[PATCH v2 0/2] Fix installation issues on ppc64le

[PATCH v2 0/2] Fix installation issues on ppc64le

[Ismael Luceno]

If the nvram device is non-functional, e.g. because the nvram module isn't
loaded and it's file been removed from the filesystem, thus can't be
loaded, the installation will be attempted but the system will be left in
an unbootable state.

The boot process shows:

    Welcome to GRUB!

    error: ../../grub-core/kern/dl.c:380:symbol `grub_disk_get_size' not found.
    Entering rescue mode...
    grub rescue>

The patches in this series introduce a couple of points of no return
before updating the nvram, and make sure /dev/nvram is functional or
fail early.

Ismael Luceno (2):
  grub-install: Add missing points of no return for IEEE1275 on
    i386/powerpc
  grub-install: Ensure a functional /dev/nvram

 util/grub-install.c | 25 +++++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 25 insertions(+)

-- 
2.37.1

[PATCH v2 1/2] grub-install: Add missing points of no return for IEEE1275 on i386/powerpc

[Ismael Luceno]

Signed-off-by: Ismael Luceno <iluceno@suse.de>
---
 util/grub-install.c | 2 ++
 1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)

diff --git a/util/grub-install.c b/util/grub-install.c
index 7b04bd3c534b..527b85e27aa7 100644
--- a/util/grub-install.c
+++ b/util/grub-install.c
@@ -1835,6 +1835,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	    {
 	      if (write_to_disk (ins_dev, imgfile))
 		grub_util_error ("%s", _("failed to copy Grub to the PReP partition"));
+	      grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
 	    }
 	  else
 	    {
@@ -1859,6 +1860,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
 	  partno = grub_dev->disk->partition
 	    ? grub_dev->disk->partition->number + 1 : 0;
 	  dev = grub_util_get_os_disk (grub_devices[0]);
+	  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();
 	  grub_install_register_ieee1275 (0, dev,
 					  partno, relpath);
 	}
-- 
2.37.1

Re: [PATCH v2 1/2] grub-install: Add missing points of no return for IEEE1275 on i386/powerpc

[Michael Chang]

On Mon, Aug 29, 2022 at 04:36:24PM +0200, Ismael Luceno wrote:
> Signed-off-by: Ismael Luceno <iluceno@suse.de>
> ---
>  util/grub-install.c | 2 ++
>  1 file changed, 2 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/util/grub-install.c b/util/grub-install.c
> index 7b04bd3c534b..527b85e27aa7 100644
> --- a/util/grub-install.c
> +++ b/util/grub-install.c
> @@ -1835,6 +1835,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
>  	    {
>  	      if (write_to_disk (ins_dev, imgfile))
>  		grub_util_error ("%s", _("failed to copy Grub to the PReP partition"));
> +	      grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();

This looks good to me.

>  	    }
>  	  else
>  	    {
> @@ -1859,6 +1860,7 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
>  	  partno = grub_dev->disk->partition
>  	    ? grub_dev->disk->partition->number + 1 : 0;
>  	  dev = grub_util_get_os_disk (grub_devices[0]);
> +	  grub_set_install_backup_ponr ();

This should be moved way up, given failure may occur at
grub_make_system_path_relative_to_its_root or even earlier.

But in the first place the attempt may have been wrong, given the image
is installed as file in the platform directory, there we should not be
botherd to set grub_set_install_backup_ponr as file should be able to be
backup and restored thus is covered. On the other hand, the
grub_set_install_backup_ponr looked like a workaround to me to deal with
raw images embedded in partition that has no good way to restore it.

That is for i386-ieee1275, /boot/grub2/i386-ieee1275/grub should be
added to the list of backup and restore to get it to work in failure
recovery path.

Thanks,
Michael

>  	  grub_install_register_ieee1275 (0, dev,
>  					  partno, relpath);
>  	}
> -- 
> 2.37.1
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel

[PATCH v2 2/2] grub-install: Ensure a functional /dev/nvram

[Ismael Luceno]

This enables an early failure; for i386-ieee1275 and powerpc-ieee1275 on
Linux, without /dev/nvram the system may be left in an unbootable state.

Signed-off-by: Ismael Luceno <iluceno@suse.de>
---
 util/grub-install.c | 23 +++++++++++++++++++++++
 1 file changed, 23 insertions(+)

diff --git a/util/grub-install.c b/util/grub-install.c
index 527b85e27aa7..c84a2fb0526f 100644
--- a/util/grub-install.c
+++ b/util/grub-install.c
@@ -827,6 +827,16 @@ fill_core_services (const char *core_services)
   free (sysv_plist);
 }
 
+static void
+try_open (const char *path)
+{
+  FILE *f;
+  f = grub_util_fopen (path, "r+");
+  if (!f)
+    grub_util_error (_("Unable to open %s: %s"), path, strerror(errno));
+  fclose (f);
+}
+
 int
 main (int argc, char *argv[])
 {
@@ -1026,6 +1036,19 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
       break;
     }
 
+  switch (platform)
+    {
+    case GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_I386_IEEE1275:
+    case GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_POWERPC_IEEE1275:
+#ifdef __linux__
+      /* On Linux, ensure /dev/nvram is _functional_.  */
+      try_open ("/dev/nvram");
+#endif
+      break;
+    default:
+      break;
+    }
+
   /* Find the EFI System Partition.  */
 
   if (is_efi)
-- 
2.37.1

Re: [PATCH v2 2/2] grub-install: Ensure a functional /dev/nvram

[Michael Chang]

On Mon, Aug 29, 2022 at 04:36:25PM +0200, Ismael Luceno wrote:
> This enables an early failure; for i386-ieee1275 and powerpc-ieee1275 on
> Linux, without /dev/nvram the system may be left in an unbootable state.
> 
> Signed-off-by: Ismael Luceno <iluceno@suse.de>
> ---
>  util/grub-install.c | 23 +++++++++++++++++++++++
>  1 file changed, 23 insertions(+)
> 
> diff --git a/util/grub-install.c b/util/grub-install.c
> index 527b85e27aa7..c84a2fb0526f 100644
> --- a/util/grub-install.c
> +++ b/util/grub-install.c
> @@ -827,6 +827,16 @@ fill_core_services (const char *core_services)
>    free (sysv_plist);
>  }
>  
> +static void
> +try_open (const char *path)
> +{
> +  FILE *f;
> +  f = grub_util_fopen (path, "r+");
> +  if (!f)
> +    grub_util_error (_("Unable to open %s: %s"), path, strerror(errno));
> +  fclose (f);
> +}
> +
>  int
>  main (int argc, char *argv[])
>  {
> @@ -1026,6 +1036,19 @@ main (int argc, char *argv[])
>        break;
>      }
>  
> +  switch (platform)
> +    {
> +    case GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_I386_IEEE1275:
> +    case GRUB_INSTALL_PLATFORM_POWERPC_IEEE1275:
> +#ifdef __linux__
> +      /* On Linux, ensure /dev/nvram is _functional_.  */
> +      try_open ("/dev/nvram");

The update_nvram variable should be tested in case user has skipped it.

Thanks,
Michael

> +#endif
> +      break;
> +    default:
> +      break;
> +    }
> +
>    /* Find the EFI System Partition.  */
>  
>    if (is_efi)
> -- 
> 2.37.1
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Grub-devel mailing list
> Grub-devel@gnu.org
> https://lists.gnu.org/mailman/listinfo/grub-devel