Bug 916771 - Anaconda clears Memory Technology Devices (MTD), which are not valid install targets
Summary: Anaconda clears Memory Technology Devices (MTD), which are not valid install ...
Keywords:
Status: CLOSED CURRENTRELEASE
Alias: None
Product: Fedora
Classification: Fedora
Component: python-blivet
Version: 18
Hardware: Unspecified
OS: Linux
unspecified
unspecified
Target Milestone: ---
Assignee: Chris Lumens
QA Contact: Fedora Extras Quality Assurance
URL:
Whiteboard:
Depends On:
Blocks:
TreeView+ depends on / blocked
 
Reported: 2013-02-28 21:03 UTC by D. Marlin
Modified: 2014-01-29 20:34 UTC (History)
6 users (show)

Fixed In Version: python-blivet-0.8
Clone Of:
Environment:
Last Closed: 2014-01-29 20:34:01 UTC
Type: Bug
Embargoed:


Attachments (Terms of Use)
anaconda storage log (114.00 KB, application/octet-stream)
2013-02-28 21:03 UTC, D. Marlin
no flags Details
anaconda program log (16.63 KB, application/octet-stream)
2013-02-28 21:04 UTC, D. Marlin
no flags Details

Description D. Marlin 2013-02-28 21:03:35 UTC
Created attachment 703998 [details]
anaconda storage log

Description of problem:

Anaconda clears Memory Technology Devices (MTDs), which are not valid install targets.  MTD is NAND flash, and requires special tools to erase/write it.  Anaconda appears to see it as a standard block device (which is it not) and tries to use it (erase and relabel), destroying the contents of the device (in this case, the bootloader), rendering the system unusable.

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

  anaconda-18.37.12-1

How reproducible:

  Only tried once, since it is destructive (renders system unbootable)


Steps to Reproduce:
1.  include 'clearpart --all' in the kickstart file
2.  Perform a kickstart install on a system with NAND flash (i.e., mtdblock0)
3.


Actual results:

Anaconda attempts to erase and relabel the MTD, which fails and results in an incomplete install, as well as wiping out the bootloader leaving the system unbootable.  See storage and program logs included.


Expected results:

Install ignores MTD and proceeds to provision the system normally.


Additional info:

I tested this on a new Marvell (Matrix) server, which uses NAND flash to store the bootloader and other system configuration information.

To test that this is the only issue, I added:

  ignoredisk --only-use=sda
  clearpart --all --drives=sda

to the kickstart file to ensure MTD (the NAND flash device) was not used.  The install completed successfully.

Comment 1 D. Marlin 2013-02-28 21:04:18 UTC
Created attachment 703999 [details]
anaconda program log

Comment 2 Fedora End Of Life 2013-12-21 15:45:01 UTC
This message is a reminder that Fedora 18 is nearing its end of life.
Approximately 4 (four) weeks from now Fedora will stop maintaining
and issuing updates for Fedora 18. 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 '18'.

Package Maintainer: If you wish for this bug to remain open because you
plan to fix it in a currently maintained version, simply change the 'version' 
to a later Fedora version prior to Fedora 18's end of life.

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able to fix it before Fedora 18 is end of life. If you would still like 
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