Bug 771635

Summary: booting and rescue mode fail for trivial problem like unexpected file system type for /boot
Product: [Fedora] Fedora Reporter: Wolfgang Denk <wd>
Component: anacondaAssignee: Martin Sivák <msivak>
Status: CLOSED WONTFIX QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance <extras-qa>
Severity: high Docs Contact:
Priority: unspecified    
Version: 16CC: anaconda-maint-list, jonathan, vanmeeuwen+fedora, vpodzime
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Hardware: All   
OS: Linux   
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Fixed In Version: Doc Type: Bug Fix
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Last Closed: 2013-02-13 19:14:10 UTC Type: ---
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Description Flags
screenshot showing message when some file systems cannot be mounted in rescue mode none

Description Wolfgang Denk 2012-01-04 12:28:46 UTC
Description of problem:

I was moving my /boot file system, and by ccident I forgot to update
/etc/fstab - it still said "ext3" while the new file system was
actually "ext4".

The system failed to boot due to missing dependencies detected by
systemd.  Actually this is bug # 1.

OK, I booted from DVD in rescue mode - just to get told that the file
system type detected for boot ("ext4") did not match the expected one
("ext3"). When confirming this message (and there was only an "OK"
button, so what else should I do?) the system rebootet.

Hey?!?!?  I was running rescue mode just to fix this very problem!!

Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable):

Fedora 16 DVD

How reproducible:

100%

Steps to Reproduce:
1. Use a working system, then change in /etc/fstab the file system
   type for any unessential (i. e. not really needed for a successful
   boot) file system.
2. For example, change the /etc/fstab entry for /boot from ext4 into
   ext3
3. Reboot.
4. Bot from DVD in recovery mode.
  
Actual results:

The system fails to boot.  With a regular boot, systemd complains
about missing dependencies.

The system cannot be recovered.  The recovery tool detects the
problem, but instead of warning andignoring it it reboots.

Expected results:

1. A normal boot should work.  The inconsistent file system should
   just be omitted from being mounted,  but such a trivial issue
   should _never_ block the whole system from booting.

2. Rescue mode should never reboot because of such issues.  The whole
   intention of the rescue mode is to fix problems like this, right?

Additional info:

Comment 1 Wolfgang Denk 2012-01-04 12:36:36 UTC
Separate bug # 771638 opened for the initial problem with systemd.

Comment 2 Vratislav Podzimek 2012-02-10 11:57:19 UTC
Just to make it clear for me -- you booted the Fedora 16 DVD chose the Rescue mode and then you got that error message?

Comment 3 Wolfgang Denk 2012-02-10 13:02:56 UTC
Yes, correct.

Of course I could fix the issue by switching to tty1 and manually fixing things instead of confirming the dialog box - but I think most average users would have been stuck.

Comment 4 Fedora End Of Life 2013-01-16 15:58:38 UTC
This message is a reminder that Fedora 16 is nearing its end of life.
Approximately 4 (four) weeks from now Fedora will stop maintaining
and issuing updates for Fedora 16. It is Fedora's policy to close all
bug reports from releases that are no longer maintained. At that time
this bug will be closed as WONTFIX if it remains open with a Fedora 
'version' of '16'.

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to a later Fedora version prior to Fedora 16's end of life.

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"Clone This Bug" and open it against that version of Fedora.

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Comment 5 Fedora End Of Life 2013-02-13 19:14:14 UTC
Fedora 16 changed to end-of-life (EOL) status on 2013-02-12. Fedora 16 is 
no longer maintained, which means that it will not receive any further 
security or bug fix updates. As a result we are closing this bug.

If you can reproduce this bug against a currently maintained version of 
Fedora please feel free to reopen this bug against that version.

Thank you for reporting this bug and we are sorry it could not be fixed.

Comment 6 Steve Tyler 2013-02-13 20:42:20 UTC
Created attachment 697028 [details]
screenshot showing message when some file systems cannot be mounted in rescue mode

With the F18 DVD, when some file systems cannot be mounted in rescue mode, the message shown in the attached screenshot is displayed, and the user can continue to a shell prompt.

However, the message does not say which file systems cannot not be mounted, and it does not say why they cannot not be mounted.

Further, the message does not actually use the term "file system".

Tested with:
$ qemu-kvm -m 2048 -hda f18-test-4.img -cdrom ~/xfr/fedora/F18/Fedora-18-x86_64-DVD.iso -vga qxl -boot menu=on -usbdevice mouse