Ubuntu dual boot mix up from zfs and from ext4

[BertN45]

I dual boot Ubuntu 23.10 from openzfs from nvme (main OS) and from ext4 from HDD (backup OS). In 23.10 everything worked, I could use my datapools on both systems also rpool, The nvme datapool rpool contains the ROOT dataset and 2 datasets with my main VMs.

I upgraded the ext4 system to 24.04 (do-release-upgrade -d) and that worked fine. I have 2 other datapools on the HDD and I can use them without any issue after (zpool import -f) on the ext4 system.

As soon as I try to import the datapool rpool the problem starts, it gives the following error message:

"Broadcast message from systemd-journald@Host-sdb5 (Sat 2024-03-09 12:50:47 AST): systemd[1]: Caught <ABRT>, from our own process."

Afterwards it is impossible to use the terminal, it just does not start. However most other applications still work as normal. It is also impossible to shut-down the system from the menu. I have to power off the system with the power button.

On reboot I get the following error messages;

zfs: module license "CDDL" taints kernel.
Disabling lock debugging due to kernel taint
zfs: module license taints kernel

It seems to load the zfs kernel modules again, why? It is superfluous and wrong, because they are already loaded from ext4 much earlier. Afterward the system is completely confused and hangs. (see the annexed photo)

My nvme system does not boot anymore, because it is missing rpool, but it nicely advises in initramfs to use "zpool import -f" and that works.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: ubuntu-release-upgrader-core 1:24.04.7
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 6.8.0-11.11-generic 6.8.0-rc4
Uname: Linux 6.8.0-11-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs
ApportVersion: 2.28.0-0ubuntu1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: unknown
CrashDB: ubuntu
CurrentDesktop: ubuntu:GNOME
Date: Sat Mar 9 13:12:08 2024
InstallationDate: Installed on 2023-12-21 (80 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 23.10.1 "Mantic Minotaur" - Release amd64 (20231016.1)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 SHELL=/bin/bash
 TERM=xterm-256color
 XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: ubuntu-release-upgrader
Symptom: release-upgrade
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to noble on 2024-03-09 (0 days ago)
VarLogDistupgradeXorgFixuplog:
 INFO:root:/usr/bin/do-release-upgrade running
 INFO:root:No xorg.conf, exiting

[BertN45 (lammert-nijhof)]

Additional info. After importing rpool I can use the Virtual Machines in rpool, but the issues with the terminal and shutting down remain. I installed a 2nd terminal Tilix and after a warning message I can use it to e.g. export all datapools, but the issues with the standard terminal and shutting down remain.

The gnome settings app also has issues after importing rpool.

[BertN45 (lammert-nijhof)]

I tried my ext4 system again. All VMs work fine. However I cannot use Firefox anymore after importing rpool.
I exported all zpools and booted my main system again. My main system Ubuntu 23.10 booting from ZFS, the boot worked fine. but two snaps were damaged by the ext 24.04 system after I imported rpool. "firmware-updater" did give an error message, but after removing and installing it again it seems ok. However Firefox is unusable, even after removing it and installing it again, it remain unusable. I installed Microsoft Edge :( :)

I will state it very simple, after importing rpool containing the 23.10 zfs system, the ext4 24.04 system get confused about the location of the OS! The 24.04 ext4 system uses and changes stuff in the 23.10 zfs rpool!!!!

[BertN45 (lammert-nijhof)]

Starting firefox in the terminal of the zfs 23.10 system gives the following errors:
bertadmin@Host-R3:~$ firefox
2024/03/15 10:27:25.066219 system_key.go:129: cannot determine nfs usage in generateSystemKey: cannot parse /etc/fstab: expected between 3 and 6 fields, found 7
update.go:85: cannot change mount namespace according to change mount (/var/lib/snapd/hostfs/usr/local/share/doc /usr/local/share/doc none bind,ro 0 0): cannot open directory "/usr/local/share": permission denied
update.go:85: cannot change mount namespace according to change mount (/var/lib/snapd/hostfs/usr/share/gimp/2.0/help /usr/share/gimp/2.0/help none bind,ro 0 0): cannot open directory "/var/lib": permission denied
update.go:85: cannot change mount namespace according to change mount (/var/lib/snapd/hostfs/usr/share/libreoffice/help /usr/share/libreoffice/help none bind,ro 0 0): cannot open directory "/var/lib": permission denied
update.go:85: cannot change mount namespace according to change mount (/var/lib/snapd/hostfs/usr/share/xubuntu-docs /usr/share/xubuntu-docs none bind,ro 0 0): cannot open directory "/var/lib": permission denied
Content snap command-chain for /snap/firefox/3941/gnome-platform/command-chain/desktop-launch not found: ensure slot is connected
bertadmin@Host-R3:~$

[BertN45 (lammert-nijhof)]

Content of fstab and the swap file lines have 7 items instead of 6, because I added priority, but that has always been like this since many years. The system should use first the nvme swap and only if full the HDD swap :)

# /etc/fstab: static file system information.
#
# Use 'blkid' to print the universally unique identifier for a
# device; this may be used with UUID= as a more robust way to name devices
# that works even if disks are added and removed. See fstab(5).
#
# <file system> <mount point> <type> <options> <dump> <pass>
/dev/disk/by-uuid/6e6abccf-46b7-4915-ac0e-9aaa264965ab none swap sw pri=0 0 0
/dev/disk/by-uuid/7454fc6f-80d7-478e-a67b-84eacf44c40f none swap sw pri=-1 0 0
# Use `zfs list` for current zfs mount info
# bpool none defaults 0 0
# Use `zfs list` for current zfs mount info
# rpool none defaults 0 0
# Use `zfs list` for current zfs mount info
# rpool / defaults 0 0
# Use `zfs list` for current zfs mount info
# bpool /boot defaults 0 0
# /boot/efi was on /dev/nvme0n1p1 during curtin installation
/dev/disk/by-uuid/C4D7-B106 /boot/efi vfat defaults 0 1

[BertN45 (lammert-nijhof)]

See the same error with snapstore:

snap-store
2024/03/15 11:14:50.600339 system_key.go:129: cannot determine nfs usage in generateSystemKey: cannot parse /etc/fstab: expected between 3 and 6 fields, found 7
Content snap command-chain for /snap/snap-store/1113/gnome-platform/command-chain/desktop-launch not found: ensure slot is connected

[BertN45 (lammert-nijhof)]

Trying to install new snaps on the zfs 23.10 fail too:

bertadmin@Host-R3:~$ snap install libreoffice
error: cannot perform the following tasks:
- Download snap "libreoffice" (311) from channel "stable" (no device serial yet)
bertadmin@Host-R3:~$ snap install thunderbird
error: cannot perform the following tasks:
- Download snap "thunderbird" (455) from channel "stable" (no device serial yet)
bertadmin@Host-R3:~$

Nothing is wrong with the ext4 24.04 system as long as you don't import rpool, yesterday I worked with it for 4 hours without problems using e.g Xubuntu 22.04 (HDD) instead of 24.04 (rpool) and I moved Ubuntu 16.04 ESM from rpool to the HDD.

Everything is wrong with snaps on the zfs 23.10 system after I imported rpool in ext4 24.04.