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Chapter 19. Troubleshooting Installation on IBM Z

This chapter discusses some common installation problems and their solutions.
For debugging purposes, Anaconda logs installation actions into files in the /tmp directory. These files are listed in the following table.

Table 19.1. Log Files Generated During the Installation

Log file Contents
/tmp/anaconda.log general Anaconda messages
/tmp/program.log all external programs run during the installation
/tmp/storage.log extensive storage module information
/tmp/packaging.log yum and rpm package installation messages
/tmp/syslog hardware-related system messages
If the installation fails, the messages from these files are consolidated into /tmp/anaconda-tb-identifier, where identifier is a random string.
After successful installation, by default, these files will be copied to the installed system under the directory /var/log/anaconda/. However, if installation is unsuccessful, or if the inst.nosave=all or inst.nosave=logs options are used when booting the installation system, these logs will only exist in the installation program's RAM disk. This means they are not saved permanently and will be lost once the system is powered down. To store them permanently, copy those files to another system on the network by using scp on the system running the installation program, or copy them to a mounted storage device (such as an USB flash drive). Details on how to transfer the log files over the network are below.

Note

The following procedure requires the installation system to be able to access the network and the target system to be able to receive files over the ssh protocol.

Procedure 19.1. Transferring Log Files Over the Network

  1. Access the shell prompt on the installation system. This can be done in the following ways:
    • In a running tmux session on the installation system, press Ctrl+b p and Ctrl+b n to switch to the previous or next terminal, respectively, and find the terminal with a root shell.
    • Connect to the installation system over ssh.
    In both cases, you will be able to use the installation system's shell as root.
  2. Switch to the /tmp directory where the log files are located: 
    # cd /tmp
  3. Copy the log files onto another system on the network using the scp command: 
    # scp *log user@address:path
    Replace user with a valid user name on the target system, address with the target system's address or host name, and path with the path to the directory you want to save the log files into. For example, if you want to log in as john to a system with an IP address of 192.168.0.122 and place the log files into the /home/john/logs/ directory on that system, the command will have the following form: 
    # scp *log john@192.168.0.122:/home/john/logs/
    When connecting to the target system for the first time, the SSH client asks you to confirm that the fingerprint of the remote system is correct and that you want to continue: 
    The authenticity of host '192.168.0.122 (192.168.0.122)' can't be established.
ECDSA key fingerprint is a4:60:76:eb:b2:d0:aa:23:af:3d:59:5c:de:bb:c4:42.
Are you sure you want to continue connecting (yes/no)?
    Type yes and press Enter to continue. Then, provide a valid password when prompted. The files will start transferring to the specified directory on the target system.
The log files from the installation are now permanently saved on the target system and available for review.

19.1. Trouble During the Installation

19.1.1. No Disks Detected

In the Installation Destination screen, the following error message can appear at the bottom: No disks detected. Please shut down the computer, connect at least one disk, and restart to complete installation.
This message usually indicates that there is an issue with your DASD (Direct Access Storage Device) devices. If you encounter this error, add the DASD=<disks> parameter to your parameter file or CMS configuration file (where disks is the DASD range reserved for installation) and start the installation again.
Additionally, make sure you format the DASDs using the dasdfmt command within a Linux root shell, instead of formatting the DASDs using CMS. Anaconda automatically detects any DASD devices that are not yet formatted and asks you whether to format the devices.
If you are installing into one or more iSCSI devices and there is no local storage present on the system, make sure that all required LUNs (Logical Unit Numbers) are being presented to the appropriate HBA (Host Bus Adapter). For additional information about iSCSI, see Appendix B, iSCSI Disks.

19.1.2. Reporting Traceback Messages

If the graphical installation program encounters an error, it presents you with a crash reporting dialog box. You can then choose to send information about the problem you encountered to Red Hat. To send a crash report, you will need to enter your Customer Portal credentials. If you do not have a Customer Portal account, you can register at https://www.redhat.com/wapps/ugc/register.html. Automated crash reporting also requires a working network connection.
The Crash Reporting Dialog Box

Figure 19.1. The Crash Reporting Dialog Box

When the dialog appears, select Report Bug to report the problem, or Quit to exit the installation.
Optionally, click More Info to display detailed output that can help determine the cause of the error. If you are familiar with debugging, click Debug. This will take you to virtual terminal tty1, where you can request more precise information that will enhance the bug report. To return to the graphical interface from tty1, use the continue command.
The Expanded Crash Reporting Dialog Box

Figure 19.2. The Expanded Crash Reporting Dialog Box

If you want to report the bug to the customer portal, follow the procedure below.

Procedure 19.2. Reporting Errors to Red Hat Customer Support

  1. In the menu that appears, select Report a bug to Red Hat Customer Portal.
  2. To report the bug to Red Hat, you first need to provide your Customer Portal credentials. Click Configure Red Hat Customer Support.
    Customer Portal Credentials

    Figure 19.3. Customer Portal Credentials

  3. A new window is now open, prompting you to enter your Customer Portal user name and password. Enter your Red Hat Customer Portal credentials.
    Configure Red Hat Customer Support

    Figure 19.4. Configure Red Hat Customer Support

    If your network settings require you to use a HTTP or HTTPS proxy, you can configure it by expanding the Advanced menu and entering the address of the proxy server.
    When you put in all required credentials, click OK to proceed.
  4. A new window appears, containing a text field. Write down any useful information and comments here. Describe how the error can be reproduced by explaining each step you took before the crash reporting dialog appeared. Provide as much relevant detail as possible, including any information you acquired when debugging. Be aware that the information you provide here can become publicly visible on the Customer Portal.
    If you do not know what caused the error, check the box labeled I don't know what caused this problem at the bottom of the dialog.
    Then, click Forward.
    Describe the Problem

    Figure 19.5. Describe the Problem

  5. Next, review the information that will be sent to the Customer Portal. The explanation you provided is in the comment tab. Other tabs include such information as your system's host name and other details about the installation environment. You can remove any items you do not want sent to Red Hat, but be aware that providing less detail can affect the investigation of the issue.
    Click Forward when you finish reviewing the information to be sent.
    Review the Data to Be Sent

    Figure 19.6. Review the Data to Be Sent

  6. Review the list of files that will be sent and included in the bug report as individual attachments. These files provide system information that will assist the investigation. If you do not want to send certain files, uncheck the box next to each one. To provide additional files that can help find the problem, click Attach a file.
    Once you have reviewed the files to be sent, check the box labeled I have reviewed the data and agree with submitting it. Then, click Forward to send the report and attachments to the Customer Portal.
    Review the Files to Be Sent

    Figure 19.7. Review the Files to Be Sent

  7. When the dialog reports that processing has finished, you can click Show log to view details of the reporting process or Close to return to the initial crash reporting dialog box. There, click Quit to exit the installation.

19.1.3. Creating Pre-installation Log Files

To debug installation problems you can set the inst.debug option to create log files from the environment before the installation starts. These log files contain, for example, the current storage configuration.
To set the option in the Red Hat Enterprise Linux installation boot menu:
  1. Select the Install Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7.3 entry.
  2. Press the Tab key to edit the boot options.
  3. Append inst.debug to the options. For example: 
    > vmlinuz ... inst.debug
    For further details, see Chapter 23, Boot Options.
  4. Press Enter to start the setup.
The system stores the pre-installation log files in the /tmp/pre-anaconda-logs/ directory before Anaconda starts. To access the log files:
  1. Switch to the console. See Section 8.2.1, “Accessing Consoles”.
  2. Change into the /tmp/pre-anaconda-logs/ directory: 
    # cd /tmp/pre-anaconda-logs/