[Bug 1677042] [NEW] Grub recovery boot root prompt is unstable

[Kevin O'Gorman]

Public bug reported:

I've seen this on two systems: Xubuntu on dual Xeons, and Ubuntu on an
I-7.

When I choose "advanced options" -> "recovery mode" in Grub, and then
"root shell prompt" in the resulting booted system, I cannot expect it
to be functional for long.

I can do a few things, but even if I do nothing, it can break in a way
that takes it back to the place where I selected "root shell prompt" but
it is completely unresponsive to the keyboard or mouse.  Or nearly so.
I can get a reboot with the three-finger-salute.  Usually.

Even without that, I've been interrupted by status messages garbling the
screen and other stuff I'd love to suppress.  At least usually, I would.
I'd like some control.

When I'm already fighting system problems, this is even more annoying
than usual, but it happens on healthy systems too.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
Package: systemd 229-4ubuntu16
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-70.91-generic 4.4.49
Uname: Linux 4.4.0-70-generic x86_64
ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
Architecture: amd64
Date: Tue Mar 28 14:05:22 2017
ExecutablePath: /lib/systemd/systemd
InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-11-24 (124 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
MachineType: System76, Inc. Silverback WS
ProcEnviron:
 TERM=linux
 PATH=(custom, no user)
ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-70-generic root=UUID=c4f3d485-bc7a-4456-8d8c-44ce35b619dc ro quiet splash clocksource=tsc vt.handoff=7
SourcePackage: systemd
SystemdDelta:
 [EXTENDED]   /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service → /lib/systemd/system/display-manager.service.d/xdiagnose.conf
 [EXTENDED]   /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service → /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service.d/disable-with-time-daemon.conf
 [EXTENDED]   /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service → /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service.d/debian.conf
 
 3 overridden configuration files found.
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
dmi.bios.date: 04/28/2016
dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
dmi.bios.version: 3204
dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
dmi.board.name: Z10PE-D16 WS
dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
dmi.chassis.type: 17
dmi.chassis.vendor: System76, Inc.
dmi.chassis.version: Desktop
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr3204:bd04/28/2016:svnSystem76,Inc.:pnSilverbackWS:pvrsilw2:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnZ10PE-D16WS:rvrRev1.xx:cvnSystem76,Inc.:ct17:cvrDesktop:
dmi.product.name: Silverback WS
dmi.product.version: silw2
dmi.sys.vendor: System76, Inc.

** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: amd64 apport-bug xenial

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1677042

Title:
  Grub recovery boot root prompt is unstable

Status in systemd package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  I've seen this on two systems: Xubuntu on dual Xeons, and Ubuntu on an
  I-7.

  When I choose "advanced options" -> "recovery mode" in Grub, and then
  "root shell prompt" in the resulting booted system, I cannot expect it
  to be functional for long.

  I can do a few things, but even if I do nothing, it can break in a way
  that takes it back to the place where I selected "root shell prompt"
  but it is completely unresponsive to the keyboard or mouse.  Or nearly
  so.  I can get a reboot with the three-finger-salute.  Usually.

  Even without that, I've been interrupted by status messages garbling
  the screen and other stuff I'd love to suppress.  At least usually, I
  would.  I'd like some control.

  When I'm already fighting system problems, this is even more annoying
  than usual, but it happens on healthy systems too.

  ProblemType: Bug
  DistroRelease: Ubuntu 16.04
  Package: systemd 229-4ubuntu16
  ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 4.4.0-70.91-generic 4.4.49
  Uname: Linux 4.4.0-70-generic x86_64
  ApportVersion: 2.20.1-0ubuntu2.5
  Architecture: amd64
  Date: Tue Mar 28 14:05:22 2017
  ExecutablePath: /lib/systemd/systemd
  InstallationDate: Installed on 2016-11-24 (124 days ago)
  InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.1 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20160719)
  MachineType: System76, Inc. Silverback WS
  ProcEnviron:
   TERM=linux
   PATH=(custom, no user)
  ProcKernelCmdLine: BOOT_IMAGE=/boot/vmlinuz-4.4.0-70-generic root=UUID=c4f3d485-bc7a-4456-8d8c-44ce35b619dc ro quiet splash clocksource=tsc vt.handoff=7
  SourcePackage: systemd
  SystemdDelta:
   [EXTENDED]   /etc/systemd/system/display-manager.service → /lib/systemd/system/display-manager.service.d/xdiagnose.conf
   [EXTENDED]   /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service → /lib/systemd/system/systemd-timesyncd.service.d/disable-with-time-daemon.conf
   [EXTENDED]   /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service → /lib/systemd/system/rc-local.service.d/debian.conf
   
   3 overridden configuration files found.
  UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
  dmi.bios.date: 04/28/2016
  dmi.bios.vendor: American Megatrends Inc.
  dmi.bios.version: 3204
  dmi.board.asset.tag: To be filled by O.E.M.
  dmi.board.name: Z10PE-D16 WS
  dmi.board.vendor: ASUSTeK COMPUTER INC.
  dmi.board.version: Rev 1.xx
  dmi.chassis.asset.tag: To Be Filled By O.E.M.
  dmi.chassis.type: 17
  dmi.chassis.vendor: System76, Inc.
  dmi.chassis.version: Desktop
  dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnAmericanMegatrendsInc.:bvr3204:bd04/28/2016:svnSystem76,Inc.:pnSilverbackWS:pvrsilw2:rvnASUSTeKCOMPUTERINC.:rnZ10PE-D16WS:rvrRev1.xx:cvnSystem76,Inc.:ct17:cvrDesktop:
  dmi.product.name: Silverback WS
  dmi.product.version: silw2
  dmi.sys.vendor: System76, Inc.

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