[Gigabyte GA-970A-DS3] Cannot boot from live ISO with more than one hdd attached to system

[Phil Wyett]

Ubuntu Gnome - 14.04 dev release - 20131217. Cannot boot from live ISO with more than one hdd attached to system. Will drop to 'initramfs' prompt if more than one hdd attached to system. This bug also affects 13.10 but no release prior to that.

This bug only happens booting the live ISO itself with more than one hdd attached to the system. Once a system is installed everything works correctly and no kernel issues arise.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 14.04
Package: linux-image-3.12.0-7-generic 3.12.0-7.15 [modified: boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-7-generic]
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.12.0-7.15-generic 3.12.4
Uname: Linux 3.12.0-7-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.12.7-0ubuntu2
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC1: philwyett 1606 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/controlC0: philwyett 1606 F.... pulseaudio
CurrentDesktop: GNOME
Date: Wed Dec 18 06:07:14 2013
HibernationDevice: RESUME=UUID=9ac5755f-2e77-42d0-ab17-7d8424555d91
InstallationDate: Installed on 2013-12-18 (0 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu-GNOME 14.04 "Trusty Tahr" - Alpha amd64 (20131217)
MachineType: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd. GA-970A-DS3
ProcFB: 0 nouveaufb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-3.12.0-7-generic root=UUID=13483b2e-166e-4fdf-8977-674bdf71a712 ro quiet splash vt.handoff=7
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.12.0-7-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.12.0-7-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.117
RfKill:
 0: phy0: Wireless LAN
  Soft blocked: no
  Hard blocked: no
SourcePackage: linux
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 01/24/2013
dmi.bios.vendor: Award Software International, Inc.
dmi.bios.version: F7a
dmi.board.name: GA-970A-DS3
dmi.board.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAwardSoftwareInternational,Inc.:bvrF7a:bd01/24/2013:svnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:pnGA-970A-DS3:pvr:rvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:rnGA-970A-DS3:rvr:cvnGigabyteTechnologyCo.,Ltd.:ct3:cvr:
dmi.product.name: GA-970A-DS3
dmi.sys.vendor: Gigabyte Technology Co., Ltd.

[Brad Figg (brad-figg)]

This change was made by a bot.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Phil Wyett, thank you for reporting this and helping make Ubuntu better. Could you please test the latest upstream kernel available (not the daily folder, but v3.13-rc3, as rc4 doesn't have all the necessary files) following https://wiki.ubuntu.com/KernelMainlineBuilds ? It will allow additional upstream developers to examine the issue. Once you've tested the upstream kernel, please comment on which kernel version specifically you tested. If this bug is fixed in the mainline kernel, please add the following tags:
kernel-fixed-upstream
kernel-fixed-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

where VERSION-NUMBER is the version number of the kernel you tested. For example:
kernel-fixed-upstream-v3.13-rc4

This can be done by clicking on the yellow circle with a black pencil icon next to the word Tags located at the bottom of the bug description. As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

If the mainline kernel does not fix this bug, please add the following tags:
kernel-bug-exists-upstream
kernel-bug-exists-upstream-VERSION-NUMBER

As well, please remove the tag:
needs-upstream-testing

Once testing of the upstream kernel is complete, please mark this bug's Status as Confirmed. Please let us know your results. Thank you for your understanding.

[Phil Wyett (aura-yoda)]

Re #3:

This bug only occurs when a specific kernel or other issue is wrapped into the live ISO. When any additional hdd are disconnected the live ISO boots fine and install can commence. Install will then go fine and the kernel and system as a whole will work correctly.

What good will now testing a upstream kernel do on a now running system and not wrapped intoa live ISO?

A better scenario for testing and debugging needs to be foud here and not the canned ones.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Phil Wyett, thank you for your comments. Some folks know how to respin ISOs with different kernels. As well, it wasn't made clear if this only happens in the Live environment, or if you boot into an installed one. Could you please clarify?

[Phil Wyett (aura-yoda)]

Re #5:

This bug only happens booting the live ISO itself with more than one hdd attached to the system. Once a system is installed everything works correctly and no kernel issues arise.

Would there be docs for ISO respinning with new kernel anywhere on the wiki or other location?

[Phil Wyett (aura-yoda)]

Change of importance to 'low'.

I feel this bug should be 'high' or better 'critical' and would argue that the importance should be raised.

Many OEMs and other installers use multi disk setups.

  * Many laptops have mSSD plus an SSD.
  * Many systems have more than one disk to split partitions.
  * Many systems have RAID setups.
  * Many systems carry an extra disk for temporary backup or storage purposes.

  ... List not exhaustive.

This bug affects many systems based on LP searches.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Quoting from https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Importance :
Low: Bugs which affect functionality, but to a lesser extent than most bugs, examples are:
    Bugs that have easy work-arounds

A WORKAROUND of disconnecting the secondary drive would be considered easy. Extrapolating the results for you hardware to other hardware would be premature at this point.

[Phil Wyett (aura-yoda)]

Re #8:

I can see where your point comes from for 'low' at this time, but I see many instances of this bug on LP affecting many people.

Just for reference only: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+bug/1241589

This bug is also not good for the distro as a whole as it may exclude new users of the 'Linux For Human Beings' who run into this bug and walk away never to return. It can also affect those with multi disk systems under warranty that excludes use of the workaround of disconnecting a disk. It looks bad for a project as a whole PR wise when the flagship product/an LTS has such a bug within it that may make users think that Ubuntu and it's derivatives may have major quality issues.

Maybe I see more importance than others with regard this bug. Just my opinion.

[Phil Wyett (aura-yoda)]

ISO images on the dates below do not have this issue.

  2014-01-09
  2014-01-10

I will monitor images for a period of time (says 14 days) and adjust this bug at that time.

[Phil Wyett (aura-yoda)]

There have been no issues with booting live ISO's since the first date mentioned in #10.

This bug can be now closed.

[penalvch (penalvch)]

Phil Wyett, this bug report is being closed due to your last comment https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu-gnome/+bug/1262069/comments/11 regarding this being fixed with an update. For future reference you can manage the status of your own bugs by clicking on the current status in the yellow line and then choosing a new status in the revealed drop down box. You can learn more about bug statuses at https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Bugs/Status. Thank you again for taking the time to report this bug and helping to make Ubuntu better. Please submit any future bugs you may find.