Lucid: Update udev / libudev0 to 151-12.3 breaks mdadm

[Jim (JR) Harris]

Binary package hint: udev

Issue:

Upgrading udev and libudev0 from 151-12 0 to 151-13.3 breaks mdadm where it cannot read mdadm.conf, and will not assemble, start, or mount a previously configured and working RAID array.

I did not try updating each package seperately as I "assumed" that udev and its supporting libraries needed to be at the same version to avoid strange artifacts.

Requested system information follows. See bottom of report for additional information.

====================================================

Version information:
You are using Ubuntu 10.04 LTS - the Lucid Lynx - released in April 2010 and supported until April 2013.

Info on udev:
udev:
  Installed: 151-12.3
  Candidate: 151-12.3
  Version table:
 *** 151-12.3 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     151-12 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages

Info on libudev0:
libudev0:
  Installed: 151-12.3
  Candidate: 151-12.3
  Version table:
 *** 151-12.3 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     151-12 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages

"cat" listing of the current mdadm.conf
# mdadm.conf
#
# Please refer to mdadm.conf(5) for information about this file.
#

# by default, scan all partitions (/proc/partitions) for MD superblocks.
# alternatively, specify devices to scan, using wildcards if desired.
DEVICE partitions

# auto-create devices with Debian standard permissions
CREATE owner=root group=disk mode=0660 auto=yes

# automatically tag new arrays as belonging to the local system
HOMEHOST <system>

# instruct the monitoring daemon where to send mail alerts
MAILADDR root

# definitions of existing MD arrays
ARRAY /dev/md0 level=raid5 num-devices=4
UUID=0557a93b-19e8-49c2-bac3-2d3b793226ea

# (JH) Edited on 02/21/2011 to update the "ARRAY" statement to the current raid-5 configuration.

# This file was auto-generated on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 01:33:52 -0400
# by mkconf $Id$libudev0:
  Installed: 151-12.3
  Candidate: 151-12.3
  Version table:
 *** 151-12.3 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid-updates/main Packages
        100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
     151-12 0
        500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ lucid/main Packages

Attached: A text file containing all the package revisions for all packages on my machine prior to update.

===========================================================

Earlier I had performed an update via update manager - which updated a considerable number of files - and after rebooting I discovered that my - non boot- RAID array would not start or mount.

Attempting to start the array - or even list its characteristics - returns the following error from mdadm:

root@Storage3:/home/jim# mdadm -Es
mdadm: ARRAY line /dev/md0 has no identity information.
mdadm: Unknown keyword UUID=0557a93b-19e8-49c2-bac3-2d3b793226ea
ARRAY /dev/md0 level=raid5 num-devices=4 UUID=9efcf6bf:c64770c8:047cc9cf:f73b1244

I reverted to a pre-update system image I had taken and tried selective updates.
If I update udev and libudev0 - those being the ONLY updates applied - mdadm breaks as before.

Attempts to update the mdadm.conf file do not work.

I am going to revert to the non-updated configuration, pin udev and its library, and then continue the update process.

Please - a rapid fix, or backing out the update, would be gratefully appreciated.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: udev 151-12.3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-24.39-generic 2.6.32.15+drm33.5
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-24-generic x86_64
Architecture: amd64
Date: Mon Apr 4 16:57:46 2011
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04.1 LTS "Lucid Lynx" - Release amd64 (20100816.1)
Lsusb:
 Bus 004 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 003 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 002 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0001 Linux Foundation 1.1 root hub
 Bus 001 Device 001: ID 1d6b:0002 Linux Foundation 2.0 root hub
MachineType: System manufacturer System Product Name
ProcCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.32-24-generic root=UUID=0de7fe94-f4ed-4ecb-a3c0-5c6632c62b24 ro quiet splash
ProcEnviron:
 PATH=(custom, no user)
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: udev
dmi.bios.date: 03/03/2007
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 0701
dmi.board.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: A8R32-MVP Deluxe
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK Computer INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: Asset-1234567890
dmi.chassis.type: 3
dmi.chassis.vendor: Chassis Manufacture
dmi.chassis.version: Chassis Version
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr0701:bd03/03/2007:svnSystemmanufacturer:pnSystemProductName:pvrSystemVersion:rvnASUSTeKComputerINC.:rnA8R32-MVPDeluxe:rvrRev1.xx:cvnChassisManufacture:ct3:cvrChassisVersion:
dmi.product.name: System Product Name
dmi.product.version: System Version
dmi.sys.vendor: System manufacturer

[Jim (JR) Harris (jimrh)]

Note that mdadm, and the RAID 5 array it manages, were working wonderfully up until the time of the referenced upgrade.

[Jim (JR) Harris (jimrh)]

Additional info:

"Pinned" (downgraded) versions:
udev and libudev0 - 151-12 (to correct inability for mdadm to assemble / manage a preexisting array)
udisks 1.0.1-1build1 (Corrects inability to mount or read floppy drive - a separate bug.)

AFAIK, this is the only "non-standard" stuff I have done with my system.

[Jim (JR) Harris (jimrh)]

Additional data point:

After I upgraded udev/libudev0 to 151-12.3 0 I experienced the issue described above.

I then used Synaptic to force-downgrade both packages back to 151-12 0. After a reboot, the problem still persists.

Conclusion: The upgrade brings something else with it - an upgraded config file somewhere? - that is not reverted when the old packages are restored.

[dino99 (9d9)]

Closing that outdated report as EOL has been reached long time ago