Description of problem: When trying to build a new initrd to include scsi hardware handlers for IBM storage, the mkinitrd process hangs at jbd Version-Release number of selected component (if applicable): The kernel is 2.6.18-128.el5 as found in a freshly installed RHEL5U3 64-bit host How reproducible: I had an installed server that had no multipathing configured. I was able to run the mkinitrd process ONCE without issue. I rebooted to the new initrd image and functional multipathing, and on that host I could no longer run the mkinitrd command. On a second host I installed with multipath enabled (booted with "Boot: linux mpath") and this host will not run the mkinitrd command at all. Steps to Reproduce: 1. run the following: [root@orastgdb01 ~]# mkinitrd -v --preload=scsi_dh_rdac --with=dm-rdac -f /boot/initrd-$(uname -r)-multipath.img $(uname -r) Creating initramfs Looking for deps of module scsi_dh_rdac: scsi_mod scsi_dh Looking for deps of module scsi_mod Looking for deps of module sd_mod: scsi_mod Looking for deps of module scsi_dh: scsi_mod Looking for deps of module ehci-hcd Looking for deps of module ohci-hcd Looking for deps of module uhci-hcd Looking for deps of module ext3: jbd Looking for deps of module jbd ........ 2. 3. Actual results: It hangs Expected results: An initrdimage Additional info: Hosts are IBM HS21 Blades SAN is an IBM DS4800 It would appear (based on Google results) that this was a bug in Fedora marked as "Not to be fixed". This is a major issue - I can't build an initrd to get multipath up on these hosts! I need a solution.
I am also experiencing this exact problem with RHEL 5.5 running kernel version 2.6.18-194.17.1.el5: [root@bbl boot]# mkinitrd -v -f /boot/initrd-2.6.18-194.17.1.el5.img 2.6.18-194.17.1.el5 Creating initramfs Looking for deps of module ehci-hcd Looking for deps of module ohci-hcd Looking for deps of module uhci-hcd Looking for deps of module ext3: jbd Looking for deps of module jbd ... hangs here ... In order to address an issue with the shipped LSI MPT Fusion driver, I need to install the latest version (mptlinux-4.00.43.00-1.x86_64), but the installation fails due to the mkinitrd problem above. Please increase the priority of this issue. This issue was found in Fedora 12, RHEL 5.3, and I now see it as well in RHEL 5.5.
RHEL5.3 host SAS attached to a MSA2312sa firmware M111R06 with HP Enablement kit v4.4.1 kit installed http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsupport/TechSupport/SoftwareDescription.jsp?lang=en&cc=us&prodTypeId=12169&prodSeriesId=3559651&swItem=co-82195-1&prodNameId=3559652&swEnvOID=4004&swLang=13&taskId=135&mode=4&idx=0#mptsad_parameters While trying to “Configuring mptsas parameters “ as per the HP DM Enablement kit v4.4.1 release notes” we get problems: To configure the mptsas parameters for RHEL 5, complete the following steps: 1. Edit the /etc/modprobe.conf file in RHEL 5 hosts with the following values: options mptsas mpt_cmd_retry_count=10 mpt_disable_hotplug_remove=1 2. Rebuild the initrd by executing the following commands: a. Backup the existing initrd image by executing the following command: # mv /boot/HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0 /boot/HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0.old b. Make a new initrd image by executing the following command: # mkinitrd /boot/HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0 'uname -r' /sbin/mkinitrd: line 1028: [: /lib/modules/uname: binary operator expected No module ehci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, aborting. It seems there is some fundamental error in mkinitrd script creating initrd. <snip> # mkinitrd -v /boot/HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0 'uname -r' /sbin/mkinitrd: line 1028: [: /lib/modules/uname: binary operator expected Creating initramfs Looking for deps of module ehci-hcd No module ehci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, aborting. # mkinitrd -v /boot/HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0 'uname -r' /sbin/mkinitrd: line 1028: [: /lib/modules/uname: binary operator expected Creating initramfs Looking for deps of module ehci-hcd No module ehci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, aborting. # lsmod |grep ehci-hcd # modprobe ehci-hcd # lsmod |grep ehci-hcd # mkinitrd -v HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0 'uname -r' /sbin/mkinitrd: line 1028: [: /lib/modules/uname: binary operator expected Creating initramfs Looking for deps of module ehci-hcd No module ehci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, aborting. </snip> So with the following workaround it worked, but does not look like it is correct, because creating of initrd file was quite suspicious: <snip> # mkinitrd -v --allow-missing /boot/HP-initrd-2.6.18-128.el5.img-0 'uname -r' /sbin/mkinitrd: line 1028: [: /lib/modules/uname: binary operator expected Creating initramfs Looking for deps of module ehci-hcd WARNING: No module ehci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module ohci-hcd WARNING: No module ohci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module uhci-hcd WARNING: No module uhci-hcd found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module ext3 Found root device cciss!c0d0p1 for LABEL=/1 Looking for driver for device cciss!c0d0p1 Looking for deps of module pci:v0000103Cd0000323Asv0000103Csd00003245bc01sc04i00 Looking for deps of module cciss WARNING: No module cciss found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module pci:v00008086d00003408sv00000000sd00000000bc06sc04i00 Looking for driver for device cciss/c0d0p2 Looking for deps of module mptbase WARNING: No module mptbase found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module mptsas WARNING: No module mptsas found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module cciss WARNING: No module cciss found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module ata_piix WARNING: No module ata_piix found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module qla2xxx WARNING: No module qla2xxx found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module mptscsih WARNING: No module mptscsih found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module mptspi WARNING: No module mptspi found for kernel uname -r, continuing anyway Looking for deps of module ide-disk Looking for deps of module dm-mod Looking for deps of module dm-mirror Looking for deps of module dm-zero Looking for deps of module dm-snapshot Using modules: /sbin/nash -> /tmp/initrd.L23587/bin/nash /sbin/insmod.static -> /tmp/initrd.L23587/bin/insmod </snip> And also, size of created initrd file is half than the "older" one. When is this going to be fixed?
At this point in the RHEL-5 lifecycle, it is too late for us to commit to a change like this.