CentOS 8 dracut-initqueue timeout and could not boot – warning /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid- does not exist – inactive raids

Booting the CentOS 8 failed with

dracut-initqueue timeout and could not boot – warning /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid- does not exist

we have an article on the subject for CentOS 7 – CentOS 7 dracut-initqueue timeout and could not boot – warning /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid- does not exist and we continue with another issue with the same error.
Most times when you get this error there is a mistake in some UUID for the file system or the RAID devices. But this time our software raid was autodetected with the right disks but it ended in INACTIVE STATE. Software raid in INACTIVE STATE cannot be used so we are in “Emergency mode”:

SCREENSHOT 1) Without root partition the boot process enters the dracut emergency mode.

main menu
Entering emergency mode

SCREENSHOT 2) Software md raid device information – missing “Personalities” for the raid groups.

Loaded modules in the kernel and missing raid kernel modules.

main menu
Missing raid1 kernel module in initram file

To summarize it up:

  • The disks are detected, so we drivers for SATA/SAS controller is loaded correctly.
  • The software raid autodetected the MD devices, but they are in “INACTIVE STATE”. The RAID “Personalities” is missing.

Keep on reading!

CentOS 7 dracut-initqueue timeout and could not boot – warning /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid- does not exist

Let’s say you update your software raid layout – create, delete or modify your software raid and reboot the system and your server does not start normally. After loading your remote video console (KVM) you see the boot process reports for a missing device and you are under console (dracut console). Your system is in “Emergency mode”.

The warning:

dracut-initqueue[504]: Warning: dracut-initqueue timeout - starting timeout scripts
dracut-initqueue[504]: Warning: dracut-initqueue timeout - starting timeout scripts
dracut-initqueue[504]: Warning: dracut-initqueue timeout - starting timeout scripts
....
....
dracut-initqueue[504]: Warning: could not boot.
dracut-initqueue[504]: Warning: /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid-2fdc509e:8dd05ed3:c2350cb4:ea5a620d does not exist
      Starting Dracut Emergency Shell...
Warning: /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid-2fdc509e:8dd05ed3:c2350cb4:ea5a620d does not exist

Generating "/run/initramfs/rdsosreport.txt"


Entering emergency mode. Exit the shell to continue.
Type "journalctl" to view system logs.
You might want to save "/run/initramfs/rdsosreport.txt" to a USB stick or /boot
after mounting them and attach it to a bug report.


dracut:/#

This article is for problems, which occur after manipulating a storage RAID devices, not the system (root) or boot devices!!! If the missing device the RAIDmd-uuid-2fdc509e:8dd05ed3:c2350cb4:ea5a620d does not exist” is either the root or the boot device, the propose solution here would not help with just exiting the Emergency Shell! In those cases, when the missing device is the root or boot before exiting the Emergency Shell the problem must be resolved, so the devices and their file system should be available. There is another article on the subject, which may help the reader in such cases – CentOS 8 dracut-initqueue timeout and could not boot – warning /dev/disk/by-id/md-uuid- does not exist – inactive raids.

SCREENSHOT 1) The boot process reports mutiple warning messages of dracut-initqueue timeout, because a drive cannot be found.

main menu
Warning: dracut-initqueue timeout – starting timeout scripts

Keep on reading!