[Bug 1885191] Re: [Focal] Installation Fails with "Invalid dep_id" when using Intel VROC

[Jeff Lane]

Should be resolved with work in progress for Subiquity

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Title:
  [Focal] Installation Fails with "Invalid dep_id" when using Intel VROC

Status in subiquity package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  [Description]
  On attempting to install Ubuntu 20.04 at a server using the Intel VROC (Virtual RAID on CPU) [0] technology, upon selecting the md-XXX device to partition, the installer fails and loops the user back to device selection.

  The errors seen in the subiquity-debug logs under /var/log/installer
  outline:

  2020-05-29 17:31:15,172 INFO subiquity.core:477 saving crash report 'block probing crashed with ValueError' to /var/crash/1590773475.167309046.disk_probe_fail.crash
  2020-05-29 17:54:59,844 INFO curtin:1319 Validating extracted storage config components
  2020-05-29 17:54:59,871 ERROR root:39 finish: subiquity/Filesystem/_probe/probe_once: FAIL: Invalid dep_id (disk-md126) not in storage config
  2020-05-29 17:54:59,871 ERROR block-discover:161 block probing failed restricted=False

  The server in question is a SuperMicro SSG-2029P-ACR24H, but any
  server in which an Intel VROC device is used should reproduce this.

  Also, updating to the latest Subiquity version before moving on with
  the installation process results in the same error.

  At last, it is useful to state that using Bionic's Live media
  (subiquity-based) results in the same block-discover failure.

  [Impact]
  Users are unable to use any Subiquity-based Ubuntu installers.

  
  [Reproducer]
  - On a server with Intel VROC support, configure the use of such with these instructions (mileage may vary from server to server) [1];
  - Start a Subiquity-based Ubuntu installation (Focal or Live Bionic);
  - Drive up to the part of selecting a disk to install the OS, select the VROC md array, and check the block-discover error to be posted in screen/subiquity logs.

  
  [Workaround]
  Users attempting to install Focal must use Bionic's non-live installer (d-i based) to install 18.04 and use do-release-upgrade to migrate to Focal.  The d-i installer has the mdadm patches needed to support Intel VROC, but it seems Subiquity and/or Curtin don't seem to know how to handle it.

  I'm attaching a full bundle of /var/log/installer from a Focal
  installation failure.

  [0] https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/articles/000024498/memory-and-storage/ssd-software.html
  [1] https://www.intel.com/content/dam/support/us/en/documents/memory-and-storage/ssd-software/VROC-Ubuntu-Setup-UserGuide-342787-US.pdf

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