GNU bug report logs - #58084
System activation fails due to preexisting /etc/modprobe.d

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
To: bug-guix <bug-guix <at> gnu.org>
Subject: guix deploy fails, leaving the newly installed system generation
 active 
Date: Sun, 25 Sep 2022 22:37:48 -0400

Hi,

While attempting to deploy to overdrive1, using the 9971141 commit in
the maintenance repo, I encountered the following error:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
maxim <at> hurd ~/src/guix-maintenance/hydra$ guix time-machine --commit=08d515233241ee0921b8b5ab706f98170c62437c -- deploy -L modules deploy-overdrive1.scm
The following 1 machine will be deployed:
  overdrive1

guix deploy: deploying to overdrive1...
guix deploy: sending 0 store items (0 MiB) to 'overdrive1.guix.gnu.org'...
guix deploy: sending 0 store items (0 MiB) to 'overdrive1.guix.gnu.org'...
guix deploy: sending 0 store items (0 MiB) to 'overdrive1.guix.gnu.org'...
guix deploy: error: failed to deploy overdrive1: failed to switch systems while deploying 'overdrive1':
system-error "symlink" "~A" ("File exists") (17)
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

It also looks like even the above failed to "deploy" fully, the system
generation was left as the last active one:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
[...]
Generation 28   Sep 26 2022 04:04:36    (current)
  file name: /var/guix/profiles/system-28-link
  canonical file name: /gnu/store/c02w7nyl5nr19x856455p2wh959r25h8-system
  label: GNU with Linux-Libre 5.19.10
  bootloader: grub-efi
  root device: /dev/sda3
  kernel: /gnu/store/nmdy7c4i34y12w8af7zl6sl9fmrp8wa0-linux-libre-5.19.10/Image
  channels:
    sfl-packages:
      repository URL: https://gitlab.com/Apteryks/sfl-guix-channel
      branch: master
      commit: 6385881124429016f750b0f562b70e07f592275e
    guix:
      repository URL: https://git.savannah.gnu.org/git/guix.git
      commit: 08d515233241ee0921b8b5ab706f98170c62437c
  configuration file: /gnu/store/myvzd1kpw2pfzfj3krl4lzpcbqsdn48x-configuration.scm
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Which leaves me with two questions:

1. why did it fail?

2. when it encounters any error while deploying, shouldn't the
generation be removed instead of left as the active one?

Thanks,

Maxim

Message #8 received at 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
To: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#58084: guix deploy fails, leaving the newly installed
 system generation active 
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2022 17:39:48 +0200

Hi,

Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com> skribis:

> While attempting to deploy to overdrive1, using the 9971141 commit in
> the maintenance repo, I encountered the following error:
>
> maxim <at> hurd ~/src/guix-maintenance/hydra$ guix time-machine --commit=08d515233241ee0921b8b5ab706f98170c62437c -- deploy -L modules deploy-overdrive1.scm
> The following 1 machine will be deployed:
>   overdrive1
>
> guix deploy: deploying to overdrive1...
> guix deploy: sending 0 store items (0 MiB) to 'overdrive1.guix.gnu.org'...
> guix deploy: sending 0 store items (0 MiB) to 'overdrive1.guix.gnu.org'...
> guix deploy: sending 0 store items (0 MiB) to 'overdrive1.guix.gnu.org'...
> guix deploy: error: failed to deploy overdrive1: failed to switch systems while deploying 'overdrive1':
> system-error "symlink" "~A" ("File exists") (17)

I can reproduce it.

The failing code is in /gnu/store/…-switch-to-system.scm:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(begin
  (use-modules
   (guix config)
   (guix profiles)
   (guix utils))
  (define profile
    (or #f
	(string-append %state-directory "/profiles/system")))
  (let*
      ((number
	(#{1+}
	 #
	 (generation-number profile)))
       (generation
	(generation-file-name profile number)))
    (switch-symlinks generation "/gnu/store/kifxq4hmp4ihn6nb06ia8wms33qrndxn-system")
    (switch-symlinks profile generation)
    (setenv "GUIX_NEW_SYSTEM" "/gnu/store/kifxq4hmp4ihn6nb06ia8wms33qrndxn-system")
    (primitive-load "/gnu/store/1wdwlaqkmixb1d7by7fj23lxppw8x44r-activate.scm")))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

We can run it manually to get debugging data:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
ludo <at> overdrive1 ~$ sudo -E env -i COLUMNS=100  "/gnu/store/xv7j4im9ap92mv0mbsm1wa4px93zxrms-switch-to-system.scm"
making '/gnu/store/kifxq4hmp4ihn6nb06ia8wms33qrndxn-system' the current system...
WARNING: (guile-user): imported module (guix build utils) overrides core binding `delete'
setting up setuid programs in '/run/setuid-programs'...
populating /etc from /gnu/store/hf3qxlaiajvapwis0lq20avgl2whfa5w-etc...
Backtrace:
           6 (primitive-load "/gnu/store/xv7j4im9ap92mv0mbsm1wa4px93zxrms-switch-to-system.scm")
           5 (primitive-load "/gnu/store/1wdwlaqkmixb1d7by7fj23lxppw8x44r-activate.scm")
In ice-9/boot-9.scm:
   260:13  4 (for-each #<procedure primitive-load (_)> _)
In unknown file:
           3 (primitive-load "/gnu/store/v03vaksmkpj7wv4dhm0yrd3y65lzbixz-activate-service.scm")
In srfi/srfi-1.scm:
    634:9  2 (for-each #<procedure ffffaaff10e0 at gnu/build/activation.scm:257:12 (file)> _)
In gnu/build/activation.scm:
   267:20  1 (_ "modprobe.d")
In unknown file:
           0 (symlink "/etc/static/modprobe.d" "/etc/modprobe.d")

ERROR: In procedure symlink:
In procedure symlink: File exists
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

This is because ‘zram-device-service-type’ contributes a file to
/etc/modprobe.d:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
(define %zram-device-config
  `("modprobe.d/zram.conf"
    ,(plain-file "zram.conf"
                 "options zram num_devices=1")))

(define zram-device-service-type
  (service-type
    (name 'zram)
    (default-value (zram-device-configuration))
    (extensions
      (list (service-extension kernel-module-loader-service-type
                               (const (list "zram")))
            (service-extension etc-service-type
                               (const (list %zram-device-config)))
            (service-extension udev-service-type
                               (compose list zram-device-udev-rule))))
    (description "Creates a zram swap device.")))
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

… which is fine, except that there was already a pre-existing
/etc/modprobe.d directory (coming from openSuSE, the distro that was
initially installed on this machine), which caused this activation code
to break:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
ludo <at> overdrive1 ~$ ls -l /etc/modprobe.d
total 36
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 3221 Nov  6  2016 00-system.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  532 Nov 14  2012 10-unsupported-modules.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  181 May  5  2017 50-alsa.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root 5009 Sep 15  2016 50-blacklist.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root  128 Oct 12  2017 50-bluetooth.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   33 Oct 20  2016 50-ipw2200.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   34 Oct 20  2016 50-iwl3945.conf
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root   47 Nov 22  2011 99-local.conf
ludo <at> overdrive1 ~$ ls -ld /etc/modprobe.d
drwxr-xr-x 1 root root 260 Jan 29  2018 /etc/modprobe.d/
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Once moved out of the way, reconfiguration proceeds just fine and
happiness ensues:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
ludo <at> overdrive1 ~$ ls -l /etc/modprobe.d
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 22 Sep 26 17:19 /etc/modprobe.d -> /etc/static/modprobe.d
ludo <at> overdrive1 ~$ ls -l /etc/modprobe.d/
total 4
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 53 Jan  1  1970 zram.conf -> /gnu/store/srl5xij6hf4x6iksx98grb1spcj3rch1-zram.conf
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

Ludo’.

Message #17 received at 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
To: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#58084: guix deploy fails, leaving the newly installed
 system generation active
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2022 13:46:20 -0400

Hi,

Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org> writes:

[...]

> We can run it manually to get debugging data:
>
> ludo <at> overdrive1 ~$ sudo -E env -i COLUMNS=100  "/gnu/store/xv7j4im9ap92mv0mbsm1wa4px93zxrms-switch-to-system.scm"
> making '/gnu/store/kifxq4hmp4ihn6nb06ia8wms33qrndxn-system' the current system...
> WARNING: (guile-user): imported module (guix build utils) overrides core binding `delete'
> setting up setuid programs in '/run/setuid-programs'...
> populating /etc from /gnu/store/hf3qxlaiajvapwis0lq20avgl2whfa5w-etc...
> Backtrace:
>            6 (primitive-load "/gnu/store/xv7j4im9ap92mv0mbsm1wa4px93zxrms-switch-to-system.scm")
>            5 (primitive-load "/gnu/store/1wdwlaqkmixb1d7by7fj23lxppw8x44r-activate.scm")
> In ice-9/boot-9.scm:
>    260:13  4 (for-each #<procedure primitive-load (_)> _)
> In unknown file:
>            3 (primitive-load "/gnu/store/v03vaksmkpj7wv4dhm0yrd3y65lzbixz-activate-service.scm")
> In srfi/srfi-1.scm:
>     634:9  2 (for-each #<procedure ffffaaff10e0 at gnu/build/activation.scm:257:12 (file)> _)
> In gnu/build/activation.scm:
>    267:20  1 (_ "modprobe.d")
> In unknown file:
>            0 (symlink "/etc/static/modprobe.d" "/etc/modprobe.d")
>
> ERROR: In procedure symlink:
> In procedure symlink: File exists
>
>
> This is because ‘zram-device-service-type’ contributes a file to
> /etc/modprobe.d:
>
> (define %zram-device-config
>   `("modprobe.d/zram.conf"
>     ,(plain-file "zram.conf"
>                  "options zram num_devices=1")))
>
> (define zram-device-service-type
>   (service-type
>     (name 'zram)
>     (default-value (zram-device-configuration))
>     (extensions
>       (list (service-extension kernel-module-loader-service-type
>                                (const (list "zram")))
>             (service-extension etc-service-type
>                                (const (list %zram-device-config)))
>             (service-extension udev-service-type
>                                (compose list zram-device-udev-rule))))
>     (description "Creates a zram swap device.")))
>
>
> … which is fine, except that there was already a pre-existing
> /etc/modprobe.d directory (coming from openSuSE, the distro that was
> initially installed on this machine), which caused this activation code
> to break:

Oh wow! Should we be extra careful and always rm files before linking to
their location?  Or define our own 'symlink' procedure that'd take care
of it?  That's not very elegant but better than obscure crashes like
this.

What do you think?

Thanks for the debugging!

Maxim

Message #20 received at 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
To: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
Cc: 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#58084: guix deploy fails, leaving the newly installed
 system generation active
Date: Mon, 26 Sep 2022 13:48:11 -0400

Hello again,

Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com> writes:

[...]

>> … which is fine, except that there was already a pre-existing
>> /etc/modprobe.d directory (coming from openSuSE, the distro that was
>> initially installed on this machine), which caused this activation code
>> to break:
>
> Oh wow! Should we be extra careful and always rm files before linking to
> their location?  Or define our own 'symlink' procedure that'd take care
> of it?  That's not very elegant but better than obscure crashes like
> this.

I just had a better idea: fail and report that an unexpected file was
found there, leaving the user to inspect it and choose a proper action.

Thanks,

Maxim

Message #23 received at 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
To: Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com>
Cc: 58084 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#58084: guix deploy fails, leaving the newly installed
 system generation active
Date: Thu, 29 Sep 2022 16:47:15 +0200

Hi,

Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com> skribis:

> Maxim Cournoyer <maxim.cournoyer <at> gmail.com> writes:
>
> [...]
>
>>> … which is fine, except that there was already a pre-existing
>>> /etc/modprobe.d directory (coming from openSuSE, the distro that was
>>> initially installed on this machine), which caused this activation code
>>> to break:
>>
>> Oh wow! Should we be extra careful and always rm files before linking to
>> their location?  Or define our own 'symlink' procedure that'd take care
>> of it?  That's not very elegant but better than obscure crashes like
>> this.
>
> I just had a better idea: fail and report that an unexpected file was
> found there, leaving the user to inspect it and choose a proper action.

Yeah, that’d be nice.  It’s really a corner case that you’ll only hit
when installing on a non-empty file system, but gracefully handling it
would be nice for sure.

Ludo’.

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