How to mount /storage on an external SSD?

xleox · April 13, 2022 at 1:02 PM

Hello all,

I have a RockPro64 and I'm using the image LibreELEC-RK3399.arm-10.0.2-rockpro64 and trying to use a bigger external USB3 SSD to mount the /storage partition while keeping the /flash partition on the smaller sd card so that I could have a better performance with the docker services I plan to run, since the sd card would just be used on boot time, I imagine. I formated it as ext4, labeled it as STORAGE, but the problem is that no matter what I do it won't boot properly.

I changed the file /flash/extlinux/extlinux.conf to point to the UUID of the SSD but when I boot I get the following message:

Code

*** Error in mount_storage: mount_common: Could not mount UUID=bb727511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 ***
### Starting debugging shell for boot step: mount_storage... type exit to quit ###
#

By the way, on this point if I manually mount the SSD doing mount /dev/sda1 /storage and exit the debugging shell it keeps booting and works normally (which means that everything would work if it was being mounted automatically).

Searching for answers on this forum I found this, then I created the suggested script and adapted it to my needs. In fact it tries to boot, but then I get the following message:

Code

mount: mounting UUID=bb727511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: No such file or directory
mount: mounting /storage on /sysroot/storage failed: Invalid argument

Followed by lots of errors due to the failure on the partition mounting.

Based on these messages I believe it's happening because by the time LE tries to mount /storage the external disks (in my case /dev/sda1) probably are not yet available. Is there a way to force them to be available BEFORE it's time to /storage to be mounted?

Any help or suggestion would be appreciated.

**mglae** · April 13, 2022 at 5:02 PM

dmesg|less or blkid in the debug shell may show more information.

xleox · April 13, 2022 at 5:33 PM

Hey mglae , thanks for taking the interest in the issue and also your prompt reply.

This is a blkid taken after the error msg but before the manually mounting the partition:

Code

*** Error in mount_storage: mount_common: Could not mount UUID=bb727511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 ***
### Starting debugging shell for boot step: mount_storage... type exit to quit ###
# blkid
/dev/sda1: LABEL="STORAGE" UUID="bb727511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/mmcblk1p2: LABEL="STORAGE" UUID="8ff85d86-0886-4367-affc-e7e92877481a" TYPE="ext4"
/dev/mmcblk1p1: LABEL="LIBREELEC" UUID="053-4902" TYPE="vfat"
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
# mount /dev/sda1 /storage
# exit
LibreELEC (official): 10.0.2

And this is the blkid after I manually mount the partition and access the box remotely via ssh:

Code

Nostromo:~ # blkid 
/dev/mmcblk1p1: SEC_TYPE="msdos" LABEL_FATBOOT="LIBREELEC" LABEL="LIBREELEC" UUID="0503-4902" BLOCK_SIZE="512" TYPE="vfat" PARTUUID="9b35c7c9-01"
/dev/mmcblk1p2: LABEL="STORAGE" UUID="8ff85d86-0886-4367-affc-e7e92877481a" BLOCK_SIZE="1024" TYPE="ext4" PARTUUID="9b35c7c9-02"
/dev/loop0: TYPE="squashfs"
/dev/sda1: LABEL="STORAGE" UUID="bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82" BLOCK_SIZE="4096" TYPE="ext4" PARTLABEL="STORAGE" PARTUUID="ccb42155-873d-40c3-82ea-5bb6729d00eb"

In fact I had done that before on a Manjaro installation, the difference being that then I put the /boot content on the sd card and the rest of the files I transfered to the SSD. It worked fine.

tokul · April 14, 2022 at 3:44 AM

Consider mounting external ssd on locations that store media instead of taking all /storage

**mglae** · April 14, 2022 at 10:43 AM

Add debugging to the kernel command line to see mount command messages/errors.

And check dmesg for oddities.

xleox · April 14, 2022 at 12:01 PM

Hi mglae, I did what you suggested and attached the corresponding dmesg. The only error I could notice is a couple of attempts of mounting the /storage partition.

Code

[    3.024184] scsi 0:0:0:0: Direct-Access     KINGSTON  SV300S37A120G   0    PQ: 0 ANSI: 6
[   12.813116] fsck: fsck: couldn't find matching filesystem: UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82
[   13.068325] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   14.098956] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   15.131573] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   16.164966] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   17.198780] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   18.232457] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   19.264231] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   20.295341] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   21.326146] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   22.357140] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   23.387916] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   24.420722] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   25.452969] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   26.483776] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   27.514599] UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82: Can't open blockdev
[   32.942914] random: crng init done

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And also (from the kernel verbose debug):

Code

Framebuffer vertical res: 1080
Framebuffer splash image: /splash/splash-1080.png
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
mount: mounting UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 on /storage failed: no such file or directory
*** Error in mount_storage: mount_common: Could not mount UUID=bb717511-e7c2-43e0-9e76-348957aa1c82 ***
### Starting debugging shell for boot step: mount_storage... type exit to quit ###
#

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Maybe it happens because by the time it tries to mount the external drive in /storage it's not still detected/available?

Hi tokul , thanks for the input!

Well, the thing is I want to use this box as a little home server, you know, not only the "media server" part that LibreELEC provides. So that if I can make it run from the SSD instead of the sd card it would have a better performance for my needs. In fact I'd been using Manjaro with Kodi for some time exactly this way (/boot running on the sd card, / running on an external drive) and was very satisfied. But the problem with Manjaro is that their builds doesn't have hardware decoding as LE does (which, for a media server, is a deal breaker), and also these last Kodi versions from Manjaro have been very unstable to me.

elonesna · April 14, 2022 at 3:05 PM

This would work fine on CoreELEC and the system will boot with "storage" on the external drive:

systemctl stop kodi

e2label /dev/sda1 "STORAGE"

e2label /dev/mmcblk1p2 "EXT-STORAGE"

reboot

I don't know if it will work in LE.

tokul · April 14, 2022 at 4:07 PM

Quote from elonesna

This would work fine on CoreELEC and the system will boot with "storage" on the external drive:
systemctl stop kodi
e2label /dev/sda1 "STORAGE"
e2label /dev/mmcblk1p2 "EXT-STORAGE"
reboot
I don't know if it will work in LE.

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/storage got .config and .kodi directories. replace it with random file system and you are screwed.

elonesna · April 14, 2022 at 4:17 PM

tokul: I don't know what you're saying, in case of problems you just need to do a factory restore, plus a backup restore, and that's it. The external storage will already be mounted as "storage". I have done this many times with no problems with CoreELEC.

**mglae** · April 14, 2022 at 4:34 PM Best Answer

There are errors in detecting your external SSD. Due to the time delay it is not automatically mounted:

Code

[    1.685265] usb 4-1: new SuperSpeed Gen 1 USB device number 2 using xhci-hcd
[    1.706852] usb 4-1: New USB device found, idVendor=174c, idProduct=1153, bcdDevice= 1.00
[    1.706876] usb 4-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=2, Product=3, SerialNumber=1
[    1.706890] usb 4-1: Product: Ugreen Storage Device
[    1.706902] usb 4-1: Manufacturer: Ugreen
[    1.706914] usb 4-1: SerialNumber: 26A1EE8393E4
[    1.715808] scsi host0: uas
[...]
[   33.775391] sd 0:0:0:0: tag#17 uas_eh_abort_handler 0 uas-tag 2 inflight: CMD IN 
[   33.775428] sd 0:0:0:0: tag#17 CDB: opcode=0x9e, sa=0x10 9e 10 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 20 00 00
[   33.802274] scsi host0: uas_eh_device_reset_handler start
[   33.926055] usb 4-1: reset SuperSpeed Gen 1 USB device number 2 using xhci-hcd
[   33.945820] scsi host0: uas_eh_device_reset_handler success
[   33.962119] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] 234441648 512-byte logical blocks: (120 GB/112 GiB)
[   33.962891] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write Protect is off
[   33.962910] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Mode Sense: 43 00 00 00
[   33.964012] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Write cache: enabled, read cache: enabled, doesn't support DPO or FUA
[   33.964931] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Optimal transfer size 33553920 bytes
[   33.994086]  sda: sda1
[   33.997500] sd 0:0:0:0: [sda] Attached SCSI disk

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Try to disable UAS with usb-storage.quirks=174c:1153:u kernel parameter.

xleox · April 14, 2022 at 6:45 PM

elonesna hey, thank you so much for your help.

Well, I tried your suggestion but unfortunately it didn't work... the thing is it seems that LE mounts its drives based on their UUID, so I don't think it makes much difference which are their LABELS.

mglae hey man, you're my hero!

It seems to be working now. At least I've done some 3 or 4 boots and it's working as expected.

Here, just to compare:

Before

Code

lsusb -t
/:  Bus 08.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ohci-platform/1p, 12M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 2, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
/:  Bus 07.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ohci-platform/1p, 12M
/:  Bus 06.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-platform/1p, 480M
/:  Bus 05.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-platform/1p, 480M
/:  Bus 04.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 5000M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=uas, 5000M
/:  Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 480M
/:  Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 5000M
/:  Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 480M

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After

Code

lsusb -t
/:  Bus 08.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ohci-platform/1p, 12M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 1, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 2, Class=Human Interface Device, Driver=usbhid, 12M
/:  Bus 07.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ohci-platform/1p, 12M
/:  Bus 06.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-platform/1p, 480M
/:  Bus 05.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=ehci-platform/1p, 480M
/:  Bus 04.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 5000M
    |__ Port 1: Dev 2, If 0, Class=Mass Storage, Driver=usb-storage, 5000M
/:  Bus 03.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 480M
/:  Bus 02.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 5000M
/:  Bus 01.Port 1: Dev 1, Class=root_hub, Driver=xhci-hcd/1p, 480M

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I researched a little about this uas x usb-storage drivers and if I understood correctly the difference between them is basically some speed gain, right?

You may consider this thread closed, the issue solved and I really appreciate your invaluable help but, just out of curiosity... is there any way I could load this module before the mounting of the external drive, so that I could keep using it?

**mglae** · April 15, 2022 at 9:28 AM

Quote from xleox

I researched a little about this uas x usb-storage drivers and if I understood correctly the difference between them is basically some speed gain, right?

Theoretically speed gain but I doubt you do have an use case where you can notice it.

Quote from xleox

is there any way I could load this module before the mounting of the external drive, so that I could keep using it?

Both drivers are build into the kernel image there are no modules to load. The UAS firmware of the device is incompatible to the kernel implementation but luckily you can choose a different protocol.

How to mount /storage on an external SSD?

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