Hi all,
while reading the boot partition increase discussion, I had an idea and
just created an rpm containing the boot entries and the recovery iso for
Fedora.
I also managed to create a custom iso with the desired tools ( but i
need some help for finetuning i.e. get rid of the backgroundimage,
autostart autodetection. -> TODO )
O== SHORT
It's already working, tested with Fedora 42 , but we miss the analytics
part -> Timeline
http://repo.linux-am-dienstag.de/pva.repo
Package: fedora-recovery
current: fedora-recovery-42-7.x86_64.rpm
arm,ppc etc can be done later, it's not that hard, but very
timeconsuming due to a lot of python tools in anaconda,mock,
livemedia-creator using only one cpu core
O== TODO
- create detection tools
- create repair tools
- add a recovery HELP App
- exchange the default background image to a different one to make
clear, that we are in recovery mode.
- find more auto fixable boot problems to fix, besides:
boot partition full
fix initramfs problems
recreate initramfs on purpose
EFI partition defect
systemd boot stops
GDM / LightDM not working
DE not loading
nvidia driver checks
recreate SEL Contexts
package downgrade
reinstall grub*
If you have an idea about a missed autofixable problem, pls mail me.
*) if grub is defect, we could pimp the recovery partition to a bootable
one and than fake boot the iso, that way, we can also fix grub and noone
needs an ext. usb drive.
- features:
- on-Click-Chroot in system
- data recoverytools ( DONE )
- gparted ( DONE )
- reinstall OS from scratch ( DONE )
- continue/fix broken os upgrades
- virus & malware scan
If we missed something usefull, pls send me mail
- Fedora Project associated
- How do i get a change proposal to add the Recovery Project?
- How do i get a change proposal for Installer UI ?
- Switch for getting Recovery partition
- add 4GB Ext4 Partition ( could be anything that grubscan can use tbh )
- add fedora-recovery rpm to installation
- Who wants to do the sponsering ( german speaking prefered )
O== immediate infos needed
how to add a repo to kickstart file so mock can install a package from
it into the image?
make it conform with fedora packaging guidelines
O== LONG
As you all know, m$ added a recovery partition to windows, which is in
my POV the best they ever did for their users. AFAIK do miss all Linux
distros this kind of feature. So, lets change it.
The available "best" rescue images on the linux market, according to
TechRadar, are outdated or complete useless or both.
If you wanne take a look at the boot part we use, see here: [1]
Some changes to the Fedora Installer are required, but it's not
intensive, as the recovery image is placed on a standalone partition
named "RECOVERY" .
All the Fedora Installprocess needs for this change is an option in the
GUI to add that partition and the package on the target disk. ATM 3GB
are enough, but I suggest 4 GB to have some room for upgrades in the
future.
The recovery rpm mounts the partition before installing, so the image is
never mounted or mentioned on the os side. I do not expect many updates
in the release cycle, because we only need one working image with the
same software versions than the install medium.
The install livedisk should pull the package from the servers, not
contain it physically if possible. ATM the created recovery iso is 2,3G*
and that would explode the normal workstation iso size > 4 G if it would
contain it, something nobody wants. If there is no way around have that
rpm inside the workstation iso, we can add a dummy package, lets call it
version zero. The next regular update of the os would than be installing
the real recovery iso. Doing so, would avoid fiddeling around with meta
packages or other stuff we should avoid.
Also possible would be to just prepare the target disk on the
installprocess and do the fedora-recovery rpm install later.
*) i'm sure we can shrink it a bit, by removing more unnecessary rpms
from the recovery image. Most Gnome apps are already removed.
Once working, we should start a tomcat server with all the analytics &
repair functions in the background and just have a browsers icon for it
on the app grid. Tomcat can run as root, and is ideal for it, as we can
use the normal package and just use a rescue-app rpm to drop the
necessary config&appfiles in. An apache + php is also possible. Does not
matter in the end.
In later releases, it would be possible to first start autodetection of
problems, fix them if possible and only if nothing is found, or it's not
auto fixable, we boot into a desktop.
Because the recovery iso is placed on an unmounted partition, accidently
deleting it is impossible.
O== BENEFITS
Fedora would be the first major distro to have this feature, which would
make it way more attractive for ordinary newbie users worldwide, than
any other distro, where for any small problem you need to call a friend.
If we can fix major issues too, even better ;)
As the change is only touching the installer UI and everything else is
selfcontaining, there is no change in any other parts of Fedora. Besides
the buildenv and the 2,3 GB of rpm size, the ressource count is minimal.
We use only tools already available in Fedora or selfmade ones,
specifically make for Fedora, and are not relying on outdated third
party rescue "cds", which is a big advantage in my eyes.
The benefits for the users are:
- no need to grab a different pc to burn a usb drive with the latest
fedora iso AND NOT having all tools or scripts available
- no fiddeling with the bootorder on the BIOS/UEFI level
- specialist tools for the correct os for best compability to the
installed os.
- in special for VM installations, no need to change VM config (which
is easy in proxmox, but (compared) a pain in xenserver) for .. adding
cdroms, change boot orders etc. etc.. just reboot into rescue and go.
This saves time in a crisis on the admin side.
- if fedora once booted, the rescue will boot too.
O== Timeline
- Start of Project 14.10.2025 by Linux am Dienstag, Germany.
- presenting the image at 21.10.2025 on Linux am Dienstag, Germany.
- adding first detection scripts etc. at 28.10.2025 on Linux am Dienstag.
[1]
https://marius.bloggt-in-braunschweig.de/2025/10/15/ein-recovery-system-wird-geboren/
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