Reset command fails in recovery mode

[ldevulder]

Booting in recovery mode and try to reset the system fails:

elemental3-test:~ # elemental3ctl --debug reset
INFO[0000] Starting reset action                        
DEBU[0000] Reset action called with args: &{OperatingSystemImage: Target: Description: ConfigScript: Overlay: CreateBootEntry:true Bootloader:grub KernelCmdline: Verify:true Local:false CryptoPolicy: Snapshotter:snapper} 
INFO[0000] Loaded deployment description file: /run/initramfs/live/Install/install.yaml 
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'udevadm settle'                
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'lsblk -p -b -n -J --output LABEL,PARTLABEL,PARTUUID,SIZE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINTS,PATH,PKNAME,TYPE' 
INFO[0000] Running reset process                        
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'lsblk -J -d -o NAME,PHY-SEC /dev/vda' 
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'PATH=/sbin:/usr/sbin:/usr/bin:/bin systemd-repart --json=pretty --definitions=/tmp/elemental-repart.d157866357 --dry-run=no --empty=allow --sector-size=512 /dev/vda' 
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'partx -u /dev/vda'             
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'udevadm settle'                
DEBU[0000] creating partition volumes: []               
DEBU[0000] creating partition volumes: []               
DEBU[0000] creating partition volumes: []               
DEBU[0000] creating partition volumes: [{Path:/var Snapshotted:false NoCopyOnWrite:true MountOpts:[x-initrd.mount]} {Path:/root Snapshotted:false NoCopyOnWrite:false MountOpts:[x-initrd.mount]} {Path:/etc Snapshotted:true NoCopyOnWrite:false MountOpts:[x-initrd.mount]} {Path:/opt Snapshotted:false NoCopyOnWrite:false MountOpts:[]} {Path:/srv Snapshotted:false NoCopyOnWrite:false MountOpts:[]} {Path:/home Snapshotted:false NoCopyOnWrite:false MountOpts:[]}] 
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'udevadm settle'                
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'lsblk -p -b -n -J --output LABEL,PARTLABEL,PARTUUID,SIZE,FSTYPE,MOUNTPOINTS,PATH,PKNAME,TYPE' 
[  142.289342][ T1491] BTRFS: device label SYSTEM devid 1 transid 30 /dev/vda4 (253:4) scanned by mount (1491)
[  142.289825][ T1491] BTRFS info (device vda4): first mount of filesystem e0362203-05ad-4c1d-bed6-407de06b0200
[  142.289867][ T1491] BTRFS info (device vda4): using crc32c (crc32c-intel) checksum algorithm
[  142.294552][ T1491] BTRFS info (device vda4): turning on async discard
[  142.294554][ T1491] BTRFS info (device vda4): enabling free space tree
DEBU[0000] Enabling btrfs quota                         
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'btrfs quota enable /tmp/elemental_system865720912' 
DEBU[0000] Creating subvolume: /tmp/elemental_system865720912/@ 
DEBU[0000] Running cmd: 'btrfs subvolume create /tmp/elemental_system865720912/@' 
DEBU[0000] "btrfs" command reported an error: exit status 1 
DEBU[0000] "btrfs" command output:                      
DEBU[0000] "btrfs" stderr: ERROR: Could not create subvolume: Read-only file system 
[  142.314318][ T1509] BTRFS info (device vda4): last unmount of filesystem e0362203-05ad-4c1d-bed6-407de06b0200
ERRO[0000] Reset failed                                 
2025/12/10 08:56:38 creating partition volumes: setting btrfs partition volumes: creating subvolume /tmp/elemental_system865720912/@: : exit status 1

I tested with raw image of 8GB and 30GB, same issue.

[davidcassany]

This is a known limitations of the current reset implementation. AS of today it does not drop or reformat any partition. Further investigations are needed to explore factory-reset capabilities of systemd-repart o either include additional logic to delete current partitions to be reset.

In any case, even if we consider it a non supported scenario the behavior should be improved to error out without attempting any modification.