Ubiquity is stuck after "Prepare" step

Bug #1238446 reported by Rohan Dhruva
12
This bug affects 2 people
Affects Status Importance Assigned to Milestone
parted (Ubuntu)
Confirmed
Undecided
Unassigned
ubiquity (Ubuntu)
Invalid
Undecided
Unassigned

Bug Description

I am using the Kubuntu Beta 2 Live CD to install it on my Sony Vaio SVS13A190X laptop. It has one SSD with GPT partition and uses UEFI.

After the prepare step, the installer hangs, presumably because of an inability to read some partitions, going by the syslog (attached).

There is no indication of error, the installer is just stuck with the "Wait" mouse pointer spinning. I have used the Kubuntu 13.04 in the past to install successfully on this laptop.
---
ApportVersion: 2.12.4-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: kubuntu 4659 F.... pulseaudio
CasperVersion: 1.336ubuntu1
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 13.10
InstallCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/preseed/kubuntu.seed boot=casper maybe-ubiquity quiet splash --
LiveMediaBuild: Kubuntu 13.10 "Saucy Salamander" - Beta amd64 (20130925.1)
MachineType: Sony Corporation SVS13A190X
MarkForUpload: True
Package: ubiquity 2.15.20 [modified: lib/partman/automatically_partition/question]
PackageArchitecture: amd64
ProcFB: 0 inteldrmfb
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/casper/vmlinuz.efi file=/cdrom/preseed/username.seed boot=casper maybe-ubiquity quiet splash --
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.11.0-8.15-generic 3.11.1
RelatedPackageVersions:
 linux-restricted-modules-3.11.0-8-generic N/A
 linux-backports-modules-3.11.0-8-generic N/A
 linux-firmware 1.114
Tags: saucy saucy ubiquity-2.15.20 kubuntu
Uname: Linux 3.11.0-8-generic x86_64
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
UserGroups: adm cdrom dip lpadmin plugdev sambashare sudo
dmi.bios.date: 08/22/2012
dmi.bios.vendor: Insyde Corp.
dmi.bios.version: R0143C5
dmi.board.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.board.name: VAIO
dmi.board.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.board.version: N/A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: N/A
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: Sony Corporation
dmi.chassis.version: N/A
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnInsydeCorp.:bvrR0143C5:bd08/22/2012:svnSonyCorporation:pnSVS13A190X:pvrC60AL06C:rvnSonyCorporation:rnVAIO:rvrN/A:cvnSonyCorporation:ct10:cvrN/A:
dmi.product.name: SVS13A190X
dmi.product.version: C60AL06C
dmi.sys.vendor: Sony Corporation

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

Note that I have tested both Kubuntu Beta 2 and the daily live cd image of 2013-10-09. Both exhibit the same issue.

Filesystem info:

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda1
/dev/sda1: LABEL="SONYSYS" UUID="B68B-3388" TYPE="vfat"
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda
sda sda1 sda2 sda3 sda4 sda5
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda2
/dev/sda2: LABEL="Recovery" UUID="7AC08C8DC08C50F5" TYPE="ntfs"
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda3
/dev/sda3: UUID="F88C-9896" TYPE="vfat"
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda4
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda5
/dev/sda5: UUID="6C169FF6169FC00E" TYPE="ntfs"
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sdb
/dev/sdb: LABEL="ROHAN" UUID="F04A-F006" TYPE="vfat"
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sdb1
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sdb2

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

Parted crashes while trying to print the partition table:

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo parted /dev/sda
GNU Parted 2.3
Using /dev/sda
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) p
Model: ATA M4-CT256M4SSD2 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 256GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt

Error during translation: Invalid or incomplete multibyte or wide character

And when trying it for the live USB drive:

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo parted /dev/sdb
GNU Parted 2.3
Using /dev/sdb
Welcome to GNU Parted! Type 'help' to view a list of commands.
(parted) p
Model: Kingston DataTraveler 2.0 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 7803MB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: loop

Number Start End Size File system Flags
 1 0.00B 7803MB 7803MB fat32

(parted) quit

Revision history for this message
Adam Conrad (adconrad) wrote :

The ringbuffer spew here from the XFS driver when we attempt to mount something that's not an XFS partition is clearly a kernel bug, but there's likely also something we can do to make the installer a bit more robust in this situation.

Note that the "partition" spewing the errors doesn't even contain a filesystem, it's the extended volume that then contains the extended partitions (like /dev/sda5, which is NTFS, not XFS).

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Adam Conrad (adconrad) wrote :

Wait, nevermind the extended volume business, this is GPT, not MBR...

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Brad Figg (brad-figg) wrote : Missing required logs.

This bug is missing log files that will aid in diagnosing the problem. From a terminal window please run:

apport-collect 1238446

and then change the status of the bug to 'Confirmed'.

If, due to the nature of the issue you have encountered, you are unable to run this command, please add a comment stating that fact and change the bug status to 'Confirmed'.

This change has been made by an automated script, maintained by the Ubuntu Kernel Team.

Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: New → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ cat /proc/partitions
major minor #blocks name

   7 0 941900 loop0
   8 0 250059096 sda
   8 1 266240 sda1
   8 2 1638400 sda2
   8 3 266240 sda3
   8 4 131072 sda4
   8 5 247755776 sda5
   8 16 7620288 sdb

Revision history for this message
Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

Note that if I start "kde partition manager" myself, there are no crashes, and it displays the partitions correctly on both the SSD and flash drive.

Revision history for this message
Adam Conrad (adconrad) wrote :

So, sda4 *does* exist, and it's this:

(270,99,21) (286,180,21) 4 2224029696-2358247423 134217728 primary unknown /dev/sda4 Microsoft reserved partition

Revision history for this message
Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
tags: added: apport-collected kubuntu saucy ubiquity-2.15.20
description: updated
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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : AlsaInfo.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : BootDmesg.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : CRDA.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : Casper.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : CurrentDmesg.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : Dependencies.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : IwConfig.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : Lspci.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : Lsusb.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : ProcCpuinfo.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : ProcEnviron.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : ProcInterrupts.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : ProcModules.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : PulseList.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : RfKill.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : UbiquityDebug.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : UbiquityDm.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : UbiquityPartman.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : UbiquitySyslog.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : UdevDb.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : UdevLog.txt

apport information

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote : WifiSyslog.txt

apport information

Changed in ubiquity (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Changed in linux (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

Setting status to "Confirmed" as directed by the earlier comment.

Revision history for this message
Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda1 /mnt/tmp/ -o ro
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo blkid /dev/sda3
/dev/sda3: UUID="F88C-9896" TYPE="vfat"
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ ls /mnt/tmp/
EFI
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ ls /mnt/tmp/EFI/
boot microsoft
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo umount /mnt/tmp
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo mount /dev/sda3 /mnt/tmp/ -o ro
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ ls /mnt/tmp/
BOOTSECT.BAK EFI
kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ ls /mnt/tmp/EFI/
Boot Microsoft

Both sda1, sda3 look like EFI System Partitions, though it's impossible. I think sda1 is ESP for sda2 "recovery" OS, and sda3 is ESP for sda4/sda5 "windows" OS, and if I power my laptop using "assist" button, the recovery ESP kicks in and starts the "recovery" OS (which is windows recovery mode). If I power on using the power button, windows starts as usual.

kubuntu@kubuntu:~$ sudo parted -l
Model: ATA M4-CT256M4SSD2 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 256GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt

Error during translation: Invalid or incomplete multibyte or wide character

Revision history for this message
Dimitri John Ledkov (xnox) wrote :

We can read partitions, and parted_server is printing them to us.
We should ignore errors from multi-wide characters, and well continue to be able to install.
It is curious how come KDE Partition Manager "decodes" the labels correctly and why parted / parted_server fails to do the same for us.

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
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Phillip Susi (psusi) wrote :

Please run sudo dd if=/dev/sda of=parttab count=34, and attach the parttab file to the bug report.

no longer affects: linux (Ubuntu)
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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :
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Phillip Susi (psusi) wrote :

It looks like parted's gpt code simply throws out the upper 8 bits of each 16 bit character, which corrupts non ascii names. Later it tries to treat this corrupted name as a multi byte string ( which I think means UTF-8 ) and convert it to a wide character string, and this fails.

I'm not sure how to convert UTF-16 to the current locale encoding.

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Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

I know that newer versions of parted don't have this problem: e.g. parted -l on Fedora/Arch linux always work.

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Phillip Susi (psusi) wrote :

Are you sure? I'm looking at the upstream git master source code and it's broken.

Revision history for this message
Rohan Dhruva (rohandhruva) wrote :

@Phillip: You're right, parted 3.1 also fails with the exact same error. It's definitely broken. I may be remembered something else, sorry for the misinformation.

Revision history for this message
Launchpad Janitor (janitor) wrote :

Status changed to 'Confirmed' because the bug affects multiple users.

Changed in parted (Ubuntu):
status: New → Confirmed
Revision history for this message
Telma Woerle de Lima Soares (telma-woerle) wrote :

I am having the same problem with ubuntu 13.10. I can mount the partitions and installation program recognizes that it needs to unmount them, but after this stucks in "waiting" mouse pointer. My notebook is a sony vaio SVE14AFBB.

Revision history for this message
Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson) wrote :

This release of Ubuntu is no longer receiving maintenance updates. If this is still an issue on a maintained version of Ubuntu please let us know.

Changed in ubiquity (Ubuntu):
status: Confirmed → Incomplete
Revision history for this message
Marcus Tomlinson (marcustomlinson) wrote :

This issue has sat incomplete for more than 60 days now. I'm going to close it as invalid. Please feel free re-open if this is still an issue for you. Thank you.

Changed in ubiquity (Ubuntu):
status: Incomplete → Invalid
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