Kexec broken with 6.3.1 kernel

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Kexec is now broken in OpenSuse Tumbleweed with 6.3.1 kernel. Machines do cold reboot instead of kexec reboot.

Kernel:

Linux host 6.3.1-1-default #1 SMP PREEMPT_DYNAMIC Wed May  3 05:18:39 UTC 2023 (8a31779) x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

Excerpts from journal:

May 04 18:09:12 host kexec-bootloader[27497]: Can't locate Bootloader/Tools.pm in @INC (you may need to install the Bootloader::Tools module) (@INC contains: /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.36.0/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.36.0 /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.36.0/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.36.0 /usr/lib/perl5/5.36.0/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/5.36.0 /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl) at /usr/sbin/kexec-bootloader line 18.
May 04 18:09:12 host kexec-bootloader[27497]: BEGIN failed--compilation aborted at /usr/sbin/kexec-bootloader line 18.

May 04 18:09:13 host systemd[1]: kexec-load.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=2/INVALIDARGUMENT
May 04 18:09:13 host systemd[1]: kexec-load.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
May 04 18:09:13 host systemd[1]: Failed to start load default kernel into the current kernel.

May 04 18:09:14 host systemd[1]: Starting Show Plymouth Reboot with kexec Screen...

May 04 18:09:14 host systemd[1]: Started Show Plymouth Reboot with kexec Screen.

-- Boot bb3c6fa88b694917b3292bbded811cda --

Kexec-tools and perl-bootloader:

$ zypper info perl-bootloader
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...

Information for package perl-Bootloader:
----------------------------------------
Repository     : Main Repository (OSS)
Name           : perl-Bootloader
Version        : 1.0-1.1
Arch           : x86_64
Vendor         : openSUSE
Installed Size : 50.4 KiB
Installed      : Yes (automatically)
Status         : up-to-date
Source package : perl-Bootloader-1.0-1.1.src
Upstream URL   : https://github.com/openSUSE/perl-bootloader
Summary        : Tool for boot loader configuration
Description    : 
    Shell script wrapper for configuring various boot loaders.

$ zypper info kexec-tools
Loading repository data...
Reading installed packages...

Information for package kexec-tools:
------------------------------------
Repository     : Main Repository (OSS)
Name           : kexec-tools
Version        : 2.0.26-3.1
Arch           : x86_64
Vendor         : openSUSE
Installed Size : 324.0 KiB
Installed      : Yes
Status         : up-to-date
Source package : kexec-tools-2.0.26-3.1.src
Upstream URL   : https://projects.horms.net/projects/kexec/
Summary        : Tools for loading replacement kernels into memory
Description    : 
    Kexec is a user space utility for loading another kernel and asking the
    currently running kernel to do something with it. A currently running
    kernel may be asked to start the loaded kernel on reboot, or to start
    the loaded kernel after it panics.

How to fix this issue?

#2

Does it work if you boot previous kernel?

#3

Is it somehow possible to kexec reboot older installed kernel instead of latest within otherwise normal reboot sequence?

I usually kexec reboot from GUI menu or with cli command
shutdown -r +0

For that to work I have:

$ ls -l /etc/systemd/system/reboot.target
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root root 36 Oct  3  2021 /etc/systemd/system/reboot.target -> /usr/lib/systemd/system/kexec.target
#4

I reported this issue yesterday.
https://bugzilla.opensuse.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1211082

It seems is a problem with perl-Bootloader (issue in current version of perl-Bootloader package or compatibility issue between current versions of kexec and perl-Bootloader).

kexec needs Bootloader::Tools perl module, but in current version of perl-Bootloader there isn’t any Bootloader::Tools module.

I have some ideas (not tested) in mind to workaround this issue, but at the moment I prefer to wait they solve the issue.

If you know how and want to test, you can:

  • downgrade perl-Bootloader to a previous version;
    or
  • install perl-Bootloader via CPAN
    but try only if you know what are you doing and at your own risk.
1 Like
#5

Forget about install via CPAN, is not present.
It seems some legacy part of the perl-Bootloader package was removed, but systemd kexec-load service still needs this legacy code.

#6

Thanks for reporting this issue in more detail. I’ll keep waiting for official fix.