Bug in guix installer (seems to be unable to create swap) - reproducable

I have attempted to install 1.3.0 from the iso, but the "guided"

install encounters an error after partitioning; which if I read

correctly, indicates swap cannot be created.

This happens when I use _any_ partitioning scheme, manual or

automatic.

The command 'mkswap -f /dev/sda3' executes correctly from the shell

session on tty3 from the installer.

Sadly, this is also fatal and the installation cannot continue, so

I'm a bit surprized no one has reported this - as I can recreate

this situation reliably every time I attempt it. (Maybe I just am

blind and cannot find the bug report at the guix bug tracker, if

so, my apologies for the duplicate.)

Error file attached.

---

In ice-9/ports.scm:

478:4 19 (with-error-to-port _ _)

In guix/build/utils.scm:

654:6 18 (invoke _ . _)

In ice-9/boot-9.scm:

1669:16 17 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 16 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 15 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 14 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 13 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 12 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 11 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 10 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 9 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 8 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1667:16 7 (raise-exception _ #:continuable? _)

1764:13 6 (_ #<&invoke-error program: "mkswap" arguments: ("-f" "/dev/sda3") exit-status: 1 term-signal: #f stop-signal: #f>)

In ice-9/eval.scm:

619:8 5 (_ #(#(#<directory (guile-user) 7f2d93296c80> #<<installer> name: newt init: #<procedure init ()> exit: #<procedure exit ()> exit-error: #<procedure exit-error (file key args)> f…>) …))

619:8 4 (_ #(#(#(#<directory (guile-user) 7f2d93296c80> #<<installer> name: newt init: #<procedure init ()> exit: #<procedure exit ()> exit-error: #<procedure exit-error (file key arg…>) …) #))

In ice-9/ports.scm:

463:17 3 (call-with-output-file _ _ #:binary _ #:encoding _)

In ice-9/eval.scm:

619:8 2 (_ #(#(#<directory (guile-user) 7f2d93296c80> %exception (#<&invoke-error program: "mkswap" arguments: ("-f" "/dev/sda3") exit-status: 1 term-signal: #f stop-signal: #f>)) #<output:…>))

159:9 1 (_ #(#(#<directory (guile-user) 7f2d93296c80> %exception (#<&invoke-error program: "mkswap" arguments: ("-f" "/dev/sda3") exit-status: 1 term-signal: #f stop-signal: #f>)) #<output:…>))

In unknown file:

0 (make-stack #t)

ice-9/eval.scm:159:9: ERROR:

1. &invoke-error:

program: "mkswap"

arguments: ("-f" "/dev/sda3")

exit-status: 1

term-signal: #f

stop-signal: #f

Hello Andrew,

Thanks for the complete bug report. I think that this bug falls into the

same category as https://issues.guix.gnu.org/47996,

https://issues.guix.gnu.org/47567,https://issues.guix.gnu.org/44872 and

probably some others.

The "free-parted" procedure that makes sure that all the partitions are

created and not in use probably fails in some configurations. Otherwise,

I cannot understand why the "mkswap" binary would fail.

We may need to come up with a new procedure that provides stronger

guarantees.

Thanks,

Mathieu

Hi,

Mathieu Othacehe <othacehe@gnu.org> skribis:

Do we know why ‘mkswap’ exited with code 1, though? EBUSY or could it

be something else?

Thanks,

Ludo’.

I would _asume_ it could not be "EBUSY" as I see nothing in the script that

would mount the drive... Again: this is the script, not custom. This is

100% reproducable in all my setups: just try using the defaults from the

installer, and you should hit this.

This occurs immediately after partitioning, which _does_ succeed.

- you say "some configurations" - try the DEFAULT. Let it wipe the HD,

partition, and: fail.

A guess, but ... one that makes no sense:

Surely it isn't one of those "old kernel" type problems where the new

partition scheme isn't known, and therefore, kernel can't find the partition

that the script expects? I haven't seen one of those issues for... over

15 years (:

On Sun, Jun 13, 2021 at 03:12:32PM +0200, Ludovic Courtès wrote: