fstrim.service fails during boot of InfoScale 8.0.2/rhel9 systems when VxFS filesystems are present in the /etc/fstab file.

Problem

fstrim.service fails during boot of InfoScale 8.0.2/RHEL9 system when VxFS filesystems are present in the /etc/fstab file.
 

Error Message

Mar 03 08:47:18  systemA systemd[1]: Starting Discard unused blocks on filesystems from /etc/fstab...
Mar 03 08:47:18  systemA fstrim[15347]: fstrim: /t2: FITRIM ioctl failed: Invalid argument
Mar 03 08:47:18  systemA fstrim[15347]: fstrim: /t1: FITRIM ioctl failed: Invalid argument
Mar 03 08:47:18  systemA systemd[1]: fstrim.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=64/USAGE
Mar 03 08:47:18  systemA systemd[1]: fstrim.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
Mar 03 08:47:18  systemA systemd[1]: Failed to start Discard unused blocks on filesystems from /etc/fstab.

Similar errors are observed if manually starting the fstrim.service using systemctl or manually running the fstrim command:

# systemctl start fstrim
Job for fstrim.service failed because the control process exited with error code.
See "systemctl status fstrim.service" and "journalctl -xeu fstrim.service" for details.

# systemctl status fstrim
  fstrim.service - Discard unused blocks on filesystems from /etc/fstab
     Loaded: loaded (/usr/lib/systemd/system/fstrim.service; static)
     Active: failed (Result: exit-code) since Mon 2025-03-03 08:47:18 PST; 2s ago
       Docs: man:fstrim(8)
    Process: 15347 ExecStart=/usr/sbin/fstrim --listed-in /etc/fstab:/proc/self/mountinfo --verbose --quiet-unsupported (code=exited, status=64)
   Main PID: 15347 (code=exited, status=64)
        CPU: 59ms

# journalctl -xeu fstrim.service
  
   The job identifier is 1215 and the job result is failed.
Mar 04 03:46:32  systemA systemd[1]: Starting Discard unused blocks on filesystems from /etc/fstab...
   Subject: A start job for unit fstrim.service has begun execution
   Defined-By: systemd
   Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
  
   A start job for unit fstrim.service has begun execution.
  
   The job identifier is 1958.
Mar 04 03:46:32  systemA fstrim[54548]: fstrim: /t2: FITRIM ioctl failed: Invalid argument
Mar 04 03:46:32  systemA fstrim[54548]: fstrim: /t1: FITRIM ioctl failed: Invalid argument
Mar 04 03:46:32  systemA systemd[1]: fstrim.service: Main process exited, code=exited, status=64/USAGE
   Subject: Unit process exited
   Defined-By: systemd
   Support: https://access.redhat.com/support
  
   An ExecStart= process belonging to unit fstrim.service has exited.
  
   The process' exit code is 'exited' and its exit status is 64.
Mar 04 03:46:32  systemA systemd[1]: fstrim.service: Failed with result 'exit-code'.
  
   The unit fstrim.service has entered the 'failed' state with result 'exit-code'.

# /usr/sbin/fstrim --listed-in /etc/fstab:/proc/self/mountinfo --verbose --quiet-unsupported
fstrim: /t2: FITRIM ioctl failed: Invalid argument
fstrim: /t1: FITRIM ioctl failed: Invalid argument
 

Cause

VxFS filesystem does not support the fstrim utility. When the fstrim command is executed on a VxFS filesystem it returns an EINVAL or Invalid argument error code which suggests that an argument or ioctl function is invalid whereas fstrim expects to see a valid error code such as ENOTTY or EOPNOTSUPP if the filesystem is not supported.

Solution

The Product Engineering team currently plans to address this issue through a patch or hotfix in the current software version. Please note that our company reserves the right to withdraw any fix from the targeted release if it fails quality assurance tests. Development plans are subject to change, and any actions you take based on this information, or your reliance on it, are at your own risk.

The VxFS code has been updated to return the valid error code stating that fstrim is not supported on the VxFS filesystem. 

A hotfix is now available and the fix will be included in the next InfoScale 8.0.2 and 9.0 GA patches.

Please contact Technical Support should the hotfix be required.