Re: [gentoo-user] boot problems

["J. Roeleveld" <joost@antarean.org>]

On Saturday, May 03, 2014 01:06:03 PM Stefan G. Weichinger wrote:
> Am 03.05.2014 12:54, schrieb J. Roeleveld:
> > I don't use systemd, but as it's pushed by Redhat and redhat, by default,
> > uses LVM, I would expect that part to work correctly together.
> 
> Yes ... but I still don't fully get what services to enable to get it
> set up correctly. lvmetad yes or no, various systemd-generators ... to
> me it looks a bit confusing. I had a local lvm.service ... and disabled
> it already.
> 
> >> I am still trying to spot the reason. As mentioned in my other reply
> >> currently it seems to also timeout/hang with openrc for me.
> >> 
> >> Right now I downgraded systemd, rebuilt dbus, dracut, procps ...
> > 
> > lvm-utils?
> 
> No such package in portage on my thinkpad ... (using this machine to reply).

My age shows, there used to be one.
Following LVM is installed on my laptop:
===
 [I] sys-fs/lvm2
     Available versions:  2.02.97-r1 2.02.103{tbz2} ~2.02.104 ~2.02.105 
~2.02.105-r1 ~2.02.105-r2 {clvm cman device-mapper-only (+)lvm1 
lvm2create_initrd readline selinux static static-libs +thin +udev}
     Installed versions:  2.02.103{tbz2}(08:11:38 PM 03/05/2014)(lvm1 readline 
thin udev -clvm -cman -lvm2create_initrd -selinux -static -static-libs)

===

Not sure why, but lvm1 use-flag is enabled. (This is a recent fresh 
installation, must be a default somewhere)
Do you have that flag enabled?

> >> From a live-cd I am able to mount /, start the 2 raid-arrays, activate
> >> VGs and LVs ... everything useable.
> > 
> > Ok, to get this straight.
> > You have x amount of disks
> > those are in 2 raid-arrays
> > on top of that, you have LVM...
> 
> one ssd for / and /home ... 2 hdds building 2 mdadm-arrays as PVs, VGs
> on top ... LVs for data/music/VMs/etc

Sounds similar to my old server. Currently I use hardware raid on the server.
My desktops have 2 hdds in raid-0 (striping) with LVM ontop of that. With a 
small /boot partition containing kernel and an initramfs (built with 
genkernel)

> > Can you check that LVM is WAITING for the MDADM arrays to be build?
> 
> I will try to. Disabling it from a non-booting system is a bit
> difficult. Commenting the fstab-lines containing LVs didn't help to skip
> this step so far (seems there is this LVM-systemd-generator called)

Check the sequence of the services starting during boot?
(might need to disable any boot-splash if present)
Does it boot correctly when you physically unplug the drives?

> >> Removing the "real_init" from the kernel line chooses openrc and also
> >> leads to a hanging boot.
> >> 
> >> So a next step seems to comment the LVs from fstab and check if it boots
> >> then.
> > 
> > Or enable interactive boot where you can press "I" to have every service
> > ask if it needs to be started. Then skip LVM.
> > Do you have parallel-boot enabled with OpenRC?
> 
> No.
> 
> > If yes, disable that just to make sure that isn't causing the issue with
> > OpenRC.
> > With systemd, I would recommend checking the dependencies between mdadm
> > and
> > lvm.
> 
> Additional scratching: even editing the grub2-line doesn't reliably
> chose openrc for booting. Oh my ...
> 
> It would help to somehow set a smaller timeout for this start job to at
> least get into emergency mode sooner. Right now it waits forever ("no
> limit").

If you don't need the LVM disks to check the boot-config, try physically 
unplugging them. (either power or data cable should be sufficient)

--
Joost