[systemd-devel] Emergency mode if non-critical /etc/fstab entries are missing

[Dave Reisner]

On Mon, Sep 26, 2016 at 10:52:50AM +1300, Sergei Franco wrote:
> Hi,
> 
> I am looking at correct way to disable the "feature" of emergency mode when
> systemd encounters missing block device entires in fstab.
> 
> For example:
> 
> the following entry is in /etc/fstab:
> UUID=d4a23034-8cbe-44b3-92a5-3d38e1816eff /data               xfs    
> defaults        0       0
> 
> If the drive (d4a23034-8cbe-44b3-92a5-3d38e1816eff) has been detached and
> machine rebooted it stops booting with Emergency mode, even though the /data is
> not crucial for boot.
>
> In past (eg. with upstart) it would simply generate a warning and continue to
> boot.
>
> The emergency mode assumes console access, which requires physical access,
> which is quiet difficult if the machine is remote.
> 
> I believe the boot should be best effort, give warning and continue to boot,
> giving at least partial working system.
> 
> Actually further thinking about it, this behaviour is bad even for desktop
> scenario.

What you seem to want is "nofail", potentially coupled with
"noauto,x-systemd.automount".

> The correct behaviour should be following: drop in emergency mode only when
> crucial to boot files are not available otherwise warn about missing drives and
> continue to boot.

Critical filesystems are those listed in /etc/fstab without the "nofail"
option.

> Regards.
> 
> Sergei.
> 
> 
> 

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