I have a SLES 11 SP3, OES 11 SP2 server running on a Dell PowerEdge 1950. I had last applied updates in December of 2015. I ran the zypper command today to apply the latest updates and it finished without any errors, letting me know that the server would have to be rebooted. I rebooted the server and after the grub menu comes up and the default option times out, I get a black screen with no cursor or anything else. Ctrl-Alt-F1 through F8 doesn’t bring up any other screen.
I then tried to boot choosing the grub failsafe mode however I get the exact same results.
This is a simple system with two partitions on a single disk. /dev/sda1 is the swap partition and /dev/sda2 is the root partition. The grub boot loader is calling the partitions by UUID; not by name. During boot I hit ESC on the Grub menu then edited the startup line to call the disks by name; ie “root=/dev/sda2”. Still no luck.
I get no error messages; just a blank screen. I can boot from a rescue disk and then mount the root file system and browse it without a problem so the disk appears to be OK.
Any ideas what happened or how to troubleshoot it?
I have a SLES 11 SP3, OES 11 SP2 server running on a Dell PowerEdge
1950. I had last applied updates in December of 2015. I ran the zypper
command today to apply the latest updates and it finished without any
errors, letting me know that the server would have to be rebooted. I
rebooted the server and after the grub menu comes up and the default
option times out, I get a black screen with no cursor or anything else.
Ctrl-Alt-F1 through F8 doesn’t bring up any other screen.
I then tried to boot choosing the grub failsafe mode however I get the
exact same results.
This is a simple system with two partitions on a single disk. /dev/sda1
is the swap partition and /dev/sda2 is the root partition. The grub
boot loader is calling the partitions by UUID; not by name. During boot
I hit ESC on the Grub menu then edited the startup line to call the
disks by name; ie “root=/dev/sda2”. Still no luck.
I get no error messages; just a blank screen. I can boot from a rescue
disk and then mount the root file system and browse it without a problem
so the disk appears to be OK.
Any ideas what happened or how to troubleshoot it?[/color]
Since you’re using Novell Open Enterprise Server 11 you should be
asking in the Novell/Micro Focus forums but given that you’ve
recently updated I suspect you’re affected by the issue
highlighted in TID 7017498[1].
Simon, thanks. I thought that since the problem was booting a SLES
server that this would be the appropriate forum to ask the question.
No??[/color]
Unfortunately it’s not quite that simple - since OES is an add-on to
SLES there may be differences in package versions, behaviour, etc. hence
you should post to the Novell/Micro Focus forums. Fortunately I follow
both so I’m aware of the issue.
[color=blue]
I’ll try waiting for 60 minutes and see if it boots up to confirm that
this is what the problem is.
I was able to update another SLES 11 SP3 OES 11 SP2 server without any
problem. That is why I thought there was something wrong with this
server.[/color]
Whilst other updated servers may be okay there can be subtle differences
in hardware that seem to cause this behaviour.
HTH.
Simon
SUSE Knowledge Partner
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Simon, the problem was related to the TID you mentioned. The server came back up after about 1/2 hr. I am amazed that SUSE and Novell couldn’t get together and incorporate the fix in the zypper patching process. I’ll look at the “Program Temporary Fix” to see if that works. I’m glad i did this on a test machine to begin with.
Just to be clear, if I have a question about SLES but it is running in conjunction with OES, then I should post that in the Novell/Micro Focus forums?
Simon, the problem was related to the TID you mentioned. The server
came back up after about 1/2 hr.[/color]
Glad to hear it.
[color=blue]
I am amazed that SUSE and Novell
couldn’t get together and incorporate the fix in the zypper patching
process. I’ll look at the “Program Temporary Fix” to see if that works.
I’m glad i did this on a test machine to begin with.[/color]
As the name suggests, Program Temporary Fix (PTF) is a temporary patch
made available to customers who need a fix now. Once that’s been proved
it will be released more widely via the online patch channels and Patch
Finder download site.
[color=blue]
Just to be clear, if I have a question about SLES but it is running in
conjunction with OES, then I should post that in the Novell/Micro Focus
forums?[/color]
Correct - for OES post to Novell/Micro Focus but if pure SLES (i.e. no
OES involved) then SUSE.
HTH.
Simon
SUSE Knowledge Partner
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please show your appreciation and click on the star below. Thanks.