GNU bug report logs - #71211
%guile-static-stripped crashes with a sigsegv (i.e. the guile used in the initrd (?))

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Message #5 received at submit <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Attila Lendvai <attila <at> lendvai.name>
To: "bug-guix <at> gnu.org" <bug-guix <at> gnu.org>
Subject: %guile-static-stripped crashes with a sigsegv (i.e. the guile used in
 the initrd (?))
Date: Sun, 26 May 2024 15:26:43 +0000

root symptom:
-------------

i think this is the guile binary that is used in initrd. it's been a while i noted this bug. but if it's so, then if error happens early in the boot, then it just dies with a sigsegv; i.e. it's a major hindrance to debuggability.


reproducer:
-----------

guix shell -e '(begin (use-modules (gnu packages make-bootstrap)) %guile-static-stripped)'

and then start guile. or alternatively:

guile -c '(use-modules (ice-9 readline))'


analysis:
---------

make-guile-static-stripped calls (remove-store-references guile2) without checking the return code.

if i remove that call, then building fails with: "... is not allowed to refer to path `/gnu/store/3zl03prdg07ax4dny78hrzykillr6vcy-glibc-2.35'"
 
i.e. there's some reference in the binary to glibc, which is corrupted by remove-store-references.

i'm not sure this is the cause, but i suspect.

note that the `guile --version` test in make-guile-static-stripped runs fine; i.e. it's an insufficient test.

-- 
• attila lendvai
• PGP: 963F 5D5F 45C7 DFCD 0A39
--
“How much truth can a spirit bear, how much truth can a spirit dare? […] that became for me more and more the real measure of value.”
	— Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)

Message #8 received at 71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Attila Lendvai <attila <at> lendvai.name>
To: "71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org" <71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org>
Subject: (No Subject)
Date: Wed, 29 May 2024 20:51:06 +0000

the reproducer still crashes on a recent x86_64, but i originally noticed this long ago (maybe a year even). back then i investigated an early crash in the boot, and i reached %GUILE-STATIC-STRIPPED, and made a TODO note to further investigate. then i forgot most of what happened, and recently i opened this bug report based on my note.

since then EXPRESSION->INITRD may have changed, because it now uses %GUILE-STATIC-INITRD, but it's created with the same MAKE-GUILE-STATIC-STRIPPED that produces the faulty %GUILE-STATIC-STRIPPED, so they're essentially the same.

in short: the reproducer crashes both %GUILE-STATIC-STRIPPED and %GUILE-STATIC-INITRD on x86_64, and i believe that it crashes the same way in the early phase of the boot when/if it tries to enter the debugger.

-- 
• attila lendvai
• PGP: 963F 5D5F 45C7 DFCD 0A39
--
“If instead of teaching other people what government should be and should do, you'd teach yourself what government actually is and does do, you'd be a libertarian.”
	— François-René Rideau

Message #11 received at 71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: jbranso <at> dismail.de
To: "Attila Lendvai" <attila <at> lendvai.name>, 71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#71211: %guile-static-stripped crashes with a sigsegv (i.e.
 the guile used in the initrd (?))
Date: Thu, 30 May 2024 19:52:09 +0000

May 26, 2024 at 11:26 AM, "Attila Lendvai" <attila <at> lendvai.name> wrote:



> 
> root symptom:
> 
> -------------
> 
> i think this is the guile binary that is used in initrd. it's been a while i noted this bug. but if it's so, then if error happens early in the boot, then it just dies with a sigsegv; i.e. it's a major hindrance to debuggability.
> 
> reproducer:
> 
> -----------
> 
> guix shell -e '(begin (use-modules (gnu packages make-bootstrap)) %guile-static-stripped)'
> 
> and then start guile. or alternatively:
> 
> guile -c '(use-modules (ice-9 readline))'
> 
> analysis:
> 
> ---------

If it's that easy, to crash guile, then I'll try it on my T400.  I'll resond if a few
if it crashes for me.

> 
> make-guile-static-stripped calls (remove-store-references guile2) without checking the return code.
> 
> if i remove that call, then building fails with: "... is not allowed to refer to path `/gnu/store/3zl03prdg07ax4dny78hrzykillr6vcy-glibc-2.35'"
> 
>  
> 
> i.e. there's some reference in the binary to glibc, which is corrupted by remove-store-references.
> 
> i'm not sure this is the cause, but i suspect.
> 
> note that the `guile --version` test in make-guile-static-stripped runs fine; i.e. it's an insufficient test.
> 
> -- 
> 
> • attila lendvai
> 
> • PGP: 963F 5D5F 45C7 DFCD 0A39
> 
> --
> 
> “How much truth can a spirit bear, how much truth can a spirit dare? […] that became for me more and more the real measure of value.”
> 
>  — Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900)
>

Message #14 received at 71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org (full text, mbox):

From: Ludovic Courtès <ludo <at> gnu.org>
To: Attila Lendvai <attila <at> lendvai.name>
Cc: 71211 <at> debbugs.gnu.org
Subject: Re: bug#71211: %guile-static-stripped crashes with a sigsegv (i.e.
 the guile used in the initrd (?))
Date: Mon, 22 Jul 2024 09:20:35 +0200

Hi,

Attila Lendvai <attila <at> lendvai.name> skribis:

> guix shell -e '(begin (use-modules (gnu packages make-bootstrap)) %guile-static-stripped)'
>
> and then start guile. or alternatively:
>
> guile -c '(use-modules (ice-9 readline))'

Indeed:

--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
$ guix shell guile-static-stripped -- guile -c '(use-modules (ice-9 readline))'
$ echo $?
139
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---

It’s hard to see exactly where it segfaults, but it’s not surprising:
it’s built with a different libc than the ‘guile-readline’ package I’ve
installed, and it’s not capable of dlopening things.  That’s a
restriction we have to be aware of, but that’s ok.

Thanks,
Ludo’.

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