[Plymouth](http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Software/Plymouth) is a project from Fedora providing a flicker-free graphical boot process. It relies on [kernel mode setting](/index.php/Kernel_mode_setting "Kernel mode setting") (KMS) to set the native resolution of the display as early as possible, then provides an eye-candy splash screen leading all the way up to the login manager. ## Contents * [1 Preparation](#Preparation) * [2 Installation](#Installation) * [2.1 The plymouth hook](#The_plymouth_hook) * [2.2 Alternative plymouth hook (systemd)](#Alternative_plymouth_hook_.28systemd.29) * [2.3 The kernel command line](#The_kernel_command_line) * [3 Configuration](#Configuration) * [3.1 Smooth transition](#Smooth_transition) * [3.2 Show Delay](#Show_Delay) * [3.3 Changing the Theme](#Changing_the_Theme) * [4 Tips and tricks](#Tips_and_tricks) * [4.1 Show kernel messages](#Show_kernel_messages) * [4.2 Replacing the Arch Logo and creating custom themes](#Replacing_the_Arch_Logo_and_creating_custom_themes) * [5 See also](#See_also) ## Preparation Plymouth primarily uses [KMS](/index.php/KMS "KMS") (Kernel Mode Setting) to display graphics. If you can't use KMS (e.g. because you are using a proprietary driver) you will need to use [framebuffer](/index.php/Framebuffer#Framebuffer_Resolution "Framebuffer") instead. In EFI/UEFI systems, plymouth can utilize the EFI framebuffer, otherwise [Uvesafb](/index.php/Uvesafb "Uvesafb") is recommended as it can function with widescreen resolutions. If you have neither KMS nor a framebuffer, Plymouth will fall back to text-mode. ## Installation Plymouth is available from the [AUR](/index.php/AUR "AUR"): the stable package is [plymouth](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/plymouth/) and the development version is [plymouth-git](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/plymouth-git/). If you also use [GDM](/index.php/GDM "GDM"), you should install the [gdm-plymouth](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/gdm-plymouth/), which compiles gdm with plymouth support. If you don't see Plymouth Splash Screen or it does not work after setting everything up. Uninstall [plymouth](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/plymouth/) and install [plymouth-legacy](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/plymouth-legacy/) to get Plymouth to work. ### The plymouth hook Add `plymouth` to the HOOKS array in [mkinitcpio.conf](/index.php/Mkinitcpio.conf "Mkinitcpio.conf"). It **must** be added **after** `base` and `udev` for it to work: `/etc/mkinitcpio.conf` `HOOKS="base udev plymouth [...] "` **Warning:** * If you use [hard drive encryption](/index.php/System_Encryption_with_LUKS_for_dm-crypt "System Encryption with LUKS for dm-crypt") with the `encrypt` hook, you **must** replace the `encrypt` hook with `plymouth-encrypt` in order to get to the TTY password prompts. * Using PARTUUID or PARTLABEL in `cryptdevice=` parameter does **not** work with `plymouth-encrypt` hook. * For a [ZFS encrypted root](/index.php/Installing_Arch_Linux_on_ZFS#Native_encryption "Installing Arch Linux on ZFS"), you **must** install [plymouth-zfs](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/plymouth-zfs/) and replace `zfs` hook with `plymouth-zfs` After adding the `plymouth-encrypt` hook, if input goes to the background in plaintext instead of into the password prompt you need to add your (kernel) graphics driver to your initramfs. For example, if using intel: `/etc/mkinitcpio.conf` `MODULES="i915 [...]"` This might also be a step needed for some themes to work. ### Alternative plymouth hook (systemd) If your [mkinitcpio.conf](/index.php/Mkinitcpio.conf "Mkinitcpio.conf") includes the `systemd` hook, then replace `plymouth` with `sd-plymouth`. Additionally, if using hard drive encryption, use `sd-encrypt` instead of `encrypt` or `plymouth-encrypt`: `/etc/mkinitcpio.conf` `HOOKS="base systemd sd-plymouth [...] sd-encrypt [...]"` ### The kernel command line You now need to set the `quiet splash` [kernel parameters](/index.php/Kernel_parameters "Kernel parameters"). See [Silent boot](/index.php/Silent_boot "Silent boot") for other parameters to limit the output to the console. Rebuild your initrd image (see [mkinitcpio](/index.php/Mkinitcpio "Mkinitcpio") article for details), for example: ``` # mkinitcpio -p linux ``` ## Configuration ### Smooth transition To enable *smooth transition* (if supported) you have to: 1. Disable your [Display manager](/index.php/Display_manager "Display manager") Unit, e.g. `systemctl disable gdm.service` 2. Enable the respective DM-plymouth Unit (GDM, LXDM, SLiM, LightDM, SDDM units provided), e.g. `systemctl enable gdm-plymouth.service` ### Show Delay Plymouth has a configuration option to delay the splash screen: `/etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf` ``` [Daemon] Theme=spinner ShowDelay=5 ``` On systems that boot quickly, you may only see a flicker of your splash theme before your DM or login prompt is ready. You can set ShowDelay to an interval (in seconds) longer than your boot time to prevent this flicker and only show a blank screen. The default is 5 seconds, but you may wish to change this to a lower value to see your splash earlier during boot. ### Changing the Theme Plymouth comes with a selection of themes: 1. **Fade-in**: "Simple theme that fades in and out with shimmering stars" 2. **Glow**: "Corporate theme with pie chart boot progress followed by a glowing emerging logo" 3. **Script**: "Script example plugin" (Despite the description seems to be a quite nice Arch logo theme) 4. **Solar**: "Space theme with violent flaring blue star" 5. **Spinner**: "Simple theme with a loading spinner" 6. **Spinfinity**: "Simple theme that shows a rotating infinity sign in the center of the screen" 7. *(**Text**: "Text mode theme with tricolor progress bar")* 8. *(**Details**: "Verbose fallback theme")* In addition you can install other themes from [AUR](/index.php/AUR "AUR"), just have a look at the "Required by"-Array on [plymouth](https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/plymouth/). All currently installed themes can be listed by using this command: ``` $ plymouth-set-default-theme -l ``` or: `$ ls /usr/share/plymouth/themes` ``` details glow solar spinner tribar fade-in script spinfinity text ``` By default, the **spinner** theme is selected. The theme can be changed by editing `/etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf`, for example: `/etc/plymouth/plymouthd.conf` ``` [Daemon] Theme=spinner ShowDelay=5 ``` Themes can be previewed without rebuilding, press `Ctrl+Alt+F2` to change to console, log in as root and type: ``` # plymouthd # plymouth --show-splash ``` To quit the preview, press `Ctrl+Alt+F2` again and type: ``` # plymouth --quit ``` Every time a theme is changed, the kernel image must be rebuilt: ``` # plymouth-set-default-theme -R ``` Reboot to apply the changes. ## Tips and tricks #### Show kernel messages During boot you can switch to kernel messages by pressing "Home" (or "Escape") key. ### Replacing the Arch Logo and creating custom themes The following themes use the Arch Linux logo supplied by Plymouth in `/usr/share/plymouth/arch-logo.png`: fade-in, script, solar, spinfinity. If you want to use another logo, you can take one of them or one of the plymouth themes in [AUR](/index.php/AUR "AUR"), edit the file `*.plymouth` (and maybe `*.script`, too) and replace this image with one of your choice. You should create a package from your newly created theme, because changes in `/usr/share/plymouth` may not be persistent across package upgrades. After installing and selecting your theme, you should rebuild the initrd image to use the new splash. ## See also * [Original Spec](http://fedoraproject.org/wiki/Releases/FeatureBetterStartup) * [Related forum thread](https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php?id=81406)