[Bug 975867] Re: /sbin/halt fails to halt system

[billy]

After carefully inspecting this issue this seems to be the expected
behavior.

In normal runlevels "halt" just calls "shutdown -H now", which is supposed to simply halt the system without poweroff.
Alternatively the "poweroff" variant of the command calls "shutdown -P now", which actually powers off the machine.
(and halt -p is equivalent to poweroff)

>From "man shutdown":
       -H     Requests that the system be halted after it has been brought down.
       -P     Requests that the system be powered off after it has been brought down.

>From the reboot/halt/poweroff source:
		switch (mode) {
		case REBOOT:
			args[i++] = "-r";
			break;
		case HALT:
			args[i++] = "-h";
			args[i++] = "-H";
			break;
		case POWEROFF:
			args[i++] = "-h";
			args[i++] = "-P";
			break;
		}

I guess we just  got used to systems that powered down when calling
"halt" when they really shouldn't, but I have to say it's been a while
since I encountered a system behaving differently...

PS: found some related links:
more info here: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=1968626
duplicate bug:  https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/upstart/+bug/991997

-- 
You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu
Foundations Bugs, which is subscribed to upstart in Ubuntu.
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/975867

Title:
  /sbin/halt fails to halt system

Status in “upstart” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  issuing the halt commando (e.g. halt as root) will not switch off the
  computer. All services will be stopped, a final ¨ * Will now halt"is
  posted on the console (a desktop installation), but the computer does
  not switch off. Either it needs to be switched off at the machine
  (physical machine) or a "Fore off"needs to be performed (kvm virtual)
  needs to be performed.

  This happens when /sbin/halt is used.
  When the (unity?) menu "Shut Down..." is used, the machine switches off as expected (either shut down from login-console when not logged on, or from (unity?) menu when logged on).

  /sbin/reboot reboots the machine correctly.

  See attached screenshot for graphical output.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.10
  Package: upstart 1.3-0ubuntu11
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 3.0.0-17.30-generic 3.0.22
  Uname: Linux 3.0.0-17-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 1.23-0ubuntu4
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Sat Apr  7 12:50:22 2012
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 11.10 "Oneiric Ocelot" - Release amd64 (20111012)
  ProcEnviron:
   PATH=(custom, no user)
   LANG=en_US.UTF-8
   SHELL=/bin/bash
  SourcePackage: upstart
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)

To manage notifications about this bug go to:
https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/upstart/+bug/975867/+subscriptions