Description of problem: custom /boot 500 MB / 20GB format of MATE Version-Release number of selected component: anaconda-21.24-1 The following was filed automatically by anaconda: anaconda 21.24-1 exception report Traceback (most recent call first): File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blivet/formats/__init__.py", line 391, in create raise FormatCreateError("invalid device specification", self.device) File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blivet/formats/disklabel.py", line 244, in create DeviceFormat.create(self, *args, **kwargs) File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blivet/deviceaction.py", line 470, in execute options=self.device.formatArgs) File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blivet/devicetree.py", line 265, in processActions action.execute() File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blivet/__init__.py", line 314, in doIt self.devicetree.processActions() File "/usr/lib/python2.7/site-packages/blivet/__init__.py", line 172, in turnOnFilesystems storage.doIt() File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/pyanaconda/install.py", line 142, in doInstall turnOnFilesystems(storage, mountOnly=flags.flags.dirInstall) File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/threading.py", line 766, in run self.__target(*self.__args, **self.__kwargs) File "/usr/lib64/python2.7/site-packages/pyanaconda/threads.py", line 227, in run threading.Thread.run(self, *args, **kwargs) FormatCreateError: ('invalid device specification', '/dev/sdb') Additional info: cmdline: /usr/bin/python /sbin/anaconda cmdline_file: initrd=initrd.img inst.stage2=hd:LABEL=Fedora\x20rawhide\x20x86_64 quiet BOOT_IMAGE=vmlinuz executable: /sbin/anaconda hashmarkername: anaconda kernel: 3.14.0-0.rc3.git5.1.fc21.x86_64 product: Fedora release: Cannot get release name. type: anaconda version: rawhide
Created attachment 866650 [details] File: anaconda-tb
Created attachment 866651 [details] File: anaconda.log
Created attachment 866652 [details] File: environ
Created attachment 866653 [details] File: lsblk_output
Created attachment 866654 [details] File: nmcli_dev_list
Created attachment 866655 [details] File: os_info
Created attachment 866656 [details] File: program.log
Created attachment 866657 [details] File: storage.log
Created attachment 866658 [details] File: syslog
Created attachment 866659 [details] File: ifcfg.log
Created attachment 866660 [details] File: packaging.log
I can't tell if your drives are failing or if you are removing them, but you can check the syslog starting at 11:55:42,530 to see why the installer cannot complete installation on this system.
21-24-1 boot.iso feb 27 2014 produced the same bug works fine in virtualbox. will test to see if gparted format on disk to fat first works. I suspect this will work as virtualbox install works. Disk is not formatted here.
in virtualbox
That doesn't change the fact that you're having hardware problems. I mean look at this: 11:55:43,271 INFO kernel:[ 1717.244348] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] Unhandled error code 11:55:43,271 INFO kernel:[ 1717.244358] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] 11:55:43,271 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244364] Result: hostbyte=DID_ERROR driverbyte=DRIVER_OK 11:55:43,271 INFO kernel:[ 1717.244373] sd 7:0:0:0: [sdb] CDB: 11:55:43,271 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244380] Write(10): 2a 00 74 70 6d a7 00 00 01 00 11:55:43,272 ERR kernel:[ 1717.244549] end_request: I/O error, dev sdb, sector 1953525159 11:55:43,272 ERR kernel:[ 1717.244556] Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 1953525159 11:55:43,272 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244558] lost page write due to I/O error on sdb 11:55:43,272 ERR kernel:[ 1717.244593] Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 1953525160 11:55:43,272 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244594] lost page write due to I/O error on sdb 11:55:43,272 ERR kernel:[ 1717.244598] Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 1953525161 11:55:43,272 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244599] lost page write due to I/O error on sdb 11:55:43,272 ERR kernel:[ 1717.244602] Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 1953525162 11:55:43,272 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244603] lost page write due to I/O error on sdb 11:55:43,283 INFO kernel:[ 1717.255796] usb 4-1: USB disconnect, device number 3 > works fine in virtualbox. So it works differently in a different envrionment with virtualized hardware instead of the hardware that is failing? Congratulations.
this does not occur if I use gparted on the same external USB disk (externally) to create a new partition table and format it fat32 /dev/sdb. then in 21.24-1 boot iso 2/28/2104 it relclaims the disk and installs gnome3 normally on the external USB HD. Std LVM (5 partitions?) gparted sees the previous live install on the disk as unallocated when it first sees it. There is something wrong with the detection of the disk if it has been previously used as a live f21 (rawhide) MATE install. VirtualBox has no previous install to format so it works on a new disk. This looks like a bug to me... Is "reset MBR" missing in anaconda in this situation?
You are missing the point. This is not a problem with what anaconda is partitioning, or what it is zeroing, or what it is writing to the disk in any way. The problem is that anaconda CANNOT write to the disk, because from anaconda's point of view, there are problems with the disk. Maybe certain situations will dodge bad sectors, or maybe sometimes you just get lucky. But anaconda is attempting to write to the disk, and it is getting an I/O error back and the kernel is reporting this: 11:55:43,272 WARNING kernel:[ 1717.244599] lost page write due to I/O error on sdb 11:55:43,272 ERR kernel:[ 1717.244602] Buffer I/O error on device sdb, logical block 1953525162 That's really bad! If you continue to insist that this is a software problem, report a bug against the kernel. There is nothing that anaconda can change to make it possible to write to your disk.
FYI: I am finding that to successfully reuse a lvm install on an external USB HD of f21(rawhide); I have to first use gparted to make a new MBR and /dev/sdb1 in fat 32. I then use custom partitioning as ext4 std partitioning with 21.24-1 anaconda live CD. I delete the fat32 partition and use the std partitioning selection to layout the disk. if I try to use anaconda's delete function to reclaim disk I get a kernel error on /dev/sdb USB HD. and install fails. This is the same USB HD that fails if I use reclaim disk on a previous LVM f21(rawhide) install. Is this related to a USB recognition bug? This method of installation works every time, while the "reclaim disk" method fails?
Please stop reopening this bug. Please stop reopening bugs as MODIFIED. It is possible that the errors writing to the drive are due to a bug in the kernel USB drivers. If you believe that is the case, open a bug against the kernel.