Comment 2 for bug 546944

Hello Colin,

I hope i'm not getting on your nerves. But the window for fixing
iSCSI-on-root bugs in time for 10.04 is closing rapidly.
I hope you can at least address this bug in time:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/open-iscsi/+bug/546964

Another user called jkao has also confirmed this issue, and also provides a
workaround. This may give a clue on a proper solution.

I would feel very sad if 10.04 wouldn't have iSCSI support anymore; i would
very much want at least the existing 9.10 functionality to keep working. I
hope we can do this in time for the release.

Hope hearing from you.

Kind regards,
Jason Edwards
<email address hidden>

On Fri, Apr 2, 2010 at 3:04 PM, Colin Watson <email address hidden> wrote:

> I won't have time to look at this until after Easter (as I'm on
> holiday), but I would like to sort at least some of these problems out.
> Thanks for your feedback.
>
> However, in the meantime, could you please file each distinct problem as
> a separate bug? I know it involves a little more typing and e-mail
> responses, but it really makes things *much* easier for us to track.
>
> Note that there's already a separate bug about the iSCSI boot process,
> filed on partman-iscsi.
>
> --
> 10.04 beta1 installer regressions when using iSCSI
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/546944
> You received this bug notification because you are a direct subscriber
> of the bug.
>
> Status in “debian-installer” package in Ubuntu: New
>
> Bug description:
> I downloaded Ubuntu 10.04 beta1 server amd64 ISO and booted it. I then
> tried to setup iSCSI with no local disks present, which worked on 9.10. But
> on 10.04 beta1, a few installer quirks make any user errors punishing, as
> you would have to reboot the CD everytime. Here's the problem:
>
> When coming to the "no local disks present" menu, i select "Logon to iSCSI
> targets".
>
> - Recommended: ask for initiatorname; currently Ubuntu uses
> "iqn.1993-08.org.debian:01:<random>". Feature request since 9.10 didn't ask
> for initiatorname as well. But it sure would make installing iSCSI alot
> easier on the server side. (feature-request)
> - iSCSI target server is asked; when left blank it would stall and give no
> option except to reboot (bug1)
> - ; if you entered the wrong target ip address, it would continue asking
> next questions, but fail at "No iSCSI targets were discovered on
> <ip>:<port>". The continue button however, appears to retry iSCSI discovery,
> instead of returning me to the prompt to enter a different iSCSI target
> ip-address. Preferably there should be two buttons "Retry" and "Go back"
> with retry being the default option. (bug2)
> - initiator username is asked;
> - initiator password is asked; when left blank a popup "Please choose a
> non-empty password" appears but the Continue button does not return you to
> the edit prompt; it stalls (bug3)
> - iSCSI target username is asked;
> - iSCSI target password is asked; when left blank a popup "Please choose a
> non-empty password" appears but the Continue button does not work (bug4)
> - iSCSI-discovery is done; if no targets are found but authentication is
> successful, it would retry in an infinite loop; or until you adjust the
> server configuration. It's easy to get a thousand discovery attempts in a
> minute. Here it should try maybe three times then give the user an error
> message and giving the options to retry or go back to first iSCSI-question
> again (the target ip address). (bug5)
>
> So basically, this bug is about the installer coming into a loop from which
> is impossible to escape. The alt+Fx buttons work, and Ctrl+Alt+Del works
> too. Since 9.10 there have been changes to the installer for iSCSI support;
> it asks more questions. Probably the bug in some of the commits there; fix
> shouldn't be too hard i figure.
>
> After all these issues have been coped with, and the user made no errors
> whatsoever, installing on the iSCSI target works when you get to the phase
> where you can select the discovered target disks. From there, it pretty much
> works like 9.10 did. I have some additional issues with booting after the
> installer finishes, that i will address in a different bug.
>
> It would be nice if iSCSI support in the installer would be a bit more
> polished before hitting 10.04 final in april. I hope my feedback can help
> with this.
>
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