[Bug 577805] [NEW] incorrect /etc/fstab halts boot without offering manual edit

[Johnd16]

Public bug reported:

In the process of trying to mount different mount points as tmpfs file system, I made several mistakes.
I can't remember what my first mistake was, but then I could press the "M" key, and manual edit /etc/fstab while the boot wasn't even completed.

Later on I made two more mistakes, but this time the boot / fstab
mounting process could not be interrupted with the M-key, as expected.

The fstab configuration errors made were:
1. adding a trailing comma to the options
example: none /var/crash tmpfs mode=0755,noatime,nodev,noexec,nosuid, 0 0
2. mounting a directory that doesn't exists
example: none /var/spool/cups tmpfs mode=0710,noatime,nodev,noexec,nosuid,gid=lp 0
$ sudo ls /var/spool/cups
ls: cannot access /var/spool/cups: No such file or directory

This behavior might be by-design, though it would be more user friendly
when the boot process could also be interrupted the the M-key instead of
starting another LiveCD to edit the incorrect fstab file.

Environment:
0) Testing within VMware Fusion 2.0.7 - installation of "Lucid Lynx" 10.04 from ubuntu-10.04-mini-amd64.iso
1) Linux samba 2.6.32-22-server #33-Ubuntu SMP Wed Apr 28 14:34:48 UTC 2010 x86_64 GNU/Linux
2) Ubuntu 2.6.32-22.33-server 2.6.32.11+drm33.2

** Affects: linux (Ubuntu)
     Importance: Undecided
         Status: New


** Tags: boot fstab halt manual

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incorrect /etc/fstab halts boot without offering manual edit
https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/577805
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