EMF OnPrem Install Fails: GITEA Timeout On New Server

Nov 13, 2025 by Alex Johnson 54 views

EMF OnPrem Installation Failing: GITEA Timeout on New Server

Introduction

This article addresses a common issue encountered during the installation of Edge Manageability Framework (EMF) OnPrem on a new server. Specifically, the installation process hangs while waiting for GITEA, eventually leading to a failure due to a timeout. This comprehensive guide will walk you through the problem, its symptoms, the environment in which it occurs, and potential solutions to resolve the issue. By understanding the root causes and following the troubleshooting steps, you can ensure a smooth and successful EMF OnPrem installation. Let’s dive into the details to help you get your EMF environment up and running efficiently. We'll explore each facet of the problem, ensuring that you have a clear understanding and the necessary tools to address it effectively.

Bug Description

When attempting to install EMF OnPrem on a new server, the installation process stalls indefinitely while waiting for GITEA to initialize. This delay ultimately results in a failure attributed to a context deadline exceeding the allotted time. The specific error messages and system setup details provide valuable insights into the nature of the problem. The error messages indicate issues with package configuration and permissions, while the system information helps narrow down potential compatibility issues. Understanding these details is crucial for diagnosing and resolving the installation failure. This section will break down each error message and system component to provide a clear picture of the problem.

The following resources are successfully created:

secret/gitea-tls-certs
secret/gitea-cred
secret/argocd-gitea-credential
secret/app-gitea-credential
secret/cluster-gitea-credential

The installation then fails with the following error messages:

Error: INSTALLATION FAILED: context deadline exceeded
dpkg: error processing package onprem-gitea-installer (--configure):
 installed onprem-gitea-installer package post-installation script subprocess returned error exit status 1
Errors were encountered while processing:
 onprem-gitea-installer
needrestart is being skipped since dpkg has failed
N: Download is performed unsandboxed as root as file '/home/arivu/EMF/Install/installers/onprem-gitea-installer_3.1.3_amd64.deb' couldn't be accessed by user '_apt'. - pkgAcquire::Run (13: Permission denied)
E: Sub-process /usr/bin/dpkg returned an error code (1)

These errors indicate a timeout issue during the installation process, specifically related to the onprem-gitea-installer package. Additionally, there are permission issues encountered by the _apt user when trying to access the installer package. These issues collectively contribute to the overall installation failure. Understanding these errors is crucial for pinpointing the root cause and implementing appropriate solutions. Let's explore the system setup to gain more context.

System Setup

The server is running Ubuntu 22.04. The following details provide further context about the system's configuration:

OS Info:

arivu@arivu-server-002:~/EMF/Install$ cat /etc/os-release
PRETTY_NAME="Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS"
NAME="Ubuntu"
VERSION_ID="22.04"
VERSION="22.04.5 LTS (Jammy Jellyfish)"
VERSION_CODENAME=jammy

arivu@arivu-server-002:~/EMF/Install$ uname -a
Linux arivu-server-002 5.15.0-161-generic #171-Ubuntu SMP Sat Oct 11 08:17:01 UTC 2025 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

This confirms that the system is running Ubuntu 22.04.5 LTS with kernel version 5.15.0-161-generic. This information is essential for identifying any potential compatibility issues with the EMF installation process. Knowing the specific OS version and kernel allows for targeted troubleshooting and ensures that the correct dependencies are installed. This baseline understanding is crucial for a successful resolution. Next, let's examine the system's hardware details.

System Details:

CPU:

Architecture:                            x86_64
CPU op-mode(s):                          32-bit, 64-bit
Address sizes:                           46 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
Byte Order:                              Little Endian
CPU(s):                                  32
On-line CPU(s) list:                     0-31
Vendor ID:                               GenuineIntel
Model name:                              Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900K
CPU family:                              6
Model:                                   183
Thread(s) per core:                      2
Core(s) per socket:                      24

The server is equipped with an Intel(R) Core(TM) i9-14900K processor, featuring 32 CPUs (24 cores with 2 threads per core). This indicates a powerful processing capability, suggesting that the timeout issue is unlikely due to insufficient CPU resources. The detailed CPU information helps rule out performance bottlenecks related to processing power. This ensures that the troubleshooting efforts are focused on other potential causes, such as network connectivity or software configuration. Now, let's look at the memory configuration.

Memory:

               total        used        free      shared  buff/cache   available
Mem:            78Gi       1.7Gi        65Gi        19Mi        10Gi        75Gi
Swap:          8.0Gi          0B       8.0Gi

The system has 78GB of RAM, with a significant amount available. Additionally, there is an 8GB swap space. This ample memory indicates that the timeout is unlikely caused by memory constraints. Having sufficient memory ensures that the system can handle the installation process without performance degradation due to memory swapping. This further narrows down the potential causes of the timeout. With the hardware details examined, let's move on to the steps to reproduce the issue.

Reproducible Steps

Attempt to install EMF v3.1.3 on a clean Ubuntu 22.04 server.
Monitor the installation process, specifically the GITEA initialization phase.
Observe the installation stalling and eventually failing with a context deadline exceeded error.

These steps allow for consistent reproduction of the issue, which is crucial for effective troubleshooting and testing potential solutions. By following these steps, you can reliably replicate the problem and verify whether the proposed fixes are successful. This systematic approach is essential for a thorough and accurate resolution. The ability to reproduce the issue consistently ensures that the problem is well-defined and understood, leading to more targeted and effective solutions. Let's delve into potential root causes.

Root Cause Analysis

Given the information provided, several potential root causes can be identified:

Network Connectivity Issues: The server might be experiencing network connectivity problems that prevent it from reaching the GITEA repository or other necessary resources. This could be due to firewall rules, DNS resolution issues, or general network instability. Verifying network connectivity is crucial to ensure that the installation process can proceed without interruptions.
GITEA Initialization Problems: GITEA itself might be failing to initialize correctly, leading to the timeout. This could be due to configuration errors, database issues, or other internal problems within the GITEA installation process. Checking the GITEA logs can provide valuable insights into any initialization errors.
Resource Constraints: Although the system has ample CPU and memory, there might be other resource constraints, such as disk I/O limitations, that are affecting the installation process. Monitoring disk I/O during the installation can help identify any bottlenecks.
Permission Issues: The error message regarding the _apt user's inability to access the installer package suggests potential permission issues. Ensuring that the necessary permissions are set correctly is essential for the installation process to proceed without errors.
Firewall Restrictions: A restrictive firewall configuration might be blocking necessary communication between the installation process and external resources. Reviewing and adjusting the firewall rules can help resolve this issue.
DNS Resolution Problems: Issues with DNS resolution can prevent the server from correctly resolving the addresses of necessary resources, leading to timeouts. Verifying DNS settings and testing DNS resolution can help identify and resolve this problem.

Addressing these potential root causes requires a systematic approach to troubleshooting. Each possibility should be investigated and eliminated or resolved until the underlying issue is identified and corrected. This thorough approach ensures that the problem is accurately diagnosed and effectively addressed.

Potential Solutions

Based on the identified root causes, here are some potential solutions to address the EMF OnPrem installation failure:

Verify Network Connectivity:
- Check DNS Resolution: Ensure the server can resolve external domain names by using the nslookup or dig commands. For example:
```
nslookup github.com
```
  If DNS resolution fails, update the server's DNS settings in /etc/resolv.conf or network configuration files.
- Test Connectivity to GITEA: Use ping or traceroute to check the network path to the GITEA repository. For example:
```
ping gitea.example.com
traceroute gitea.example.com
```
  If there are connectivity issues, investigate firewall rules or network configurations.
Check GITEA Status and Logs:
- Review GITEA Logs: Examine the GITEA logs for any error messages or warnings that might indicate initialization problems. The logs are typically located in /var/log/gitea/. Look for entries that indicate startup failures or database connection issues.
- Restart GITEA: Try restarting the GITEA service to see if it resolves the issue. Use the following command:
```
sudo systemctl restart gitea
```
  Monitor the service status to ensure it starts successfully.
Address Permission Issues:
- Check File Permissions: Ensure that the _apt user has the necessary permissions to access the installer package. Use the following command to check permissions:
```
ls -l /home/arivu/EMF/Install/installers/onprem-gitea-installer_3.1.3_amd64.deb
```
  If necessary, adjust the permissions using chmod or chown.
- Run Installation with Elevated Privileges: Try running the installation with elevated privileges using sudo to ensure that all necessary permissions are granted.
Adjust Firewall Rules:
- Review Firewall Configuration: Check the firewall rules to ensure that necessary ports for GITEA and other services are open. Use the ufw command to check and adjust the firewall rules:
```
sudo ufw status
sudo ufw allow 22
sudo ufw allow 80
sudo ufw allow 443
```
  Adjust the rules as necessary to allow communication between the server and external resources.
Increase Timeout Values:
- Modify Installation Script: Increase the timeout values in the installation script to allow more time for GITEA to initialize. Locate the relevant section in the script and adjust the timeout parameters.
```
# Example: Set timeout to 600 seconds
timeout=600
```
  Save the changes and rerun the installation.
Check Resource Usage:
- Monitor Disk I/O: Use tools like iotop or iostat to monitor disk I/O during the installation process. Identify any bottlenecks and address them by optimizing disk configurations or moving data to faster storage.
Update System Packages:
- Update and Upgrade: Ensure that all system packages are up to date by running the following commands:
```
sudo apt update
sudo apt upgrade
```
  This ensures that you have the latest versions of all dependencies and can resolve any compatibility issues.

By systematically implementing these solutions, you can address the potential root causes and resolve the EMF OnPrem installation failure. Each step should be carefully executed and verified to ensure its effectiveness.

Conclusion

Troubleshooting an EMF OnPrem installation failure due to a GITEA timeout requires a systematic approach. By understanding the error messages, examining the system setup, and identifying potential root causes, you can implement targeted solutions to resolve the issue. Verifying network connectivity, checking GITEA status, addressing permission issues, and adjusting firewall rules are all crucial steps in the troubleshooting process. By following the solutions outlined in this article, you can increase your chances of a successful EMF OnPrem installation. Remember to carefully monitor each step and adjust your approach based on the specific issues you encounter. With diligence and attention to detail, you can overcome these challenges and achieve a stable and functional EMF environment.

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