Noob Can't Upgrade 8.0.1 Beta 2 to Beta 3

[HavaCuppaJoe]

I have 8.0.1 beta 2 up and running with a 4x2TB RAIDZ array booting from a 2GB flash drive. Anyhow, I've been testing it with sample/scratch data for a week or so now. Have run into a few of the known issues with beta 2, so am trying to upgrade to beta 3.

However, the upgrade won't boot completely. It always bombs out with a mounting error before executing the config menu (or configuring the network controller, for that matter). I've tried both installing to a new USB flash drive and updating the existing flash drive from CD (ISO image) and run into the same results. On the ISO install, the disk image finds the Beta2 key, reports that it's saved the config file, re-images the flash drive, reports that it updated the config file on the new image successfully; then promptly fails on the next reboot.

Was hoping that someone has seen this before and can help this Noob get around whatever this configuration issue is.

When the error occurs, the last few lines on the console are always this:

GEOM: da0s1: geometry does not match label (16h,63s != 255h,63s).
Trying to mount root from ufs:/dev/ufs/FreeNASs1a
mount: /dev/ufs/FreeNASs3 : No such file or directory
mount -o ro /dev/ufs/FreeNASs3 /conf/default/etc failed: dropping into /bin/sh
#​

At this point it looks like the drive is in read-only mode or something, because I can't even look at the log files with view; it reports that that it can't create a temp file on the media.

Does this look like some variation of the permissions error that I read about on the other threads? Any advice would be appreciated.

My config (high level) is:

ASUS mobo - M5A78L-M LX
Athlon X2 255
4x 2TB Seagate Green drives
4GB RAM
Booting FreeNAS from USB flash drive

Thanks,

HavaCuppaJoe

 

[ProtoSD]

I had the same problem and spent *some time* trying to get it to work, UNSUCCESSFULLY. Stick with beta 2. A ticket was open for the problem and other people have had the same problem.

Here's a link to the ticket if you want to add anything:

https://support.freenas.org/ticket/490

 

[nite244]

If I remember correctly, the problem is that Beta3 is a 2GB partition on the boot device where as Beta2 and before were 1GB partitions on the boot device and it couldn't be "automatically" upgraded - a fresh install is needed. They had to pick a time to force the upgrade and they decided that during beta was better than during (or after) a major release. I believe they said it will be 2GB going forward, so I believe you'll run into this either now (Beta3) or in future version as they're released. See the release notes for more details.

Hopefully I have the above correct - feel free to jump in if I've stated anything wrong.

 

[ProtoSD]

nite244 -

You're right about the increase in the partition size, but even with the correct size flash drive beta3 would just not go for me. I tried installing from both the i386 ISO and the AMD64 ISO. I tried doing a progressive upgrade from 8.0 release, and doing a clean install of beta2 and then trying the upgrade. I may have tried a few other things, but it seemed pretty fruitless and I decided not to waste anymore time since it's probably already being worked on. Originally I started with an 8GB flash drive and thought that had something to do with it, but after going out and buying a couple 2GB keys and having it fail on those too, I gave up.

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

Hmm. I read about the partition increase on the release notes. However, I first started with a 2GB flash key that I just took out of the package. Then I had the same error when trying to upgrade the first key that already had beta 2 on it. Both USB keys are the same model.

Interestingly enough, however, the new installation process doesn't actually create a 2GB partition. It actually creates 2 1GB partitions on the same key. I have no idea if this has any relevance.

HavaCuppaJoe

 

[nite244]

It's looks like in theory, that an upgrade is possible - I thought it wasn't at all - see release note clip below:

The image size has been increased from 1GB to 2GB. As more features have
been added to the system it has crept towards the max size. The translations
have brought this to a head, the current image just barely fits in 1GB, but
the translation effort is about 50% finished. Since an image size bump is
inevitable, it's happening now. Due to this size change the system now
requires a 2GB device to install to. Furthermore, the GUI upgrade is not
possible. Booting from the CD will work to do the upgrade, otherwise
save config, reinstall, restore config is the recommended upgrade path.

It's also good that people are testing with 2GB memory sticks - I thought that might be the other source of the problem, theorizing that the image would need (say) 100k more than what the memory stick could offer, but it sounds like it works. Yay for not having to buy new boot devices :)

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

I still have not been able to get this to work on my system. The file dev/ufs/FreeNASs3 just doesn't exist on the volume anywhere. The only file in dev/ufs/ is FreeNASs1a.

If there's anyone on the forum that can give me any hints about how this FreeNASs3 is created/enumerated/calculated, whatever, that would be helpful.

I had put my NAS project on the backburner in hopes that this would be corrected in the official release, but to no avail.

This has something to do with the way the volumes are assigned. It first happened on the release where the image was split into 2 partitions (Beta 3? I don't remember any more). I still have a key configured with the last beta that used single partition on the key and it still boots fine and sees the drives. However, that version has some other DOA issues that make it unusable (i.e. like not being able to replace failed drives from the array DOH!).

HavaCuppaJoe

 

[ProtoSD]

Why don't you download the final release and see if that helps?

EDIT: Actually, I just remembered, there's another thread where someone posted a possible solution for this. I'll see if I can find the link, but I'd still recommend upgrading.

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

Proto, you must LIVE on this forum ;-)

I already tried the final release. It has exactly the same issue. I'm working with it right now, in fact.

HavaCuppaJoe

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

I saw the thread in the ticket about changing the SATA modes from "Advanced" to "Legacy". However, it doesn't help on my system. My setup options aren't called that; they're called "AHCI" and "IDE". But it doesn't make a difference what they're set for.

 

[ProtoSD]

Proto, you must LIVE on this forum ;-)

Not quite, but I might have a misplaced passion for wanting to help people and helping to improve FreeNAS ;)

Glad you found that thread, that's the one I was thinking of. I'm sorry it didn't work for you.

The file dev/ufs/FreeNASs3 just doesn't exist on the volume anywhere. The only file in dev/ufs/ is FreeNASs1a.

I think these 2 partitions are copies of each other, one is the primary, the other the secondary. When you do an upgrade they get swapped so that the other is kept as backup in case the upgrade fails. So when you boot and you see the F1 & F2, that's what picks one or the other. You could try that and see what happens just for the fun of it.

 

[ProtoSD]

Here's a screenshot of the default partitioning & device names on a working install:

From a real 2GB USB flash drive:

 

[survive]

Hi HavaCuppaJoe,

A couple of questions\thoughts....

What size keys are you using? If you are using 2GB keys be sure they aren't actually 1.9GB. I could see the second partition not showing up if the key is just a hair to small.

I think you said you had an 8GB key as well....how big is it if you load it up in windows? The key might have actually been "re-sized" so the system really can only see the size of the old FreeNAS disk. You can grab a utility like ActiveKilldisk and use it to completely erase the whole key, then do the install by booting from the install CD and having a go that way

-Will

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

Thanks, that's helpful. Interesting. Are you booting to an actual hard disk? The partitions on my usb key look similar, though the key itself is not quite as large; it reports as 1.8G. I don't have the -free- area at the end like you do However, my drive is not enumerating as an ATA hard disk (ada0). It's enumerating as as SCSI device (da0). I wonder if that has anything to do with it.

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

I've got a larger key around here somewhere. I'll find it to check it out. All of the rest of the partition information that Proto listed above is identical to mine, though, except for the free space at the end, and the fact that mine is enumerated as a SCSI device instead of an ATA device.

 

[ProtoSD]

Are you booting to an actual hard disk?

Yes, sorry that particular screenshot is from a VMware test machine with a 2GB virtual hard drive, so that explains the ada0 vs. da0. I can post one from my real physical machine for comparison. I think what Will/@survive mentioned is worth a try. I remember when I first tried beta3, the first flash drive I tried to install to was 1.8GB and ended up trying a different one that reported 1.9GB and it worked. I just noticed that you have an 8GB disk, so that might not be the issue, but wiping the partition info is useful too. You probably already saw the post about how GPT partitions having 2 tables, one at the beginning and one at the end.

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

You probably already saw the post about how GPT partitions having 2 tables, one at the beginning and one at the end.

Yah, I have a bookmark on that bad boy. But you'll find it interesting to know that the dd command in Mac OSX Snow Leopard doesn't respect the "skip=" command. So, it's go for a nap after starting the zero command.

Thanks for your help; will let you know what I find out as I work this issue more.

HavaCuppaJoe

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

Well, crap. It was the USB key. I switched to a larger key and it boots fine now. What a drag that it took so long to figure it out.

But, thanks for your help, guys!

Hava

 

[ProtoSD]

Thanks for posting back with that. Just to make sure no one makes the same mistake, what kind of flash drive was it and how big did it report being?

 

[HavaCuppaJoe]

It was a Maxell brand USB key; one of the little micro-sized ones (small is good so it doesn't get bumped or knocked out on accident). I bought 2 of them just for this purpose and so that I would have a redundant key. The advertised size is 2GB, but it was reported as 1.8GB in the O/S. Note that the new key shows the extra "-free-" partition space at the end of the gpart listing just as you posted above. The non-working keys showed all of the other identical information in gpart except the second "-free-" area at the end. So that might prove to be a recognizable symptom for those that encounter this issue in the future.

HavaCuppaJoe