Re: configuring interface & configuring MTA time out

[Camaleón <noelamac@gmail.com>]

On Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:44:22 -0400, Gilbert Sullivan wrote:

(...)
 
> Until the recent update (a couple of weeks ago) of netscript which
> removed ifupdown, the system just always booted quickly on any of its
> various network locations. Since then, when I have set Wicd to connect
> to one of the fixed IP address locations, the boot process halts for one
> minute at two places -- the configuring interface line, and the
> configuring MTA line. (I'm guessing the configuring MTA time out happens
> because the configuring interface time out precedes it.)

Yes, that's likely what happens. The MTA daemon has to wait until it gets 
a valid networking configuration and can delay the booting process when 
there's a problem with it.

> My /etc/network/interfaces file on this system is:

(...)

> allow-hotplug eth0
> iface eth0 inet dhcp

So you're using dhcp for eth0... then the origin of the delay could be 
your system is waiting for a lease. To confirm this point, configure a 
static network layout in your "/etc/network/interfaces" file instead 
using dhcp, reboot and check for any difference in the time it takes now.

> If I hit <Ctrl>+C when the boot process stalls at the configuring
> interfaces line, the remainder of the boot continues quickly, albeit
> with a failure for startpar. I haven't noticed any untoward effect on
> system behavior after doing this.
> 
> Is there any downside to using <Ctrl>+C like this?

You'll be stopping the said daemon but other than that, the boot sequence 
will continue.
 
> Is there a way for me to edit the /etc/network/interfaces file that will
> get rid of the problem?

I would try first by using a fixed network configuration (ip, netmask, 
gateway, dns...). If that works and speeds up the boot process, I'd start 
searching for the reason of the dhcp delay.

Greetings,

-- 
Camaleón