Groups | Search | Server Info | Keyboard shortcuts | Login | Register [http] [https] [nntp] [nntps]

Groups > linux.debian.kernel > #53157 > unrolled thread

Bug#815838: linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64: Boot randomly fails with "Initramfs unpacking failed"

Back to article view | Back to linux.debian.kernel

Contents

  Bug#815838: linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64: Boot randomly fails with "Initramfs unpacking failed" Blake Miner <compwiz737@gmail.com> - 2016-03-08 05:30 +0100
    Bug#815838: linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64: Boot randomly fails with "Initramfs unpacking failed" Blake Miner <compwiz737@gmail.com> - 2016-03-08 05:30 +0100
      Bug#815838: linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64: Boot randomly fails with "Initramfs unpacking failed" Blake Miner <compwiz737@gmail.com> - 2016-03-21 21:10 +0100
        Bug#815838: linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64: Boot randomly fails with "Initramfs unpacking failed" Blake Miner <compwiz737@gmail.com> - 2016-03-21 21:20 +0100

#53157 — Bug#815838: linux-image-3.16.0-4-amd64: Boot randomly fails with "Initramfs unpacking failed"

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

I no longer think that this bug is caused by kaslr.  I have actually
narrowed down this problem to the bootable USB disk that I am using to boot
the operating system.  I should have mentioned in my initial message that I
am booting the system from a USB disk using a read-only partition.

The problematic USB device is a SanDisk Cruzer Fit 8 GB USB 2.0 Low-profile
Flash Drive (SDCZ33-008G-B35).  I have many of these, and have tried over a
dozen of them.  They all cause the "Initramfs unpacking failed" error on
about 10-15% of bootups.  Annoyingly, I've counted over 100 bootups (with
physically different matching PCs) and marked which ones fail.  The
failures occur seemingly randomly about 10-15% of the time.

Previously, I used several of these USB flash drives (which don't exhibit
the problem at all): SanDisk Cruzer Fit CZ33 16GB USB 2.0 Low-Profile Flash
Drive (SDCZ33-016G-B35).  These boot perfectly 100% of the time on the
exact same PC hardware.

Furthermore, I am using the same bootable image on both types of USB
devices; I use a script to create identical-sized partitions, copy
necessary files to the partition using fsarchiver, and then I have USB
flash drives with identical images.  I should note that the primary boot
partition is only 3.5 GB, so all data fits on either SanDisk device.
The SDCZ33-008G-B35 exhibits the problem described in this bug report;
whereas, the SDCZ33-016G-B35 does not.  The same data is on both devices,
and they are both running on the exact same hardware.  I've tried different
PCs (identical PCs, mind you), and the problem is consistent.

The processors are not overclocked.  The BIOS performs a RAM test at boot
(I haven't tried memtest86+), but I don't think RAM is a problem here.
Like a mentioned above, the problem does not occur for the other 16 GB USB
flash drive on the same hardware.
-- 
Blake Miner
miner.blake@gmail.com

[toc] | [next] | [standalone]

#53158

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

By the way, I will re-test with the current kernel version (probably next
week) and report back the results.  In the meantime, any thoughts on what
might be causing this issue?

On Mon, Mar 7, 2016 at 11:21 PM Blake Miner <compwiz737@gmail.com> wrote:

> I no longer think that this bug is caused by kaslr.  I have actually
> narrowed down this problem to the bootable USB disk that I am using to boot
> the operating system.  I should have mentioned in my initial message that I
> am booting the system from a USB disk using a read-only partition.
>
> The problematic USB device is a SanDisk Cruzer Fit 8 GB USB 2.0
> Low-profile Flash Drive (SDCZ33-008G-B35).  I have many of these, and have
> tried over a dozen of them.  They all cause the "Initramfs unpacking
> failed" error on about 10-15% of bootups.  Annoyingly, I've counted over
> 100 bootups (with physically different matching PCs) and marked which ones
> fail.  The failures occur seemingly randomly about 10-15% of the time.
>
> Previously, I used several of these USB flash drives (which don't exhibit
> the problem at all): SanDisk Cruzer Fit CZ33 16GB USB 2.0 Low-Profile Flash
> Drive (SDCZ33-016G-B35).  These boot perfectly 100% of the time on the
> exact same PC hardware.
>
> Furthermore, I am using the same bootable image on both types of USB
> devices; I use a script to create identical-sized partitions, copy
> necessary files to the partition using fsarchiver, and then I have USB
> flash drives with identical images.  I should note that the primary boot
> partition is only 3.5 GB, so all data fits on either SanDisk device.
> The SDCZ33-008G-B35 exhibits the problem described in this bug report;
> whereas, the SDCZ33-016G-B35 does not.  The same data is on both devices,
> and they are both running on the exact same hardware.  I've tried different
> PCs (identical PCs, mind you), and the problem is consistent.
>
> The processors are not overclocked.  The BIOS performs a RAM test at boot
> (I haven't tried memtest86+), but I don't think RAM is a problem here.
> Like a mentioned above, the problem does not occur for the other 16 GB USB
> flash drive on the same hardware.
> --
> Blake Miner
> miner.blake@gmail.com
>
-- 
Blake Miner
miner.blake@gmail.com

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#53280

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

This problem is also confirmed using Debian Linux
kernel 3.16.7-ckt20-1+deb8u4.

Any thoughts on how to fix?  Again, this only occurs about 10% of the time
on boot ups, sometimes less frequently depending on which PC I am using.

For now, as a workaround, I am using the "panic" kernel parameter to
trigger an automatic reboot when this problem occurs.
-- 
Blake Miner
miner.blake@gmail.com

[toc] | [prev] | [next] | [standalone]

#53281

[Multipart message — attachments visible in raw view] — view raw

I should also mention that this problem seems to be occurring for the 16 GB
SanDisk USB disks, as well (part SDCZ33-016G-B35)... just appears to be
slightly more rare.
-- 
Blake Miner
miner.blake@gmail.com

[toc] | [prev] | [standalone]

Back to top | Article view | linux.debian.kernel

csiph-web