[Bug 1958623] Re: encounter general protection fault while pxe booting from MaaS server

[Julian Andres Klode]

Updated the description to avoid ominous acronyms and describe the issue
at hand (TIL RSOD = red screen of death).

** Summary changed:

- encounter RSOD while pxe booting from MaaS server
+ encounter general protection fault while pxe booting from MaaS server

** Description changed:

- Observing RSOD when ubuntu installed server setup with MaaS application
- as per below procedure and pointing out different OS images from grub to
- deploying OS for connected server.
+ [Impact]
+ grub can cause a general protection fault in EFI by freeing the wrong number of bytes for an address it allocated, causing the machine not to boot.
+ 
+ [Test plan]
+ TBD
+ 
+ [Where problems could occur]
+ We could free too little or too much memory if the code is wrong? Basically all this does is change a free() call to use sizeof() instead of a hardcoded value that was used previously to allocate the buffer. Which should lead to the same result as now in the worst case.
+ 
+ 
+ [Original bug report]
+ Observing RSOD when ubuntu installed server setup with MaaS application as per below procedure and pointing out different OS images from grub to deploying OS for connected server.
  
  certification-
  static.canonical.com/docs/MAAS_Advanced_Network_Installation_And_Configuration.pdf)
  
  Steps to reproduce the issue,
  1. Have a server with ubuntu OS and MAAS 2.9.2 application installed
  
  2. Make sure remote server is configured with PXE and enlisted into MAAS
  application.
  
  [In remote server enable PXE boot in the BIOD network settings and also
  configure uEFI boot mode and PXE boot device in BIOS settings]
  
  4. Go to MAAS server and use curl command to check the current grub
  configuration for new enlisted server and make sure current grub
  configuration mapping to the "MAC address of NIC which is pointing to
  the CentOS image to deploy or to install into remote server which is
  enlisted into MAAS. [please refer "grub_commission" snapshot for more
  details]
  
  5. After above check power on the new enlisted server and run the PXE boot via NIC port.
  RSOD should be able to triggered at stage of "booting under maas direction.." [please refer "RSOD_error" snapshot for mroe details]
  
  6. In step 4, if groub config for commissioned machine is pointing to
  ubuntu boot kernel the RSOD wont be triggered.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1958623

Title:
  encounter general protection fault while pxe booting from MaaS server

Status in dellserver:
  New
Status in grub2 package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in grub2-signed package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in grub2-unsigned package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in grub2-unsigned source package in Bionic:
  New
Status in grub2-unsigned source package in Focal:
  New
Status in grub2 source package in Jammy:
  Fix Released
Status in grub2-signed source package in Jammy:
  Fix Released
Status in grub2-unsigned source package in Jammy:
  Fix Released

Bug description:
  [Impact]
  grub can cause a general protection fault in EFI by freeing the wrong number of bytes for an address it allocated, causing the machine not to boot.

  [Test plan]
  TBD

  [Where problems could occur]
  We could free too little or too much memory if the code is wrong? Basically all this does is change a free() call to use sizeof() instead of a hardcoded value that was used previously to allocate the buffer. Which should lead to the same result as now in the worst case.

  
  [Original bug report]
  Observing RSOD when ubuntu installed server setup with MaaS application as per below procedure and pointing out different OS images from grub to deploying OS for connected server.

  certification-
  static.canonical.com/docs/MAAS_Advanced_Network_Installation_And_Configuration.pdf)

  Steps to reproduce the issue,
  1. Have a server with ubuntu OS and MAAS 2.9.2 application installed

  2. Make sure remote server is configured with PXE and enlisted into
  MAAS application.

  [In remote server enable PXE boot in the BIOD network settings and
  also configure uEFI boot mode and PXE boot device in BIOS settings]

  4. Go to MAAS server and use curl command to check the current grub
  configuration for new enlisted server and make sure current grub
  configuration mapping to the "MAC address of NIC which is pointing to
  the CentOS image to deploy or to install into remote server which is
  enlisted into MAAS. [please refer "grub_commission" snapshot for more
  details]

  5. After above check power on the new enlisted server and run the PXE boot via NIC port.
  RSOD should be able to triggered at stage of "booting under maas direction.." [please refer "RSOD_error" snapshot for mroe details]

  6. In step 4, if groub config for commissioned machine is pointing to
  ubuntu boot kernel the RSOD wont be triggered.

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