[Bug 2143048] Re: [SRU] --restore-old thinks --reboot is always specified

[Dave Jones]

** Description changed:

+ [ Impact ]
+ 
+ The --restore-old functionality of piboot-try does not operate, making
+ it more difficult for users to manually revert to older kernels
+ 
+ [ Test plan ]
+ 
+ On all supported models of Pi (3 onwards):
+ 
+ * Flash the Ubuntu 25.10 pre-installed server image to an SD card
+ * Boot the Pi and wait for cloud-init to finish and login
+ * sudo flash-kernel
+ * sudo reboot
+ * This sets up current/ and old/ allowing us to test manual reversion
+ * Append "foo" to /boot/firmware/old/cmdline.txt
+ * sudo piboot-try --restore-old
+ * Note failure with error message from original description below
+ * Enable proposed pocket
+ * sudo apt install -t questing-proposed flash-kernel
+ * sudo piboot-try --restore-old
+ * Note success in restoring old/ to current/
+ * sudo reboot
+ * cat /proc/cmdline
+ * Ensure "foo" appears at the end, verifying we booted the prior assets
+ 
+ [ Where things could go wrong ]
+ 
+ Given this functionality exists in flash-kernel back in questing, we
+ need to consider whether this can break flash-kernel more widely.
+ Thankfully, the change in question is limited to a file that is only
+ used by piboot-try, and thus can only affect the Pi (it's not a file
+ included in the flash-kernel binary package, only the flash-kernel-
+ piboot binary package). Hence, we can limit testing to Raspberry Pi
+ boards.
+ 
+ Still, given it affects the operation of flash-kernel on the Pi, and
+ that this can affect whether the platform can even boot, we must test
+ this functionality comprehensively: that it can boot, reboot, install
+ new kernel assets, restore old kernel assets, and boot those. This is
+ all included in the test plan above.
+ 
+ [ Original description ]
+ 
  From MM chat:
  
  $ sudo piboot-try --restore-old
  --restore-old --reboot makes no sense without --reset-new
  
  It appears --restore-old thinks --reboot is always specified even when
  it's not. This will need SRU'ing to questing as well (hence targetting
  flash-kernel as that's the location of piboot-try in that release).

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2143048

Title:
  [SRU] --restore-old thinks --reboot is always specified

Status in flash-kernel package in Ubuntu:
  Invalid
Status in piboot-try package in Ubuntu:
  Fix Released
Status in flash-kernel source package in Questing:
  Triaged
Status in piboot-try source package in Questing:
  Invalid

Bug description:
  [ Impact ]

  The --restore-old functionality of piboot-try does not operate, making
  it more difficult for users to manually revert to older kernels

  [ Test plan ]

  On all supported models of Pi (3 onwards):

  * Flash the Ubuntu 25.10 pre-installed server image to an SD card
  * Boot the Pi and wait for cloud-init to finish and login
  * sudo flash-kernel
  * sudo reboot
  * This sets up current/ and old/ allowing us to test manual reversion
  * Append "foo" to /boot/firmware/old/cmdline.txt
  * sudo piboot-try --restore-old
  * Note failure with error message from original description below
  * Enable proposed pocket
  * sudo apt install -t questing-proposed flash-kernel
  * sudo piboot-try --restore-old
  * Note success in restoring old/ to current/
  * sudo reboot
  * cat /proc/cmdline
  * Ensure "foo" appears at the end, verifying we booted the prior assets

  [ Where things could go wrong ]

  Given this functionality exists in flash-kernel back in questing, we
  need to consider whether this can break flash-kernel more widely.
  Thankfully, the change in question is limited to a file that is only
  used by piboot-try, and thus can only affect the Pi (it's not a file
  included in the flash-kernel binary package, only the flash-kernel-
  piboot binary package). Hence, we can limit testing to Raspberry Pi
  boards.

  Still, given it affects the operation of flash-kernel on the Pi, and
  that this can affect whether the platform can even boot, we must test
  this functionality comprehensively: that it can boot, reboot, install
  new kernel assets, restore old kernel assets, and boot those. This is
  all included in the test plan above.

  [ Original description ]

  From MM chat:

  $ sudo piboot-try --restore-old
  --restore-old --reboot makes no sense without --reset-new

  It appears --restore-old thinks --reboot is always specified even when
  it's not. This will need SRU'ing to questing as well (hence targetting
  flash-kernel as that's the location of piboot-try in that release).

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