I've seen a bunch of reports in the last 6 months that looked like this was happening, but finally we have all the logging in place to confirm, and we've received a complete example with enough info for me to create an issue, so here we go. # Failure modes ## Backup GPT corrupted *after* `sgdisk --new` (wb:8116057893b0684dcc1f7b5c3eef55eb and wb:7478368e3d7b6ef53c3bb1251ab5f1bb) I understand this report was sent the first time Tails was started, after freshly installing. - During initial repartitioning: - sgdisk reports success so presumably the partition was resized. Indeed, tails-block-device-info sees the system partition is 8GB. - partprobe complains: "Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will be used." - fatresize complains: "Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will be used.", and I see that `df` sees a 1.3GB filesystem so it's not been resized - the `partitioning` hook aborts after fatresize (presumably due to `set -e`) so all the stuff we would otherwise do after fatresize is skipped - The kernel is unhappy too (after repartitioning, I believe): "kernel: Alternate GPT is invalid, using primary GPT." Finally, tpsd fails to create a Persistent Storage partition: ``` Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: ERROR:window.py:218: failed to create Persistent Storage: GDBus.Error:gi.repository.GLib.Error: udisks-error-quark: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Error.Failed: Error creating partition on /dev/sdb: Process reported exit code 2: Warning! Main and backup partition tables differ! Use the 'c' and 'e' options Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: on the recovery & transformation menu to examine the two tables. Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk! Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: Main header: OK Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: Backup header: OK Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: Main partition table: OK Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: Backup partition table: ERROR Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: Invalid partition data! Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia tails-persistent-storage[8681]: (0) Jan 21 15:07:35 amnesia python3[8681]: Failed to set text '<span insert-hyphens='no'>gi.repository.GLib.Error: udisks-error-quark: GDBus.Error:org.freedesktop.UDisks2.Error.Failed: Error creating partition on /dev/sdb: Process reported exit code 2: Warning! Main and backup partition tables differ! Use the 'c' and 'e' options on the recovery & transformation menu to examine the two tables. Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk! Main header: OK Backup header: OK Main partition table: OK Backup partition table: ERROR Invalid partition data! (0) ``` This error message comes from gdisk (the package that includes e.g. `sgdisk`): https://sources.debian.org/src/gdisk/1.0.9-2.1/gpt.cc/?hl=1157#L1157. To find relevant bug reports in a archive of WhisperBack reports, search for `Bug-specific details: Resizing system partition failed`. ## Backup GPT corrupted *before* `sgdisk --new` E.g. wb:e0ea3297ed5d11833bbe36a440d9ec8b ``` + sgdisk --move-second-header --randomize-guids '--delete=1' '--new=1:0:+8192M' '--typecode=1:C12A7328-F81F-11D2-BA4B-00A0C93EC93B' '--change-name=1:Tails' /dev/sdb Caution: invalid backup GPT header, but valid main header; regenerating backup header from main header. Warning! Main and backup partition tables differ! Use the 'c' and 'e' options on the recovery & transformation menu to examine the two tables. Warning! One or more CRCs don't match. You should repair the disk! Main header: OK Backup header: ERROR Main partition table: OK Backup partition table: ERROR **************************************************************************** Caution: Found protective or hybrid MBR and corrupt GPT. Using GPT, but disk verification and recovery are STRONGLY recommended. **************************************************************************** The operation has completed successfully. + settle + sync + udevadm settle + sync + log_end_msg + _log_msg 'done.\n' + '[' y '=' y ] + return + partprobe /dev/sdb Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will be used. + settle + sync + udevadm settle + sync + dd 'if=/dev/sdb1' 'of=/tmp/vbr' 'bs=512' 'count=1' 1+0 records in 1+0 records out + settle + sync + udevadm settle + sync + FS_SIZE=8190Mi + fatresize '--size=8190Mi' /dev/sdb1 fatresize 1.1.0 (20221231) Error: The backup GPT table is corrupt, but the primary appears OK, so that will be used. ``` And the filesystem was not resized: `/dev/sdb1 vfat 1.4G 1.4G 13M 100% /usr/lib/live/mount/medium`. ## Timed out for waiting the udev queue being empty See you on tails/tails#20451. ## wrong usb stick identified tails/tails#20656 # Benefit and cost Benefit: this breaks automatic upgrades and the ability to create a Persistent Storage. It's been spotted in the wild a bunch of times so it's definitely affecting a number of users. Cost: unknown. Worth spending up to 3 hours researching and PoC'ing solutions, but probably not diving into a deeper rabbit hole.