Problem upgrading to latest kernel(s)

[petedan10]

I hadn't updated my mga5 system, using grub2 on a non-EFI system, for a few months, and trying to update now got me an unpleasant surprise.

After upgrading to kernel 4.4.30, the system wouldn't boot properly but ended up in kernel panic instead. Tried uninstalling and then installing 4.4.26 and the result is the same.

What happens is that no img file is generated.

First I tried the classic

# dracut -f
# grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg

and then tried

mkinitrd /boot/inird-4.4.30-desktop-1.mga5.img

At this point, the system boots and halts with a message that it can't find the LUKS LVM partitions.

Going back to the older kernel works fine.

Is there anyway to salvage this?

[petedan10]

Running

bootloader-config --actio=rebuild-initrds

gives this error message:

INTERNAL ERROR: unknown device sdc

and I remembered I recently removed a hard disk that used to be sda (and boot disk was sdc).

So my guess is that somehow the removal of the disk changed the boot order with the new kernel.

[gohlip]

and I remembered I recently removed a hard disk that used to be sda

Ah........(and you should have mentioned this earlier)

(and boot disk was sdc).

?

using grub2 on a non-EFI system,

Boot up Mageia livecd
Assuming you do not have a separate /boot partition
Find out what is Mageia partition from one of

Code: Select all

# fdisk -l
# parted -l
# blkid

Then where /dev/sdxy is Mageia partition, and like sdxy can be sda1, sdb3...

Code: Select all

# mount /dev/sdxy /mnt
# grub2-install --target=i386-pc --boot-directory=/mnt/boot --recheck --debug /dev/sda

note " --debug /dev/sda" must always be "--debug /dev/sda" regardless what is Mageia partition.

[petedan10]

Actually /boot is a separate partition and the rest of the disk is the encrypted LVM.

Also I can boot into the installation, using a previous kernel (and I can boot from a livecd as well).

So maybe I could boot straight into mga5 and run

grub2-install --target=i386-pc --boot-directory=/boot --recheck --debug /dev/sda

?

[gohlip]

I've tried to respond 3 times with much deetails but each time I get this.
Arggh... it's really frustrating.
And I lose what I've written and needs to write again after much hard work.

Let's see. I'll write again.. after I cool down.

General Error
SQL ERROR [ postgres ]

Errno 2: pg_connect(): Unable to connect to PostgreSQL server: FATAL: remaining connection slots are reserved for non-replication superuser connections at [ROOT]/includes/db/postgres.php line 108 []

An sql error occurred while fetching this page. Please contact an administrator if this problem persists.

[gohlip]

A real quidk reply without details.

Now it is not grub-issue (because you can boot old kernel


Try booting with actual real kernels instead of booting the sym-link

[gohlip]

And i mean real new kernel the 4.4.30 kernel

[gohlip]

Manually amend kernel at grub menu

sorry have to type in pieces rather a good respond because tis sql thiny can fsck up my reply.

[gohlip]

Use
vmlinux /vmlinz-4.4.30xxxxm5 xxxxx
initrd /initrd-4.4.30-xxx.img

[gohlip]

vmlinux /vmlinz-4.4.30xxxxm5 xxxxx
initrd /initrd-4.4.30-xxx.img

not
vmlinux /boot/vmlinz-4.4.30xxxxm5 xxxxx
initrd /boot/initrd-4.4.30-xxx.img

not sym-links
vmlinux /vmlinz-desktop xxxxxxxxxxx
initrd /initrd-desktop.img


Check that. sometimes it generates /boot/ with lvm and since you've got /boot separate
Also check uuid and grub points to /boot instead of root /
m grub (IMO) not as reliable

[gohlip]

Check that. sometimes it generates /boot/ with lvm and since you've got /boot separate
Also check uuid and grub points to /boot instead of root /
m grub (IMO) not as reliable

So amend the one you use to boot old kernel (sucessfully) to ensure correct ponits.

[gohlip]

Good luck.

[petedan10]

Thank you for the trouble you took, I noticed the buggy behaviour as well.

Unfortunately, nothing worked. Checked all grub contents as you advised and used the 4.4.30 specific option, but still the same.

I then retried uninstalling and reinstalling kernel. It looks like the kernel installation won't result in an initrd-4.4.30-desktop-1.mga5.img file,so I have to run mkinitrd, and then during boot I get a message that the encrypted partitions aren't found.

At least the system works with the old kernel, so I guess the other option is to reinstall and keep /home intact.

[doktor5000]

General Error
SQL ERROR [ postgres ]

Errno 2: pg_connect(): Unable to connect to PostgreSQL server: FATAL: remaining connection slots are reserved for non-replication superuser connections at [ROOT]/includes/db/postgres.php line 108 []

An sql error occurred while fetching this page. Please contact an administrator if this problem persists.

Really sorry for the frustration this may have caused you, I suppose the above example is from the forum when trying to post?
If that happens again, usually the best way is to contact our sysadmins directly either via IRC on #mageia-sysadm as listed at https://wiki.mageia.org/en/Mageia_IRC_Channels or via the mailing list, if you don't mind to subscribe: https://ml.mageia.org/wwsympa-wrapper.f ... in-discuss

[gohlip]

At least the system works with the old kernel, so I guess the other option is to reinstall and keep /home intact.

Sorry to hear it didn't work out. But glad your old kernel works. And hope future newer kernels work out better for you.
Cheers.

Really sorry for the frustration this may have caused you, I suppose the above example is from the forum when trying to post?

Yes, the error message was copied from the forum popup after I press 'submit' to to response.
But no biggie (no big deal). "Stuff happens" (courtesy of Rumsfeld ) And no need to work out a sweat. Let's move on.
Thanks for your message. Sorry that I showed my frustration (trying to rush off my message to OP - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. )

Cheers.

[doktor5000]

Sorry that I showed my frustration (trying to rush off my message to OP - that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it. )

No problem, and no need to excuse yourself - totally comprehensible if you invest some time and then only see SQL error messages