[Bug 1821252] Re: systemctl set-default breaks recovery mode

[Steven Clarkson]

Slightly confused about the procedure here. This bug was introduced in
Debian in 0.2.39 as a fix for LP #1766872. This is the current version
in cosmic and disco, and the bug was backported into xenial and bionic.
I guess this should be tagged as regression-update? But it should also
be fixed in Debian, where it has been abandoned.

Filling out an SRU template below.

[Impact]

 * A recovery mode boot is effectively a normal boot on any system that
has ever had systemctl set-default run on it, i.e., the recovery kernel
parameter does nothing. In particular, ubiquity calls systemctl set-
default as part of the oem-config process, rendering recovery mode
useless on any oem-configured machine.

 * This is a regression from previous behavior, where recovery mode
would override a user-set default target.

 * This would also restore the intuitive behavior of this package. It is
intended to be run by setting a kernel parameter for a one-time boot,
and should therefore take priority over any other settings (such as
configuring a different default target).

[Test Case]

 * Run systemctl set-default multi-user.target

 * Use the GRUB menu to try to boot into recovery mode

 * Observe that you end up at a TTY, not in recovery mode

[Regression Potential]

 * Possible regression if someone set recovery as a default kernel
parameter, then relied on the default systemd target to override it.
This seems like an unlikely use-case.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1821252

Title:
  systemctl set-default breaks recovery mode

Status in friendly-recovery package in Ubuntu:
  New

Bug description:
  Fresh Ubuntu 18.04.2 server install

  Try to boot to recovery mode from GRUB. Works correctly.

  Use systemctl to set a different default, say systemctl set-default
  multi-user.target

  Try to boot to recovery mode from GRUB. End up at getty and not the
  recovery menu.

  Delete /etc/systemd/system/default.target* and recovery mode works
  normally again.


  I believe this can be fixed by changing normaldir to earlydir in the
  generator.

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