CentOS - Jan 2011 - can't start iscsi - and can't find answer on google

Hi all,

I have the strangest problem on one of our backup server. iscsi
doesn't start at all, and gives the following error:

[root at 2U-NAS ~]# /etc/init.d/iscsi status
iscsid is stopped



[root at 2U-NAS ~]# /etc/init.d/iscsi start
iscsid is stopped
Starting iSCSI daemon: Unable to create pid file:
/var/run/brcm_iscsiuio.pid
     [FAILED]
Setting up iSCSI targets: iscsiadm: No records found!
                                                           [  OK  ]


[root at 2U-NAS ~]# /etc/init.d/iscsi restart
Stopping iSCSI daemon: iscsiadm: can not connect to iSCSI daemon (111)!
iscsiadm: initiator reported error (20 - could not connect to iscsid)
iscsiadm: Could not stop iscsid. Trying sending iscsid SIGTERM or
SIGKILL signals manually


iscsid is stopped                                          [  OK  ]
Starting iSCSI daemon: Unable to create pid file:
/var/run/brcm_iscsiuio.pid
     [FAILED]
Setting up iSCSI targets: iscsiadm: No records found!
                                                           [  OK  ]


All other services on this machine works fine and could write their
pid file, but not iscsi.
Google search didn't help me much with this error either. I've
uninstalled and reinstalled iSCSi but that doesn't help either.

This is on CentOS 5.5

[root at 2U-NAS ~]# uname -a
Linux 2U-NAS 2.6.18-194.32.1.el5xen #1 SMP Wed Jan 5 18:44:24 EST 2011
x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
[root at 2U-NAS ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release
CentOS release 5.5 (Final)



Has anyone seen this before?

-- 
Kind Regards
Rudi Ahlers
SoftDux

Website: http://www.SoftDux.com
Technical Blog: http://Blog.SoftDux.com
Office: 087 805 9573
Cell: 082 554 7532

Okay, so we need to find out why it can't create its PID file.

First, run dmesg (and scan through the logs) to see if there is anything iSCSI
or SELinux-related reported in the logs.

Then, try using strace to run the iscsi process, and see what the error code is
(ideally, it ought to have been reported in the message). Something like the
following may be useful:

(with root privs)
strace -f -e trace=file /etc/init.d/iscsi start

The error should be reported near the bottom (look for operations on
/var/run/brcm_iscsiuio.pid)

It is my understanding that Centos/Redhat do some SELinux trickery to ensure
that all processes can write their own PID file... perhaps some relabeling of
the iscsid program is needed.

(disclaimer: I am not yet a SELinux expert)

On 17/01/2011, at 9:59 PM, Rudi Ahlers wrote:
> Hi all,
> 
> I have the strangest problem on one of our backup server. iscsi
> doesn't start at all, and gives the following error:
> 
> [root at 2U-NAS ~]# /etc/init.d/iscsi status
> iscsid is stopped
> 
> 
> 
> [root at 2U-NAS ~]# /etc/init.d/iscsi start
> iscsid is stopped
> Starting iSCSI daemon: Unable to create pid file:
> /var/run/brcm_iscsiuio.pid
>     [FAILED]
> Setting up iSCSI targets: iscsiadm: No records found!
>                                                           [  OK  ]
> 
> 
> [root at 2U-NAS ~]# /etc/init.d/iscsi restart
> Stopping iSCSI daemon: iscsiadm: can not connect to iSCSI daemon (111)!
> iscsiadm: initiator reported error (20 - could not connect to iscsid)
> iscsiadm: Could not stop iscsid. Trying sending iscsid SIGTERM or
> SIGKILL signals manually
> 
> 
> iscsid is stopped                                          [  OK  ]
> Starting iSCSI daemon: Unable to create pid file:
> /var/run/brcm_iscsiuio.pid
>     [FAILED]
> Setting up iSCSI targets: iscsiadm: No records found!
>                                                           [  OK  ]
> 
> 
> All other services on this machine works fine and could write their
> pid file, but not iscsi.
> Google search didn't help me much with this error either. I've
> uninstalled and reinstalled iSCSi but that doesn't help either.
> 
> This is on CentOS 5.5
> 
> [root at 2U-NAS ~]# uname -a
> Linux 2U-NAS 2.6.18-194.32.1.el5xen #1 SMP Wed Jan 5 18:44:24 EST 2011
> x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux
> [root at 2U-NAS ~]# cat /etc/redhat-release
> CentOS release 5.5 (Final)
> 
> 
> 
> Has anyone seen this before?
> 
> -- 
> Kind Regards
> Rudi Ahlers
> SoftDux
> 
> Website: http://www.SoftDux.com
> Technical Blog: http://Blog.SoftDux.com
> Office: 087 805 9573
> Cell: 082 554 7532
> _______________________________________________
> CentOS mailing list
> CentOS at centos.org
> http://lists.centos.org/mailman/listinfo/centos