Help - Timeshift in Live USB Mode as device UUID not found

Feakster · June 4, 2021, 9:16am

After updating today, I’ve just started getting an error in timeshift where it says it’s in “Live USB Mode (Restore Only)”. All previous snapshots are missing & an error message is listed which states "Device not found: UUID=’[my-hexadecimal-device-id]’. This is now also interfering with pacman updates as I now get the following error.

:: Running pre-transaction hooks...
(1/1) Creating Timeshift snapshot before upgrade...
E: ts: Failed to get partition list.
E: System disk not found!
Unable to run timeshift-autosnap! Please close Timeshift and try again. Script will now exit...
error: command failed to execute correctly
error: failed to commit transaction (failed to run transaction hooks)
Errors occurred, no packages were upgraded.

Most recently updated pacman packages:

[2021-06-04T09:50:21+0100] [ALPM] upgraded alsa-card-profiles (1:0.3.28-1 -> 1:0.3.29-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:21+0100] [ALPM] upgraded util-linux-libs (2.36.2-1 -> 2.37-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded ca-certificates-utils (20181109-4 -> 20210529-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded ca-certificates (20181109-4 -> 20210529-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded js78 (78.10.1-1 -> 78.11.0-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded util-linux (2.36.2-1 -> 2.37-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded polkit (0.118-1 -> 0.119-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] installed libcolord (1.4.5-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded colord (1.4.5-1 -> 1.4.5-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded poppler (21.05.0-1 -> 21.06.1-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded gdal (3.2.3-2 -> 3.2.3-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded gtk-update-icon-cache (1:4.2.1-1 -> 1:4.2.1-2)
[2021-06-04T09:50:22+0100] [ALPM] upgraded libinput (1.17.3-1 -> 1.18.0-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded gtk3 (1:3.24.29-1 -> 1:3.24.29-2)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded poppler-glib (21.05.0-1 -> 21.06.1-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded inkscape (1.1-2 -> 1.1-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded ipython (7.24.0-1 -> 7.24.1-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded webrtc-audio-processing (0.3.1-2 -> 0.3.1-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded pipewire (1:0.3.28-1 -> 1:0.3.29-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded lib32-pipewire (1:0.3.28-1 -> 1:0.3.29-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded lib32-util-linux (2.36.2-1 -> 2.37-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:23+0100] [ALPM] upgraded libmbim (1.24.6-1 -> 1.24.8-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:25+0100] [ALPM] upgraded libreoffice-fresh (7.1.3-1 -> 7.1.3-2)
[2021-06-04T09:50:25+0100] [ALPM] upgraded openexr (3.0.3-1 -> 3.0.4-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:25+0100] [ALPM] upgraded libvips (8.10.6-4 -> 8.10.6-5)
[2021-06-04T09:50:26+0100] [ALPM] upgraded linux-lts (5.10.41-1 -> 5.10.42-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:28+0100] [ALPM] upgraded linux-lts-headers (5.10.41-1 -> 5.10.42-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:29+0100] [ALPM] upgraded linux-zen (5.12.8.zen1-1 -> 5.12.9.zen1-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:31+0100] [ALPM] upgraded linux-zen-headers (5.12.8.zen1-1 -> 5.12.9.zen1-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:31+0100] [ALPM] upgraded nodejs (16.2.0-1 -> 16.3.0-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:31+0100] [ALPM] upgraded pacman-contrib (1.4.0-2 -> 1.4.0-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:31+0100] [ALPM] upgraded poppler-qt5 (21.05.0-1 -> 21.06.1-1)
[2021-06-04T09:50:32+0100] [ALPM] upgraded qt5-webengine (5.15.3-5 -> 5.15.4-3)
[2021-06-04T09:50:32+0100] [ALPM] upgraded recode (3.7.8-1 -> 3.7.9-1)

inxi -Fazy output:

System:
  Kernel: 5.12.9-zen1-1-zen x86_64 bits: 64 compiler: gcc v: 11.1.0 
  parameters: BOOT_IMAGE=/@/boot/vmlinuz-linux-zen 
  root=UUID=f4a38316-ac59-4e5c-a8b1-8eaf4671e28f rw rootflags=subvol=@ quiet 
  loglevel=3 nowatchdog mitigations=off 
  Desktop: KDE Plasma 5.21.5 tk: Qt 5.15.2 wm: kwin_x11 vt: 1 dm: SDDM 
  Distro: EndeavourOS base: Arch Linux 
Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Intel Client Systems product: NUC8i7HVK v: J71485-504 
  serial: <filter> Chassis: Intel Corporation type: 3 v: 2.0 serial: <filter> 
  Mobo: Intel model: NUC8i7HVB v: J68196-504 serial: <filter> UEFI: Intel 
  v: HNKBLi70.86A.0064.2020.1028.1438 date: 10/28/2020 
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech MX Keys Wireless Keyboard 
  serial: <filter> charge: 55% (should be ignored) rechargeable: yes 
  status: Discharging 
CPU:
  Info: Quad Core model: Intel Core i7-8809G bits: 64 type: MT MCP 
  arch: Kaby Lake family: 6 model-id: 9E (158) stepping: 9 microcode: DE 
  cache: L2: 8 MiB 
  flags: avx avx2 lm nx pae sse sse2 sse3 sse4_1 sse4_2 ssse3 vmx 
  bogomips: 49599 
  Speed: 3114 MHz min/max: 800/8300 MHz Core speeds (MHz): 1: 3114 2: 2218 
  3: 1915 4: 1500 5: 2440 6: 3071 7: 3354 8: 2996 
  Vulnerabilities: Type: itlb_multihit status: KVM: VMX disabled 
  Type: l1tf mitigation: PTE Inversion; VMX: vulnerable 
  Type: mds status: Vulnerable; SMT vulnerable 
  Type: meltdown status: Vulnerable 
  Type: spec_store_bypass status: Vulnerable 
  Type: spectre_v1 status: Vulnerable: __user pointer sanitization and 
  usercopy barriers only; no swapgs barriers 
  Type: spectre_v2 status: Vulnerable, IBPB: disabled, STIBP: disabled 
  Type: srbds status: Vulnerable 
  Type: tsx_async_abort status: Not affected 
Graphics:
  Device-1: Intel HD Graphics 630 driver: i915 v: kernel bus-ID: 00:02.0 
  chip-ID: 8086:591b class-ID: 0380 
  Device-2: AMD Polaris 22 XT [Radeon RX Vega M GH] vendor: Intel 
  driver: amdgpu v: kernel bus-ID: 01:00.0 chip-ID: 1002:694c class-ID: 0300 
  Display: x11 server: X.Org 1.20.11 compositor: kwin_x11 driver: 
  loaded: amdgpu,ati,intel unloaded: fbdev,modesetting,vesa display-ID: :0 
  screens: 1 
  Screen-1: 0 s-res: 3840x1080 s-dpi: 96 s-size: 1016x285mm (40.0x11.2") 
  s-diag: 1055mm (41.5") 
  Monitor-1: DisplayPort-2 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 93 
  size: 527x296mm (20.7x11.7") diag: 604mm (23.8") 
  Monitor-2: DisplayPort-3 res: 1920x1080 hz: 60 dpi: 93 
  size: 527x296mm (20.7x11.7") diag: 604mm (23.8") 
  OpenGL: renderer: AMD VEGAM (DRM 3.40.0 5.12.9-zen1-1-zen LLVM 11.1.0) 
  v: 4.6 Mesa 21.1.1 direct render: Yes 
Audio:
  Device-1: Intel CM238 HD Audio driver: snd_hda_intel v: kernel 
  bus-ID: 00:1f.3 chip-ID: 8086:a171 class-ID: 0403 
  Device-2: AMD Polaris 22 HDMI Audio vendor: Intel driver: snd_hda_intel 
  v: kernel bus-ID: 01:00.1 chip-ID: 1002:ab08 class-ID: 0403 
  Device-3: Logitech Logitech StreamCam type: USB 
  driver: hid-generic,snd-usb-audio,usbhid,uvcvideo bus-ID: 6-1:2 
  chip-ID: 046d:0893 class-ID: 0300 serial: <filter> 
  Sound Server-1: ALSA v: k5.12.9-zen1-1-zen running: yes 
  Sound Server-2: JACK v: 0.125.0 running: no 
  Sound Server-3: PulseAudio v: 14.2 running: yes 
  Sound Server-4: PipeWire v: 0.3.29 running: no 
Network:
  Device-1: Intel Ethernet I219-LM driver: e1000e v: kernel port: f040 
  bus-ID: 00:1f.6 chip-ID: 8086:15b7 class-ID: 0200 
  IF: eno1 state: up speed: 100 Mbps duplex: full mac: <filter> 
  Device-2: Intel I210 Gigabit Network driver: igb v: kernel port: b000 
  bus-ID: 05:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:157b class-ID: 0200 
  IF: enp5s0 state: down mac: <filter> 
  Device-3: Intel Wireless 8265 / 8275 driver: iwlwifi v: kernel port: b000 
  bus-ID: 06:00.0 chip-ID: 8086:24fd class-ID: 0280 
  IF: wlan0 state: down mac: <filter> 
Bluetooth:
  Device-1: Intel Bluetooth wireless interface type: USB driver: btusb v: 0.8 
  bus-ID: 1-9:3 chip-ID: 8087:0a2b class-ID: e001 
  Report: This feature requires one of these tools: hciconfig/bt-adapter 
Drives:
  Local Storage: total: 1.86 TiB used: 602.21 GiB (31.6%) 
  SMART Message: Unable to run smartctl. Root privileges required. 
  ID-1: /dev/nvme0n1 maj-min: 259:2 vendor: Samsung model: SSD 970 PRO 1TB 
  size: 953.87 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s 
  lanes: 4 rotation: SSD serial: <filter> rev: 1B2QEXP7 scheme: GPT 
  ID-2: /dev/nvme1n1 maj-min: 259:0 vendor: A-Data model: SX8200PNP 
  size: 953.87 GiB block-size: physical: 512 B logical: 512 B speed: 31.6 Gb/s 
  lanes: 4 rotation: SSD serial: <filter> rev: SS0411B scheme: GPT 
Partition:
  ID-1: / raw-size: 953.37 GiB size: 953.37 GiB (100.00%) 
  used: 224.41 GiB (23.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:4 
  ID-2: /boot/efi raw-size: 512 MiB size: 511 MiB (99.80%) 
  used: 560 KiB (0.1%) fs: vfat dev: /dev/nvme0n1p1 maj-min: 259:3 
  ID-3: /home raw-size: 953.37 GiB size: 953.37 GiB (100.00%) 
  used: 224.41 GiB (23.5%) fs: btrfs dev: /dev/nvme0n1p2 maj-min: 259:4 
Swap:
  Kernel: swappiness: 60 (default) cache-pressure: 100 (default) 
  ID-1: swap-1 type: file size: 29.8 GiB used: 0 KiB (0.0%) priority: -2 
  file: /swap/swapfile 
Sensors:
  System Temperatures: cpu: 70.0 C mobo: 29.8 C gpu: amdgpu temp: 53.0 C 
  Fan Speeds (RPM): N/A 
Info:
  Processes: 277 Uptime: 12m wakeups: 17 Memory: 31.27 GiB 
  used: 2.65 GiB (8.5%) Init: systemd v: 248 tool: systemctl Compilers: 
  gcc: 11.1.0 alt: 10/9 clang: 11.1.0 Packages: pacman: 1655 lib: 444 
  Shell: Zsh v: 5.8 running-in: konsole inxi: 3.3.03

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 9:22am

Same here!

Edit: Launching the GUI from terminal gives:

$ timeshift-launcher
localuser:root being added to access control list
E: ts: Failed to get partition list.
App config loaded: /etc/timeshift/timeshift.json

** (timeshift-gtk:3941): CRITICAL **: 11:29:04.929: gee_abstract_collection_get_size: assertion 'self != NULL' failed
$ timeshift-launcher
localuser:root being added to access control list
E: ts: Failed to get partition list.
App config loaded: /etc/timeshift/timeshift.json

** (timeshift-gtk:3941): CRITICAL **: 11:29:04.929: gee_abstract_collection_get_size: assertion 'self != NULL' failed

Using the CLI:

$ sudo timeshift --list 
E: ts: Failed to get partition list.
Device : Not Selected


** (process:4042): CRITICAL **: 11:31:46.211: gee_abstract_collection_get_size: assertion 'self != NULL' failed
No snapshots found

I’ve got 5 snapshots. The last one was just made before today’s updates.

When I regenerate Grub, they are still detected and added to the Grub boot menu:

Detecting snapshots ...
Info: Separate boot partition not detected 
Found snapshot: 2021-06-04 11:11:18 | timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2021-06-04_11-11-18/@
Found snapshot: 2021-05-22 05:30:41 | timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2021-05-22_05-30-41/@
Found snapshot: 2021-05-19 23:11:11 | timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2021-05-19_23-11-11/@
Found snapshot: 2021-05-18 00:44:54 | timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2021-05-18_00-44-54/@
Found snapshot: 2021-05-09 20:42:04 | timeshift-btrfs/snapshots/2021-05-09_20-42-04/@
Found 5 snapshot(s)

xircon · June 4, 2021, 9:42am

And me.

github.com/teejee2008/timeshift

After Update timeshift starts in usb rescue mode only

opened 06:39AM - 25 May 21 UTC

closed 01:09AM - 07 Jun 21 UTC

bebop210

This is affecting two different arch Linux installations on two separate but spe…c similar PCs.. One is arch Linux / partition ext4 saving on a separate home partition that is xfs.. has created and restored correctly for 2 years until last update. The other arch install is a single 1TB btrfs partition. Same update have made the timeshifts unable to see the partitions timeshift utilized prior. If I boot up a Manjaro gnome iso the timeshift installed on it can find the prior snapshots with no problem..

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 9:49am

There is a fix posted there but I don’t know how to implement it.

The fix is actually simple in the code. the output format of lsblk changed - “MAJ:MIN” is output as “MAJ_MIN” in the new util-linux.

diff --git a/src/Utility/Device.vala b/src/Utility/Device.vala
index 18f09de..b276055 100755
--- a/src/Utility/Device.vala
+++ b/src/Utility/Device.vala
@@ -428,10 +428,10 @@ public class Device : GLib.Object{
 
 			try{
 				if (lsblk_is_ancient){
-					rex = new Regex("""NAME="(.*)" KNAME="(.*)" LABEL="(.*)" UUID="(.*)" TYPE="(.*)" FSTYPE="(.*)" SIZE="(.*)" MOUNTPOINT="(.*)" MODEL="(.*)" RO="([0-9]+)" RM="([0-9]+)" MAJ:MIN="([0-9:]+)"""");
+					rex = new Regex("""NAME="(.*)" KNAME="(.*)" LABEL="(.*)" UUID="(.*)" TYPE="(.*)" FSTYPE="(.*)" SIZE="(.*)" MOUNTPOINT="(.*)" MODEL="(.*)" RO="([0-9]+)" RM="([0-9]+)" MAJ[_:]MIN="([0-9:]+)"""");
 				}
 				else{
-					rex = new Regex("""NAME="(.*)" KNAME="(.*)" LABEL="(.*)" UUID="(.*)" TYPE="(.*)" FSTYPE="(.*)" SIZE="(.*)" MOUNTPOINT="(.*)" MODEL="(.*)" RO="([0-9]+)" HOTPLUG="([0-9]+)" MAJ:MIN="([0-9:]+)" PARTLABEL="(.*)" PARTUUID="(.*)" PKNAME="(.*)" VENDOR="(.*)" SERIAL="(.*)" REV="(.*)"""");
+					rex = new Regex("""NAME="(.*)" KNAME="(.*)" LABEL="(.*)" UUID="(.*)" TYPE="(.*)" FSTYPE="(.*)" SIZE="(.*)" MOUNTPOINT="(.*)" MODEL="(.*)" RO="([0-9]+)" HOTPLUG="([0-9]+)" MAJ[_:]MIN="([0-9:]+)" PARTLABEL="(.*)" PARTUUID="(.*)" PKNAME="(.*)" VENDOR="(.*)" SERIAL="(.*)" REV="(.*)"""");
 				}
 
 				if (rex.match (line, 0, out match)){

xircon · June 4, 2021, 10:10am

Clone the repo somewhere:

git clone https://github.com/teejee2008/timeshift.git

Change directory:

cd timeshift/src/Utility

Edit the file Devices.vala, find line 431, change MAJ:MIN to MAJ[_:]MIN
Repeat for the next line (2 line below???).
Should now look like:

	try{
				if (lsblk_is_ancient){
					rex = new Regex("""NAME="(.*)" KNAME="(.*)" LABEL="(.*)" UUID="(.*)" TYPE="(.*)" FSTYPE="(.*)" SIZE="(.*)" MOUNTPOINT="(.*)" MODEL="(.*)" RO="([0-9]+)" RM="([0-9]+)" MAJ[_:]MIN="([0-9:]+)"""");
				}
				else{
					rex = new Regex("""NAME="(.*)" KNAME="(.*)" LABEL="(.*)" UUID="(.*)" TYPE="(.*)" FSTYPE="(.*)" SIZE="(.*)" MOUNTPOINT="(.*)" MODEL="(.*)" RO="([0-9]+)" HOTPLUG="([0-9]+)" MAJ[_:]MIN="([0-9:]+)" PARTLABEL="(.*)" PARTUUID="(.*)" PKNAME="(.*)" VENDOR="(.*)" SERIAL="(.*)" REV="(.*)"""");
				}

# cd back to the timeshift clone directory:
make
sudo make install

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 10:25am

That’s great, thanks for the instructions!
However when I run make in the timeshift clone directory it says:

makefile:4: *** No valac found, install it. Stop.

Searching for it with yay:

yay valac
1 aur/valacompiler-git r111.17b50ce-1 (+1 0.00) 
    A simple GUI for the command line valac designed for elementary OS

Did you need to install it also from AUR?

Feakster · June 4, 2021, 10:30am

I think removing timeshift-autosnap & waiting for timeshift package upgrades seems like the simplest option for now.

xircon · June 4, 2021, 10:30am

1 extra/vala 0.52.3-1 [installed]

Lemon · June 4, 2021, 10:36am

Removing timeshift-autosnap didn’t change anything.
Hopefully nothing else breaks today…

Feakster · June 4, 2021, 10:37am

It won’t fix timeshift, but it will remove the update block from pacman.

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 10:44am

Thanks @xircon for the help!
Timeshift is working now.

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 10:46am

This seems to be a reasonable course of action.
I was just too eager to make it work and thanks to @xircon’s help it does now.

Thanks for reporting this on the forum!

Feakster · June 4, 2021, 10:48am

No worries. I marked @xircon’s post as the solution. Mine’s there for the lazy folk.

ricklinux · June 4, 2021, 3:23pm

I am able to edit the file. but how to cd back to timeshift directory.
Why make? Is it just sudo make install? I couldn’t get the build done. Missing some know how.

Lemon · June 4, 2021, 4:46pm

Timeshift just got updated and is working again.

ThisPoorGuy · June 4, 2021, 5:46pm

As mentioned above…make sure you remove timeshift-autosnap, update timeshift and then re-install timeshift-autosnap. Just highlighting that in case somebody missed it earlier in the thread. Otherwise your update will fail when it tries to take a snapshot

xircon · June 4, 2021, 6:14pm

Not seeing an updated package here - which one are you using?

My last update seems to be the one I can see:

2021-03-30T22:00
1:timeshift 20.11.1+3+g08d0e59-3 -> 20.11.1+3+g08d0e59-4

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 6:29pm

The AUR package has been patched with the fix above.

https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/timeshift/

Perhaps that’s what @Lemon means with “Timeshift just got updated”?

xircon · June 4, 2021, 6:37pm

I am lazy, I had mine installed from archlinuxcn

Thanks, have installed the aur version and all is good.

pebcak · June 4, 2021, 6:44pm

This repo?

I totally ignored its existence before you mentioned it.