Public bug reported: [Impact] Devices that rely on hwdb metadata for proper naming or configuration may not function as expected during initramfs boot. The issue is that systemd currently does not include the hwdb database in the initramfs, despite the fact that udev rules triggered during early boot can rely on it.
This can result in: - Network interfaces being named generically or inconsistently - Missing metadata required by certain udev rules to configure hardware correctly - Confusion or misbehavior in early provisioning and installation environments This can be observed in any environments using devices that rely on metadata from hwdb for correct naming. The core problem is that the initramfs environment behaves inconsistently compared to the root filesystem environment due to missing hwdb data, even though the same udev rules run in both. This issue has been resolved with upstream commit: https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd/-/commit/e3955d1ca26b94b918ca000837f75c0342e77ad7 [Test Case] Use hardware with known hwdb-dependent behavior. Without access to such hardware, scenario can be verified using custom hwdb rules: (assuming a VM with virtio interface) cat /sys/class/net/enp1s0/device/../modalias pci:v00001AF4d00001041sv00001AF4sd00001100bc02sc00i00 nano /etc/udev/hwdb.d/99-custom-net-names.hwdb pci:v00001AF4d00001041* ID_NET_NAME_PATH=customvirtio0 build hwdb: systemd-hwdb update trigger modified hooks: update-initramfs -u reboot into initramfs: check if hwdb.bin is present check if udev applies new interface name [Where problems could occur] This change affects the systemd-udev initramfs hook, ensuring the hwdb database is installed into the initramfs. This does not change udev behavior itself, but makes static metadata available in the initramfs. Potential areas of concern: - Slight increase in initramfs size. - If the hook fails to copy hwdb.bin, initramfs builds could break. - Some environments may have scripts or tools that have adapted to the absence of hwdb data in the initramfs. These might begin behaving differently once the metadata becomes available for instance, interfaces might be renamed, or metadata-dependent logic could change unexpectedly. [Other Info] Upstream commit: https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd/-/commit/e3955d1ca26b94b918ca000837f75c0342e77ad7 Patch is available in Plucky. ** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu Focal) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu Jammy) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu Noble) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Affects: systemd (Ubuntu Oracular) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Also affects: systemd (Ubuntu Focal) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Also affects: systemd (Ubuntu Noble) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Also affects: systemd (Ubuntu Jammy) Importance: Undecided Status: New ** Also affects: systemd (Ubuntu Oracular) Importance: Undecided Status: New -- You received this bug notification because you are a member of Ubuntu Touch seeded packages, which is subscribed to systemd in Ubuntu. https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2112237 Title: hwdb.bin not available in initramfs Status in systemd package in Ubuntu: New Status in systemd source package in Focal: New Status in systemd source package in Jammy: New Status in systemd source package in Noble: New Status in systemd source package in Oracular: New Bug description: [Impact] Devices that rely on hwdb metadata for proper naming or configuration may not function as expected during initramfs boot. The issue is that systemd currently does not include the hwdb database in the initramfs, despite the fact that udev rules triggered during early boot can rely on it. This can result in: - Network interfaces being named generically or inconsistently - Missing metadata required by certain udev rules to configure hardware correctly - Confusion or misbehavior in early provisioning and installation environments This can be observed in any environments using devices that rely on metadata from hwdb for correct naming. The core problem is that the initramfs environment behaves inconsistently compared to the root filesystem environment due to missing hwdb data, even though the same udev rules run in both. This issue has been resolved with upstream commit: https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd/-/commit/e3955d1ca26b94b918ca000837f75c0342e77ad7 [Test Case] Use hardware with known hwdb-dependent behavior. Without access to such hardware, scenario can be verified using custom hwdb rules: (assuming a VM with virtio interface) cat /sys/class/net/enp1s0/device/../modalias pci:v00001AF4d00001041sv00001AF4sd00001100bc02sc00i00 nano /etc/udev/hwdb.d/99-custom-net-names.hwdb pci:v00001AF4d00001041* ID_NET_NAME_PATH=customvirtio0 build hwdb: systemd-hwdb update trigger modified hooks: update-initramfs -u reboot into initramfs: check if hwdb.bin is present check if udev applies new interface name [Where problems could occur] This change affects the systemd-udev initramfs hook, ensuring the hwdb database is installed into the initramfs. This does not change udev behavior itself, but makes static metadata available in the initramfs. Potential areas of concern: - Slight increase in initramfs size. - If the hook fails to copy hwdb.bin, initramfs builds could break. - Some environments may have scripts or tools that have adapted to the absence of hwdb data in the initramfs. These might begin behaving differently once the metadata becomes available for instance, interfaces might be renamed, or metadata-dependent logic could change unexpectedly. [Other Info] Upstream commit: https://salsa.debian.org/systemd-team/systemd/-/commit/e3955d1ca26b94b918ca000837f75c0342e77ad7 Patch is available in Plucky. To manage notifications about this bug go to: https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/systemd/+bug/2112237/+subscriptions -- Mailing list: https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages Post to : touch-packages@lists.launchpad.net Unsubscribe : https://launchpad.net/~touch-packages More help : https://help.launchpad.net/ListHelp
