chromeos_pstore.service started on non chrome platform hardware.

[wontfix]

[Impact]

Kernel modules that provide pstore backends are unnecessarily loaded by systemd-pstore.service. While this is pretty benign behavior, it was introduced by an earlier SRU (bug 1978079) and is not consistent with newer releases in which systemd-pstore.service only tries to load efi_pstore.

[Test Plan]

Check which modules systemd-pstore.service depends on:

$ systemctl list-dependencies systemd-pstore.service
systemd-pstore.service
* |--.mount
* |-modprobe@chromeos_pstore.service
* |-modprobe@efi_pstore.service
* |-modprobe@pstore_blk.service
* |-modprobe@pstore_zone.service
* |-<email address hidden>
* `-system.slice

On an affected machine, we see several pstore providers in addition to efi_pstore. On a patched system, we should only see efi_pstore.

[Where problems could occur]

If somehow a user was running a configuration where one of the other modules was needed for pstore on their system, and that module was not loaded when systemd-pstore.service ran, they might not get correct output. However, the original bug (bug 1978079) was only about efi_pstore, and that will still be loaded by systemd-pstore.service. On all releases newer than Jammy, only efi_pstore is loaded by systemd-pstore.service, and there have not been bug reports.

[Original Description]

systemd-analyze blame | grep pstore

110ms modprobe@chromeos_pstore.service
5ms modprobe@efi_pstore.service
5ms modprobe@pstore_blk.service
3ms modprobe@pstore_zone.service

/lib/systemd/system/systemd-pstore.service

[Nick Rosbrook (enr0n)]

This is fixed in Lunar and newer (https://github.com/systemd/systemd/commit/8b8bd621e1d16808678fc3afed257df1fa03a281). Is this really causing any harm on Jammy though? I'm not sure we need to do anything about it on Jammy.

[wontfix (wontfix)]

I'm not sure if 70-120ms additional boot time on every system qualifies as harm or not from your perspective. If this behavior also happens on VMs, I can imagine many cloud desktop providers may consider it harmful overall considering Jammy is the current LTS. I lack the data to compute the total additional resources and total wasted time to make that claim myself.

[Nick Rosbrook (enr0n)]

Yeah, fair enough. This does also result in extra kernel modules being loaded that are not needed, even when systemd-pstore.service is skipped since /sys/fs/pstore is empty. I don't think this is a huge deal, but it would probably be nice to clean it up for an LTS indeed.

[Łukasz Zemczak (sil2100)]

Hello wontfix, or anyone else affected,

Accepted systemd into jammy-proposed. The package will build now and be available at https://launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/systemd/249.11-0ubuntu3.10 in a few hours, and then in the -proposed repository.

Please help us by testing this new package. See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Testing/EnableProposed for documentation on how to enable and use -proposed. Your feedback will aid us getting this update out to other Ubuntu users.

If this package fixes the bug for you, please add a comment to this bug, mentioning the version of the package you tested, what testing has been performed on the package and change the tag from verification-needed-jammy to verification-done-jammy. If it does not fix the bug for you, please add a comment stating that, and change the tag to verification-failed-jammy. In either case, without details of your testing we will not be able to proceed.

Further information regarding the verification process can be found at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/QATeam/PerformingSRUVerification . Thank you in advance for helping!

N.B. The updated package will be released to -updates after the bug(s) fixed by this package have been verified and the package has been in -proposed for a minimum of 7 days.

[wontfix (wontfix)]

Installed systemd 249.11-0ubuntu3.10 && Reboot.

Computer 1
:~$ systemctl list-dependencies systemd-pstore.service && systemd-analyze blame | grep pstore
systemd-pstore.service
● ├─-.mount
○ ├─modprobe@efi_pstore.service
● └─system.slice
     20ms modprobe@efi_pstore.service

Computer 2
:~$ systemctl list-dependencies systemd-pstore.service && systemd-analyze blame | grep pstore
systemd-pstore.service
● ├─-.mount
○ ├─modprobe@efi_pstore.service
● └─system.slice
     1ms modprobe@efi_pstore.service

Bug looks fixed if 1-20ms is normal range.

[Ubuntu SRU Bot (ubuntu-sru-bot)]

All autopkgtests for the newly accepted systemd (249.11-0ubuntu3.10) for jammy have finished running.
The following regressions have been reported in tests triggered by the package:

apt/2.4.10 (armhf)
casync/2+20201210-1build1 (ppc64el)
comitup/1.15-1 (armhf)
dbus/1.12.20-2ubuntu4.1 (armhf)
initramfs-tools/0.140ubuntu13.4 (s390x)
linux-azure-5.19/5.19.0-1027.30~22.04.2 (arm64)
linux-gcp-6.2/6.2.0-1011.11~22.04.3 (arm64)
linux-lowlatency/5.15.0-83.92 (arm64)
linux-lowlatency-hwe-5.19/5.19.0-1030.30 (arm64)
linux-nvidia-tegra/5.15.0-1016.16 (arm64)
linux-oracle-5.19/5.19.0-1027.30 (arm64)
mkosi/unknown (s390x)
munin/2.0.57-1ubuntu2 (armhf)
netplan.io/0.105-0ubuntu2~22.04.3 (arm64)
prometheus-postfix-exporter/unknown (s390x)
samba/2:4.15.13+dfsg-0ubuntu1.4 (arm64)

Please visit the excuses page listed below and investigate the failures, proceeding afterwards as per the StableReleaseUpdates policy regarding autopkgtest regressions [1].

https://people.canonical.com/~ubuntu-archive/proposed-migration/jammy/update_excuses.html#systemd

[1] https://wiki.ubuntu.com/StableReleaseUpdates#Autopkgtest_Regressions

Thank you!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package systemd - 249.11-0ubuntu3.10

---------------
systemd (249.11-0ubuntu3.10) jammy; urgency=medium

  [ Nick Rosbrook ]
  * debian/tests/tests-in-lxd: use --reuse flag in lxc publish (LP: #2023229)
    File: debian/tests/tests-in-lxd
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=85b2ceddff1a6cc1ddbca8a1b7e5381d146e6313
  * pstore: only try to load efi_pstore module (LP: #2023462)
    File: debian/patches/lp1978079-efi-pstore-not-cleared-on-boot.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=7600bbfb1e8a399e5aeb1010a20deda3e5a06c89
  * shutdown: get only active md arrays. (LP: #2025563)
    File: debian/patches/lp2025563-shutdown-get-only-active-md-arrays.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=416a9245c8f0efbedcc4395cada23cb09c685ec3
  * udev-rules: fix nvme symlink creation on namespace changes (LP: #2028180)
    File: debian/patches/lp2028180-udev-rules-fix-nvme-symlink-creation-on-namespace-changes.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=26e85b944da9098e66fc0c39f64ee40254c0c278
  * core: reorder systemd arguments on reexec (LP: #2013543)
    File: debian/patches/lp2013543-core-reorder-systemd-arguments-on-reexec.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=19ba0f20d311642596dc65fa5d6eb96a2d4be280
  * network/dhcp4: do not ignore the gateway even if the destination is in same network (LP: #2009743)
    Files:
    - debian/patches/lp2009743/network-dhcp4-do-not-ignore-the-gateway-even-if-the-desti.patch
    - debian/patches/lp2009743/test-network-add-one-more-testcase-for-DHCPv4-classless-r.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=73e774a2fb99c82df6d0edd770bb84ab735ec2f0
  * Drop debian/UBUNTU-wait-online-exit-if-no-links-are-managed.patch (LP: #1982218)
    File: debian/patches/debian/UBUNTU-wait-online-exit-if-no-links-are-managed.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=cf82f08feea456e1c65895b34bffa8c33d421588
  * debian/systemd.postint: do not daemon re-exec if we could hit LP: #2013543
    File: debian/systemd.postinst
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=be484dab06d590b1792a8f016f4292373d0174b7
  * binfmt: fix systemd-binfmt in LXD containers (LP: #1999275)
    Files:
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/binfmt-check-if-binfmt-is-mounted-before-applying-rules.patch
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/binfmt-util-also-check-if-binfmt-is-mounted-in-read-write.patch
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/binfmt-util-split-out-binfmt_mounted.patch
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/unit-check-more-specific-path-to-be-written-by-systemd-bi.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=0b9eadf05ee6db0e009dacbc71521480095880b3

  [ Dan Streetman ]
  * Fix machinectl pull-tar and import-tar (LP: #1977630)
    Author: Dan Streetman
    File: debian/patches/lp1977630-fix_machinectl_pull_tar.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+sourc...

[Brian Murray (brian-murray)]

The verification of the Stable Release Update for systemd has completed successfully and the package is now being released to -updates. Subsequently, the Ubuntu Stable Release Updates Team is being unsubscribed and will not receive messages about this bug report. In the event that you encounter a regression using the package from -updates please report a new bug using ubuntu-bug and tag the bug report regression-update so we can easily find any regressions.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

The release of this SRU has been rolled back in jammy because of bug #2035406 which appears to be a regression introduced in the new version of systemd.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package systemd - 249.11-0ubuntu3.10

---------------
systemd (249.11-0ubuntu3.10) jammy; urgency=medium

  [ Nick Rosbrook ]
  * debian/tests/tests-in-lxd: use --reuse flag in lxc publish (LP: #2023229)
    File: debian/tests/tests-in-lxd
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=85b2ceddff1a6cc1ddbca8a1b7e5381d146e6313
  * pstore: only try to load efi_pstore module (LP: #2023462)
    File: debian/patches/lp1978079-efi-pstore-not-cleared-on-boot.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=7600bbfb1e8a399e5aeb1010a20deda3e5a06c89
  * shutdown: get only active md arrays. (LP: #2025563)
    File: debian/patches/lp2025563-shutdown-get-only-active-md-arrays.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=416a9245c8f0efbedcc4395cada23cb09c685ec3
  * udev-rules: fix nvme symlink creation on namespace changes (LP: #2028180)
    File: debian/patches/lp2028180-udev-rules-fix-nvme-symlink-creation-on-namespace-changes.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=26e85b944da9098e66fc0c39f64ee40254c0c278
  * core: reorder systemd arguments on reexec (LP: #2013543)
    File: debian/patches/lp2013543-core-reorder-systemd-arguments-on-reexec.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=19ba0f20d311642596dc65fa5d6eb96a2d4be280
  * network/dhcp4: do not ignore the gateway even if the destination is in same network (LP: #2009743)
    Files:
    - debian/patches/lp2009743/network-dhcp4-do-not-ignore-the-gateway-even-if-the-desti.patch
    - debian/patches/lp2009743/test-network-add-one-more-testcase-for-DHCPv4-classless-r.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=73e774a2fb99c82df6d0edd770bb84ab735ec2f0
  * Drop debian/UBUNTU-wait-online-exit-if-no-links-are-managed.patch (LP: #1982218)
    File: debian/patches/debian/UBUNTU-wait-online-exit-if-no-links-are-managed.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=cf82f08feea456e1c65895b34bffa8c33d421588
  * debian/systemd.postint: do not daemon re-exec if we could hit LP: #2013543
    File: debian/systemd.postinst
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=be484dab06d590b1792a8f016f4292373d0174b7
  * binfmt: fix systemd-binfmt in LXD containers (LP: #1999275)
    Files:
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/binfmt-check-if-binfmt-is-mounted-before-applying-rules.patch
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/binfmt-util-also-check-if-binfmt-is-mounted-in-read-write.patch
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/binfmt-util-split-out-binfmt_mounted.patch
    - debian/patches/lp1999275/unit-check-more-specific-path-to-be-written-by-systemd-bi.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+source/systemd/commit/?id=0b9eadf05ee6db0e009dacbc71521480095880b3

  [ Dan Streetman ]
  * Fix machinectl pull-tar and import-tar (LP: #1977630)
    Author: Dan Streetman
    File: debian/patches/lp1977630-fix_machinectl_pull_tar.patch
    https://git.launchpad.net/~ubuntu-core-dev/ubuntu/+sourc...

[Kieran Kunhya (kierank)]

Are there any plans to fix this in Focal?

systemd-analyze blame shows "392ms modprobe@chromeos_pstore.service"