorance: is it possible to install the antiX kernel and retain the possibility to use the kernel I have now?

The bottom line is: so long as whatever kernel works with nginx I can live with it. This is my web server, and not more.

Thanks.

[quackser]

@j2mcgreg i want to say that i recognize and acknowledge your "time in grade" and expect your opinion is as expert as I'm likely to get.

I've just had a look at MXPI for antix related things; everything except keyring is already installed but probably not the 5.1 version you recommended.
I hate to ask ignorant questions but being ignorant requires it: how do I install the version you suggest?

Thanks.

[edit]I have found the antix 5.1 under "Popular" (was looking in Enabled Repos). I would like reassurance that I can switch back if I need to. Can do?[/edit]

[dolphin_oracle]

One thing I always check when systemd misbehaves is whether there are any invalid entries in /etc/fstab.

[j2mcgreg]

@quackser wrote:

]I have found the antix 5.1 under "Popular" (was looking in Enabled Repos). I would like reassurance that I can switch back if I need to. Can do?

Boot Options and a reboot will take care of that for you.

[Charlie Brown]

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sudo apt update ; sudo apt reinstall libpam-systemd libsystemd-shared libsystemd0 systemd-shim systemd -y

Reboot

Edit: Ah, you already did that for two, the other three should also be pulled automatically, however still nothing to lose.

[quackser]

Well.
I installed antiX 5.10 kernel and tried booting to systemd under it. Behavior is the same as before: Nginx.serv fails to start and that's the end of screen output; Alt-F2 still takes me to a CLI but there is nothing mounted to /home, and everything appears to be readonly.
@j2mcgreg ... Have you another idea? Thanks.

[j2mcgreg]

Well.
I installed antiX 5.10 kernel and tried booting to systemd under it. Behavior is the same as before: Nginx.serv fails to start and that's the end of screen output; Alt-F2 still takes me to a CLI but there is nothing mounted to /home, and everything appears to be readonly.
@j2mcgreg ... Have you another idea? Thanks.

Try @Charlie Brown 's suggestion in post #8.