Re: Unable to boot after update from within auto-admin

On Saturday, May 9th, 2026 at 1:14 AM, Daniel Lysfjord <[email protected]> wrote:

> On 2026-05-08 23:15, linuxblood wrote:
> > I tried as you instructed.
> >
> > zpool import -a -N -l -o readonly=on
> >
> > it would output:
> >
> > -l is incompatible with -N
> >
> > I tried variations and eventually I got:
> >
> > No pools available to import
> >
> > I tried option after option...
> >
> > Then I tried zfs mount
> 
> No pools, no "filesystems" to mount

:( 

> 
> >
> > and it wouldn't output anything but the LiveDVD would load for a couple
> > of seconds and go back to the prompt.
> >
> > Regarding encryption, I chose whatever the default was using ZFS. I
> > encrypted the install as well as the swap.
> >
> > I don't know what I should do here. If it's too complex I'll just
> > reinstall, but I'm hoping I won't have to.
> >
> > Have you ever seen a popup about updates and it saying to run
> > auto-admin? I'm still suspect about that popup, I don't know where it
> > would've originated from.
> >
> 
> I have no idea about this auto-admin.. The git-page tells me it's an
> automation framework

Thanks.

> If variations of zpool import -a fails, with no visible information
> about "this pool needs to be imported by name" or something close to
> that, I have no idea. To my untrained eye, it seems like the zpool
> signature is unavailable.. That seems... unlikely, as zfs stores that in
> multiple locations, and is pretty persistant in complaining if it finds
> things that doesn't make sense.

Thank you. Perhaps it had something to do with encryption? Ah, well...

> > Regarding encryption, I chose whatever the default was using ZFS. I
> > encrypted the install as well as the swap.
> The default is no encryption, as it complicates setups by a whole lot.
> If you chose the default, you did not choose encryption. If you chose to
> encrypt the install and the swap, you did not choose the defaults,
> and... tbh, I'm out of my confort zone:) I do use encrypted ZFS, both
> native ZFS and ZFS on top of encrypted volumes, but that is so custom,
> that trying to export that knowledge to whatever you have done, is of
> little use..

Thanks, I won't use encryption the next time around. Lesson learned!

> If you can't get the live DVD to even find your zpool, I'm not much of
> help to you, and, from my point of view, you might aswell do a
> reinstall..

That sounds good, I appreciate your help more than you know!
 
> Pro-tip for the future: /home and everything else should be separated:)

Gotcha, thanks. I appreciate the verbose details, honesty, humility and kindness from both you and Mark G. I am dedicated to using FreeBSD and I will enjoy the journey, and enjoy it ever so more with people so wonderful as yourselves here to help.