grub fail if encryption dataset is present

koshak

Member
Oct 10, 2019
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Hi!
Have installed Proxmox 6.0 from iso, created encrypted dataset, for example rpool/encrypted, and grub fall into rescue at next reboot.
I found that right after creating encrypted dataset grub started refuse to recognize zfs.

Code:
# grub-probe /boot -vvv
...
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = org.illumos:lz4_compress, value = 1, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = com.joyent:multi_vdev_crash_dump, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = com.delphix:hole_birth, value = 1, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = com.delphix:extensible_dataset, value = 9, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = com.delphix:embedded_data, value = 1, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = org.open-zfs:large_blocks, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = org.zfsonlinux:large_dnode, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = org.illumos:sha512, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = org.illumos:skein, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = org.illumos:edonr, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = com.datto:bookmark_v2, value = 0, cd = 0
grub-core/fs/zfs/zfs.c:2112: zap: name = com.datto:encryption, value = 1, cd = 0
grub-core/kern/fs.c:78: zfs detection failed.
...
grub-probe: error: unknown filesystem.
 
Is reinstalling an option for you? If yes install Proxmox VE in UEFI mode.

Grub's ZFS support is very limited and by enabling encryption on the root pool this pool now has a feature enabled that Grub does not support.

When booting in UEFI mode systemd-boot is used instead of Grub and the Kernel is stored on the EFI partition. Therefore you can use whatever ZFS features the Kernel supports and don't have to worry about the bootloader supporting it or not.
 
Well, that limits your options. You could create a small (mirrored) zpool for the system and then create another one on which you can enable encryption
 
You can create a mirrored zpool during the installation by selecting only two disks in the menu where you set the zfs raid level.
The second pool you need to create after the system is installed and then add it to your storage config.

Our official documentation has a topic on creating zpools: https://pve.proxmox.com/pve-docs/pve-admin-guide.html#chapter_zfs
 
Ok, thanks aaron, I'm already installed Proxmox over Debian buster with separate pool for boot, just wanted to know if it possible by Proxmox iso installer.
The new Ubuntu 19.10 installer create a separate boot pool by default, It will be nice if Proxmox did the same in the future releases.
 

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