Syslinux - Oct 2017 - Unable to find linux kernel on ext4, filesystem-related root cause assumed

> I found the wiki page you were referring to [1] and followed the
> mentioned advise, that is, I created the ext4 filesystem without the
> '64bit' feature. It worked! Booting is possible now. 
> 
> Unfortunately I did not find that wiki page when I was conducting my
> own research. There were some locations were I suspected this kind
> of information (namely the "Common Problems" [2] and the
"EXTLINUX"
> page [3]) but couldn't find any. 
> 
> Thank you for your help!
> 
> Best regards
> Manuel
> 
> [1] http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Filesystem
> [2] http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=Common_Problems
> [3] http://www.syslinux.org/wiki/index.php?title=EXTLINUX
 
 
Thank you for the feedback.

There is no way to effectively cover every-and-all possible situations 
/ messages / behaviors / problems as seen by users, all in one place; 
it would make it impractical for readers and, therefore, useless.

FWIW, both pages, [2] and [3], include link(s) to [1]. And, there is a 
search box in the wiki. IMHO, for the purpose of documenting and 
helping (different kinds of) users by means of the wiki, these are 
adequate.

I will take this opportunity to mention some curiosities.

Relevant developer(s) in Debian have already known about this ext4 
matter for quite some time, but they consciously choose not to add 
information in the relevant bug report in Debian's bug tracker. They 
also actively choose not to implement any workaround nor provide any 
kind of information to its users. (Please note that Debian is not alone 
in this one; I only mention it here because of OP's scenario.)

On the side of Syslinux's development, the complete lack of any minimal 
relevant action about this matter is very disappointing, especially 
considering that:
_ it has been brought up more than once during the last few years (at 
least since 2014), 
_ it has been considered as "high priority" for The Syslinux Project, 
_ and a potential patch has been proposed, with not even a reply to 
ack.

It is interesting to me that the only thing that actually helped, at 
least at some level, is the content of the wiki, even when some users 
don't seem to find the information as soon/easy as they wished. I'm 
glad the proposed workaround helped.

Regards,
Ady.

Hi,

On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 18:29:42 +0000
Ady Ady via Syslinux <syslinux at zytor.com>
wrote:
> Relevant developer(s) in Debian have already known about this ext4 
> matter for quite some time, but they consciously choose not to add 
> information in the relevant bug report in Debian's bug tracker. They 
> also actively choose not to implement any workaround nor provide any 
> kind of information to its users. (Please note that Debian is not
> alone in this one; I only mention it here because of OP's scenario.)
I'd like to add to the above: syslinux has been lacking a maintainer
(a volunteer responsible) in Debian since November 2015 [1] .  I'm
currently in the process of adopting it.

Debian's bug tracker does contain a bug which (probably) is related to
this very issue [2].  I suspect this is the bug you are referring to?  I
agree that the bug needs to be clarified, but as there was no
maintainer at the time the problem was reported, claiming that somebody
"consciously choose not to add information" doesn't sound right to
me.

I will add information regarding this limitation and the workaround
(disabling the ext4 64bit feature) into the README.Debian file.  I will
also try to reproduce the problem and clarify the bug report.  If you
have other suggestions for making this problem more visible to Debian's
users please let me know.


@Ady: You also mentioned a patch has been proposed.  I was unable to
find this on a quick search, can you provide a link?

Thanks
Lukas

[1]?https://bugs.debian.org/805268
[2]?https://bugs.debian.org/833057

> Hi,
> 
> On Wed, 11 Oct 2017 18:29:42 +0000
> Ady Ady via Syslinux <syslinux at zytor.com> wrote:
> > Relevant developer(s) in Debian have already known about this ext4 
> > matter for quite some time, but they consciously choose not to add 
> > information in the relevant bug report in Debian's bug tracker.
They
> > also actively choose not to implement any workaround nor provide any 
> > kind of information to its users. (Please note that Debian is not
> > alone in this one; I only mention it here because of OP's
scenario.)
> 
> I'd like to add to the above: syslinux has been lacking a maintainer
> (a volunteer responsible) in Debian since November 2015 [1] .  I'm
> currently in the process of adopting it.
> 
> Debian's bug tracker does contain a bug which (probably) is related to
> this very issue [2].  I suspect this is the bug you are referring to?  I
 
 
No, the bug report in Debian's bug tracker that I was referring to is 
not filed against Syslinux-related packages. The fact that there was no 
maintainer for Syslinux-related packages is just an additional 
complication in this matter. IOW, I am not referring to that bug 
report.

 
> agree that the bug needs to be clarified, but as there was no
> maintainer at the time the problem was reported, claiming that somebody
> "consciously choose not to add information" doesn't sound
right to me.
 
 
I stand by my prior statements.

I took my own time to provide feedback to a specific developer in 
Debian, after seeing his own bug report. The reply I got was that he is 
not interested in implementing the workaround for Syslinux in the 
relevant Debian package (which, again, is not the Syslinux-related 
packages). Moreover, Debian users have brought up the specific matter / 
culprit, even in the same bug report (and not only there), and they 
received no reply.

I usually try to be clear and specific. Considering the lack of 
interest in supporting Syslinux (in so many levels), at this time I 
will not be providing details related to Debian's bug report. Yet, it 
is important for me to repeat that Debian is not alone in this regard.

 
 
> 
> I will add information regarding this limitation and the workaround
> (disabling the ext4 64bit feature) into the README.Debian file.  I will
> also try to reproduce the problem and clarify the bug report.  If you
> have other suggestions for making this problem more visible to Debian's
> users please let me know.
 
 
Adding a link to the "Filesystem" page of the Syslinux wiki? The same 
might help in other bug reports, and maintaining/updating the 
package(s) might help too (so, thank you for adopting it).

 
 
> 
> 
> @Ady: You also mentioned a patch has been proposed.  I was unable to
> find this on a quick search, can you provide a link?
 
 
Aha! Finally the most important matter, especially in this Syslinux 
mailing list. If the proposed patch is tested and feedback is reported 
back here, then perhaps we'll finally see some relevant action. The 
proposed patch, by Paulo:

 http://www.syslinux.org/archives/2017-August/025895.html 


Similar reactions (i.e. no relevant reply) can be "seen" regarding:

_ updating the gnu-efi submodule (small email thread):

 http://www.syslinux.org/archives/2017-June/025816.html 

 http://www.syslinux.org/archives/2017-June/025835.html 

_ Not enough room for program headers (aka binutils 2.27+ screwing 
Syslinux build):

 http://www.syslinux.org/archives/2017-February/025531.html 
  

Those are just a few examples.
 
 
> 
> Thanks
> Lukas
 
Thank you for adopting the Syslinux-related packages in Debian.

Regards,
Ady.