[Bug 569064] [NEW] Ext file systems fail to mount if computer clock is reset

[Oded Arbel]

Public bug reported:

Binary package hint: initramfs-tools

Apparently the ext file system saves in the superblock when was the file
system last mounted (probably for date based scheduled checks), and fsck
reports an error if the last mount date is in the future compared to the
current system time.

The problem is that if the computer's clock was reset for any reason (a
power spike reset my computers clock. Other reasons may be a depleted
CMOS battery) then the boot-up file system check reports an
*unrecoverable* error while trying to load the system, prompting the
user to run fsck manually, and then the system fails to load - just
because the hardware clock has the wrong time!

Worse - the graphical boot up screen does not show this error, it just
keeps ticking away to itself hiding the error and never completing the
boot. Even if one presses ESC to see the actual boot messages, they are
confronted with horribly scaring error messages talking about file
system failures and such - coming immediately after a power spike that
reset the computer, this is very very scary.

The boot process should never stop the boot when the only error is that
the last mount time is in the future. fsck itself should not report this
as an unrecoverable error.

The workaround on my side was to go in to the BIOS settings and manually
set the clock - if a non-power user encounters this, they are likely to
assume the worst and reformat their computer, losing all their
information due to a simple harmless hardware glitch.

** Affects: initramfs-tools (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New

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Ext file systems fail to mount if computer clock is reset
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/569064
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