After a while without any problem the boot process now stop working. No access to the encrypted USB device

Raspi 4 8GB / OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS / Zymkey 4 in developer mode / no battery / encrypt USB Device / no tamper activated

Hello together,

I used the above named system during the last weeks without any problem. Now the boot process stops (see the picture attached) and the blue ZUMKEY LED flashs rapidly.
I now checked the system with a SDCARD with installed ZYMKEY driver. Here the LED blinks normal, but I cant access the data on the encrypted USB device. lsblk shows me the device as an LUKS encrypted device.

My questions.

  1. Do I have a possibility to grant access to the encrypted usb device to get data here? Because they are importend for me.

  2. What could cause this problem? Whats the reason for this and how can I prevent this in the future?

Thank you for your support!!!

@mikeeyy - It looks like it can no longer find the rootfs. Did it possibly do an unattended upgrade? If you can look on your SDCard, check for /boot/initrd.img, and/or also possibly a backup initrd.img. If you have an older initrd.img, you can copy that to /boot/initrd.img and see if you can boot.

You will not be able to get your data without booting up with that Zymkey. Can you confirm whether or not you have clipped the lock tab?

Hi Bob,

yes, I can confirm that the lock tab is not clipped. And it seems you are on the right way. There was no initrd.img on the SD card. only an initrd.img.bak. I copied this to initrd.img and then the boot start with more infos then before. See the screenshot attached. But it ends also with an error.
Maybe there are many other boot file also changed during an unplaned an not noticed update. there are many bak files with the same date on the SD card.
I tried the SD card from a second and working system with also USB encryption. The card boot also good but then I get also an “timout” error. See the third picture.


Hi Bob,

I could recover the access to the system. You are right. the initrd.img was changed. I could recover this and also I had to recover the vmlinuz from the vmlinuz.bak

The unattended-upgrade.service is disabled like the output here

XXXXX:/# systemctl status unattended-upgrades.service
○ unattended-upgrades.service - Unattended Upgrades Shutdown
Loaded: loaded (/lib/systemd/system/unattended-upgrades.service; disabled; vendor preset: enabled)
Active: inactive (dead)
Docs: man:unattended-upgrade(8)

In the dpkg.log I see that some install activities. But I have no idea why this happens. See the log data below. That’s the last entries. After this the system didn’t startup

2022-11-29 06:35:00 startup archives unpack
2022-11-29 06:35:00 install linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:00 status half-installed linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:18 status unpacked linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:18 install linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:18 status half-installed linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:24 status unpacked linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:25 install linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:25 status half-installed linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:31 status unpacked linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:32 install linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:32 status half-installed linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:32 status unpacked linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:32 upgrade linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:32 status half-configured linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:32 status unpacked linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:32 status half-installed linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status unpacked linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:33 upgrade linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status half-configured linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status unpacked linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status half-installed linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status unpacked linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:33 upgrade linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status half-configured linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status unpacked linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status half-installed linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1017.16
2022-11-29 06:35:33 status unpacked linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:34 startup packages configure
2022-11-29 06:35:34 configure linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status unpacked linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status half-configured linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status installed linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1018:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 configure linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status unpacked linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status half-configured linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status installed linux-headers-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 configure linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status unpacked linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status half-configured linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status installed linux-headers-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:34 configure linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status unpacked linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:34 status half-configured linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status installed linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status triggers-pending linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:39 configure linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status unpacked linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status half-configured linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status installed linux-image-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:39 configure linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status unpacked linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:39 status half-configured linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:45 status installed linux-modules-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:45 configure linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:45 status unpacked linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:45 status half-configured linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:45 status installed linux-raspi:arm64 5.15.0.1018.17
2022-11-29 06:35:45 trigproc linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:45 status half-configured linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:46 status installed linux-image-5.15.0-1018-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1018.20
2022-11-29 06:35:46 status triggers-pending flash-kernel:arm64 3.104ubuntu14
2022-11-29 06:35:46 trigproc flash-kernel:arm64 3.104ubuntu14
2022-11-29 06:35:46 status half-configured flash-kernel:arm64 3.104ubuntu14
2022-11-29 06:36:08 status installed flash-kernel:arm64 3.104ubuntu14
2022-11-29 06:36:24 startup archives unpack
2022-11-29 06:36:25 upgrade libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.2 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.3
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status triggers-pending libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status half-configured libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.2
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status unpacked libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.2
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status half-installed libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.2
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status unpacked libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.3
2022-11-29 06:36:25 startup packages configure
2022-11-29 06:36:25 configure libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.3
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status unpacked libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.3
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status half-configured libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.3
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status installed libunbound8:arm64 1.13.1-1ubuntu5.3
2022-11-29 06:36:25 trigproc libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:25 status half-configured libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:26 status installed libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 startup archives unpack
2022-11-29 06:36:42 upgrade libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1build3 2.1-3.1ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status triggers-pending libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status half-configured libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1build3
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status unpacked libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1build3
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status half-installed libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1build3
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status unpacked libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 startup packages configure
2022-11-29 06:36:42 configure libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status unpacked libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status half-configured libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:36:42 status installed libjbig0:arm64 2.1-3.1ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:36:43 trigproc libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:43 status half-configured libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:43 status installed libc-bin:arm64 2.35-0ubuntu3.1
2022-11-29 06:36:59 startup archives unpack
2022-11-29 06:37:00 upgrade tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.0 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:37:00 status half-configured tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.0
2022-11-29 06:37:00 status unpacked tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.0
2022-11-29 06:37:00 status half-installed tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.0
2022-11-29 06:37:01 status unpacked tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:37:02 startup packages configure
2022-11-29 06:37:02 configure tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:37:02 status unpacked tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:37:02 status half-configured tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:37:02 status installed tzdata:all 2022f-0ubuntu0.22.04.1
2022-11-29 06:37:18 startup archives unpack
2022-11-29 06:37:19 upgrade linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-52.58 5.15.0-53.59
2022-11-29 06:37:19 status half-configured linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-52.58
2022-11-29 06:37:19 status unpacked linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-52.58
2022-11-29 06:37:19 status half-installed linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-52.58
2022-11-29 06:37:20 status unpacked linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-53.59
2022-11-29 06:37:21 startup packages configure
2022-11-29 06:37:21 configure linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-53.59
2022-11-29 06:37:21 status unpacked linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-53.59
2022-11-29 06:37:21 status half-configured linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-53.59
2022-11-29 06:37:21 status installed linux-libc-dev:arm64 5.15.0-53.59
2022-11-29 06:37:38 startup packages remove
2022-11-29 06:37:38 status installed linux-headers-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:38 remove linux-headers-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:38 status half-configured linux-headers-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:38 status half-installed linux-headers-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:40 status config-files linux-headers-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:40 status not-installed linux-headers-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64
2022-11-29 06:37:40 status installed linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1016:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:40 remove linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1016:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:40 status half-configured linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1016:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:40 status half-installed linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1016:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:46 status config-files linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1016:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:46 status not-installed linux-raspi-headers-5.15.0-1016:arm64
2022-11-29 06:37:46 startup packages configure
2022-11-29 06:37:56 startup packages remove
2022-11-29 06:37:56 status installed linux-image-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:56 status installed linux-modules-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:56 remove linux-modules-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:56 status half-configured linux-modules-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:56 status half-installed linux-modules-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:57 status config-files linux-modules-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:57 remove linux-image-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:57 status half-configured linux-image-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:58 status half-installed linux-image-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:59 status config-files linux-image-5.15.0-1016-raspi:arm64 5.15.0-1016.18
2022-11-29 06:37:59 startup packages configure

in the /etc/apt/apt.conf.d/20auto-upgrades there are this entries:

APT::Periodic::Update-Package-Lists “1”;
APT::Periodic::Unattended-Upgrade “1”;

maybe this should not be at “1” ?

Hello together,

does any body have an other idea how to disable the unattended install prozessor can confirm that the above named will be really working?

@mikeeyy - This link might help. I think you want to set that “1” to “0”.

https://wiki.debian.org/UnattendedUpgrades