FreeNAS 8(.3?) => 9.2.1.5 spontaneous reboots and other problems installing.

[Cstdenis]

Background
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Hardware:
* Supermicro X7SBL-LN2
* 8GB RAM
* CPU Q6700 @ 2.66GHz
* 850w PSU
* 5 x WD Green 3TB drives

I don't know the version of "FreeNAS" 8 it is currently running but here is uname output

Code:

FreeBSD 8.3-RELEASE-p5 #2 r244158M: Wed Dec 12 10:04:42 PST 2012
    root@build.ixsystems.com:/home/jpaetzel/8.3.0/os-base/amd64/usr/home/jpaetzel/8.3.0/FreeBSD/src/sys/FREENAS.amd64 amd64

Server has been running FreeNAS 8 for years. The thumb drive it is installed on seems to be dieing -- serious file corruption on /, the web interface is permanently dead. Time for a clean install of the latest version.

Tho the web interface is dead, the server itself it fairly stable. No problems with reboots, only the occasional lockup on heavy writes as documented in bug #1310.


Process
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I start by downloading FreeNAS-9.2.1.5-RELEASE-x64.img and writing it to a 16GB ADATA UV128 thumb drive. I have 2 of these, one for install files, one to install on to. Note these are USB3 and the server long predates USB3, this may be the cause of some of the problems, but not the reboots (they happen with no USB plugged in).

When booting off the install image flash drive the boot process starts, but it fails to mount root. The last notable error I see before the root mount failure is "intergrety check failed (da1,mbr)". Leaving it at the failed mount root screen for several minutes it will spontaneously reboot. Trying to manually mount root typically results in a kernel panic "panic: mountroot: unable to (re-)mount root."

After re-imaging the drive and trying again with the same result I move on to CD install.

I burn (with verify) FreeNAS-9.2.1.5-RELEASE-x64.iso and boot off it. It complains about some read errors during the boot process but eventually makes it to the install menu.


Problem
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At this point I have 2 problems.

1. It shows my 16GB flash drive I plan to install onto as being 16k

2. If left at the install menu (idle), or working at the command-prompt, etc it will spontaneously reboot after several minutes.

I thought maybe the USB3 thumb drive was the problem, but the reboots happen even with no USB devices plugged in.

I ran a memtest overnight (around 10 hours). It found no problems and had no reboots. Does not reboot under freeNAS 8.





How do I proceed from here to get this diagnosed and fixed? Spontaneous reboots with no panic screen doesn't give me much to go on.

 

[joeschmuck]

1. Roll back to 8.3 and restore your backup of the configuration file.
2. Make sure your system is in-tact and runs without issue.
3. If you want to upgrade then my preferred way is waiting for 9.2.1.6 to come out, create a new USB flash drive with the new version, reconfigure the network and main settings, auto-import your pool(s), finish reconfiguring your system. Due to huge changes in the jails this is the best way to handle it.

 

[nunavat2012]

Your USB flash may causing the problem. Try a new one. I had a problem with 9.2.1.5; then I started from 8.2.0 and kept updating to the next version through the webgui. It updated nicely, but as soon I got to 9.1.0; update wouldn't work. So, I got a different USB flash for 9.2.1.5 and it works. My error had something like this " GEOM: failed geometry does not match label (255h,63s != 16h,63s)." (I had a keyboard and display connected to my server).

joeschmuck: Why did you say wait for 9.2.1.6?

 

[Cstdenis]

The system is currently running fine on the 8.3 (other than not being able to easily make configuration changes due to dead web interface). Wasn't planning on bothering with a new 8.3 install, hope I can just get 9.x to work.

Unless 9.2.1.6 has a different kernel (or different kernel config) than 9.2.1.5 it doesn't seem likely to help any with the spontaneous reboots issue. Not concerned about the jails, this was intended to be a clean install (with the pools preserved) anyway.


I tried 2 flash drives, but they are both the same model. I think I'll have to buy something else. Any recommendations of reliable (and preferably low cost) flash drives compatible with FreeNAS?


The biggest concern is the reboots problem. Anyone have any ideas on that? If it reboots even from the installer there is some serious kernel level compatibility issue or bug happening and I'm not sure how to diagnose it effectively.

 

[joeschmuck]

If your system is running fine on 8.3 then I'd leave it there for now and wait to 9.2.1.6. Why would you assume it's the kernel causing the reboots?

 

[Cstdenis]

Why would you assume it's the kernel causing the reboots?

What else could?

 

[joeschmuck]

Um, well you do know that this is a completely compiled piece of software with an enormous amount of customization, right? Any piece of which could create a memory leak, call to the wrong piece of code, etc... This is not just a slimmed down version of FreeBSD.

 

[solarisguy]

Inconsistent crashes and reboots tend to point to hardware (USB memory device, RAM, etc.). Do you have ECC RAM? Your board supports either ECC or Non-ECC RAM...

Consistent ones are more likely to come from a buggy software.

Although your failures are very repeatable, I would blame your USB memory device. So, if you can, get a new USB memory and install onto it FreeNAS-8.3.2-RELEASE-x64.img.xz from

http://download.freenas.org/8.3.2/RELEASE/x64/​

Restore your configuration or redo if you did not save it.

Usually, I would advice to not upgrade to 9.2.0 or later, yet. However, in your case, I am suspecting the USB memory device to be faulty, so I do not recommend any upgrade.